Microdust impact on leaf gas exchange parameters in oak species of Northern Zagros forests, west of Iran

In recent years, the microdust phenomenon has greatly changed in concentration, duration and continuity as well as the frequency of occurrence in comparison with dust storms in the past which has caused a great deal of concern. Microdust is one of the most devastating factors in the environment threatening all animal and plant species. Regarding to the microdust impending threat, its ecological and economic impacts on scarce species is critical. Zagros forests act as an intrinsic filter for microdust in the western region of Iran. This study investigates the effect of microdust on oak, the most important tree in the Zagros forests. So that, three-year old seedlings of three oak species (Quercus branti, Q. libni and Q. infectoria) were exposed to microdust under natural conditions during spring and summer 2016. We examined the rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, internal CO2, mesophyll conductance, water use efficiency in control and treated plants. The results indicated that microdust had a significant impact on the examined parameters of the three oak species (P≤0.01). The gas exchange and photosynthetic rates of the treated plants were significantly reduced. In Q. infectoria, microdust had the greatest impact on photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, leaf internal CO2, transpiration and mesophyll conductance. Accordingly, microdust had a substantial influence on photosynthesis and mesophyll conductance in Q. brantii as well as the leaf internal CO2 and mesophyll conductance in Q. libani. Therefore, based on these findings, it can be concluded that microdust can disrupt the physiological activities of the examined species. Hence, continuous - exposure to microdust will accelerate the process of destruction of these forests.