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Cell ultrastructural evidence of accelerated ageing of Norway spruce needles in industrial areas
Author(s) -
WULFF A.,
AHONEN J.,
KÄRENLAMPI L.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1996.tb01924.x
Subject(s) - ageing , picea abies , chloroplast , ultrastructure , senescence , vacuole , biology , botany , cytoplasm , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene , genetics
summary Needle mesophyll cell ultrastructure of 1st to 9th yr needles from Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees of different ages was studied at three different sites to determine the normal features of needle ageing, and the impact of air pollution on the needle ageing process. The sites included one rural area and two industrial environments, of which one contained SO 2 emissions and the other SO 2 and F emissions. The ultrastuctural features of needle mesophyll cells of different ages were found to be remarkably similar when young (20‐yr‐old) and mature (> 50‐yr‐old) trees were compared. Senescence‐related ultrastructural symptoms such as increase in the number and size of plastoglobuli and an increase in the large lipid accumulations were observed with increasing needle age. In addition, the occurrence of lipid bodies in the central vacuole and an increased number of dark grains in the cell wall were detected in ageing needles. No changes in chloroplast length were observed during the ageing of needles, although the width of the chloroplasts showed a tendency to increase. A poor differentiation of granal membranes and an increase in small cytoplasmic lipid bodies and irregularly‐shaped lipid material were symptoms typical of needles in the industrial areas. The ageing symptoms appeared in younger needles and were more evident in industrial areas than at the control site, suggesting an accelerated ageing process in the industrial areas.