Volume : 2, Issue : 5, MAY 2016

ASSESSMENT OF THE AIR POLLUTION TOLERANCE INDEX (APTI) OF SOME COMMON TREES ON THE ANNASALAI TO THEAGARAYA NAGAR STRETCH OF CHENNAI CITY NEAR THE GOVERNMENT ARTS COLLEGE AT NANDANAM

Arunpandiyan, K., Malathy, S., Mujeera Fathima

Abstract

The present investigation has been undertaken in a three-kilometre stretch from Arts College to Loyola college. A tree census for the designated stretch was taken and the total number of tree species available was ascertained. Based on the dominance, five species namely Samanea saman, Azadirachta indica, Pongamia pinnata, Polyalthia longifolia and Ficus religiosa were selected to determine the APTI values. The biochemical parameters for APTI such as Relative water content, pH, Total Chlorophyll content and Total Ascorbic acid content of leaf tissue was determined. Zone- wise, species- wise and parameter- wise comparison was done to study the effects of Air Pollution in the designated zones. The Control Zone showed low levels of Ascorbic acid and high levels were seen in Zones II,III and I. Total Chlorophyll content was minimum in Zone IV and maximum in the control zone. The APTI value was highest for Zone I followed by Zone III and then Zone II and was minimum in Zone IV. The most sensitive species is Ficus religiosa and the most resistant species is Samanea saman and the moderately resistant one is Azadirachta indica.

Keywords

Tree-census, sequestration, air-pollutants, Neem, Pipal, Rain- tree.

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