PJB-2011-301
SOME PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON PLANTS AND POLLUTANT LEVELS ALONG PINDI BHATTIAN-FAISALABAD MOTORWAY (M-3) (PAKISTAN)
KHALID FAROOQ AKBAR1, SABAH MAQBOOL1, IFFAT ASHRAF1, TARIQ MAHMOOD ANSARI2* AND SHEIKH SAEED AHMAD3*
Abstract
The roadside verges of M-3 were surveyed to investigate their floristic composition and the levels of heavy metals in their soils. For this purpose, the floristic data from 102 quadrats, each 1x2 m in size were collected and their associated soils were analyzed for total lead, cadmium, copper, manganese, iron and zinc. These quadrats were distributed on three zones (border, verge, and fence) within the M-3 verges. Fifty eight plant species were recorded. By considering their frequency and abundance values, Cynodon dactylon, Anagallis arvensis, Imperata cylindrica, Trifolium alexandrianum and Sonchus oleracea were the most frequent and abundant species of M-3. The mean concentrations of total Cu, Cd, Zn, Mn, Pb and Fe in the roadside soils of M-3 were 14.0 µgg-1
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