Seeds of Syringa vulgaris L. as a possible object for phytoindication studies of urban environment in Orenburg

Urbanized environment is considered as a stressor for individual plants and their communities that form green frame of the city. Changes in structure of plant populations in cities are analyzed as an important indicator of environmental quality. Therefore, phytoindication of quality of the environment in conditions of the city is currently becoming relevant in the context of its optimization. The purpose of the research was to study biometric parameters and seed germination of Syringa vulgaris L., growing in areas with increased anthropogenic pressure in comparison with a ‘conditionally’ clean area. Within the framework of this work, morphometric parameters of lilac seeds growing in areas with a high level of anthropogenic pollution were described. Indicators of reproductive ability of lilacs (laboratory and soil germination) were assessed. According to the results of the observations, it was established that the biometric parameters of S. vulgaris seeds are not indicative and cannot be used in assessing the quality of the environment. The data obtained during laboratory and soil germination of S. vulgaris seeds can be used to characterize the ecological state of sampling areas. Under more favorable environmental conditions (control), germination is much higher than under anthropogenically modified environmental conditions. Based on the results of a comprehensive assessment of laboratory and soil germination, the following distribution of the administrative districts of Orenburg was established according to the degree of anthropogenic pollution (from the most ‘clean’ to the most environmentally unstable): Zauralnaya Grove > Industrial District > Dzerzhinsky District > Leninsky District > Central District.