Morphogenetic Abnormalities of Bryobionts in Geochemically Contrasting Conditions of Donbass

Abstract—The territory of modern central Donbass was considered as an experimental site for the implementation of an ingredient biomonitoring program. Bryophytes were transplanted and exposed in the geolocalities directly influenced by coal mining and processing complexes, metallurgical and chemical industry, ruderal and residential ecotopes. For bryobionts with a wide amplitude of resistance to technogenic pollution (Amblystegium subtile (Hedw.) Schimp., Brachythecium campestre (Muell.Hal.) Bruch et al., Bryum argenteum Hedw., Bryum caespiticium Hedw., Bryum capillare Hedw., Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid and Pylaisia polyantha (Hedw.) Schimp.), the following criteria of anthropotolerance were selected: (1) the ability to accumulate elements, (2) the ability to accumulate specific pollutants, (3) structural and functional reactions and manifestation of atypical morphogenesis (teratogenesis) of plant organisms and (4) shifts in the characteristics of the survival strategy of species under conditions of deep transformation of the Donbass landscape systems. Peculiarities in the accumulation of Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Cd, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Hg, Pb, Th, U in indicator plants used as seasonal phytotest monitors to assess the pollution of natural environment has been defined. At a radical violation of geochemical cycles in plant life support systems, cases of specific chlorosis and necrosis of point localization, hypo- and hypergenesis and deformation, as well as fasciation, prolification, dystopia, oligomerization of vegetative organs, peculiarities in the development of individual groups of cells in the integumentary, and conformational tissues of the leaf apparatus of bryobionts have been recorded. The revealed abnormalities were used as a phytoindication characteristics when conducting an express analysis of the level of technogenic stress in field diagnostics. The coefficients of biological absorption and technogenic concentration of elements in biosubstrates were calculated when assessing the geochemical contrast of the environment. The difference in the accumulative capacity of bryobionts for individual elements or their associative groups in different ecotopes was defined. The related morphogenetic heterogeneity of the structure and elemental composition of plants is an individual case of compliance with V.I. Vernadsky’s ideas of the concentration, information and environment-forming functions of living matter.