Comparative assessment of the aquatic status of the species Acer in an urban environment

Abstract

The study of the water status of maple plants in terms of water scarcity, hydration, water retention capacity and transpiration intensity were carried out. It was determined that the parameters of water deficiency in plants varied on average from 18.3 % (July) to 29.3 % (August), and the increase in water deficiency in August is associated with elevated air temperatures against the background of ongoing drought. The hydration of plants varied in accordance with changes in water scarcity, in A. negundo and A. saccharinum high rates of hydration in August (at the level of July values) are most likely associated with low transpiration intensity in these species. It was found that from May to August, plants lost an average of 42 % of water, and A. pseudoplatanus and A. campestre have low water retention capacity throughout the observations. The lowest transpiration activity during the entire period of active vegetation is characteristic of A. saccharinum. As a result, the species we studied were divided into two large clusters – A. campestre in one, the other includes the remaining four species. Moreover, A. platanoides and A. saccharinum are more similar in terms of the characteristics of the water status. The change and nature of the manifestation of water deficiency, hydration of tissues and the intensity of transpiration are caused not only by the influence of environmental factors, but also by the species characteristics of maples.