Investigation of the influence of nickel in precipitation through the surface properties of moss Pleurozium schreberi

Abstract

3D stereophotogrammetric scanner was used to obtain 3D model of canopy structure of Pleurozium schreberi moss samples in order to determine changes in the surface roughness index caused by the exposition to the simulated precipitation with known nickel concentrations. In mosses, surface roughness index is known to be a significant indicator of the environmental conditions and is strongly correlated with microclimatic state of the vicinity of the plant. Samples were divided to two groups and either 5 mg.l-1 or 50 mg.l-1 solutions of pH 5 were applied as a simulated rainfall for the total period of eight weeks, 3D model of the sample surface was obtained every time before and after irrigation. In addition, organic material was analysed for the final nickel content using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Calculated surface roughness indices revealed substantial alteration the pattern of canopy properties changes during irrigation – nickel in the simulated precipitation therefore affects the surface of the moss canopy and thus the ecophysiological properties of the moss used. Total accumulated nickel was found to reflect the concentration of the metal in the precipitation with the nickel content in moss being ten times higher in the case of ten times higher content in the solution used for the irrigation (1922 mg.kg-1 compared to 195 mg.kg-1 following the application of 50 mg.l-1 and 5 mg.l-1 nickel solution, respectively).