Air Pollution Tolerance Index And Anticipated Performance Index Of Selected Tree Species In The Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

Abstract

Air pollution causes severe health problems and environmental hazards such as acid rain, global warming, depletion of the ozone layer, and are leading causes of climate change. In the present study, Air pollution tolerance index and Anticipated Performance index was calculated for selected plant species at two sites at outer ring road Gorguntepalya to Nayandahalli (experimental site) and the Bangalore University (the control site) of Bengaluru city, India. The leaf samples were collected from 30 commonly present tree species. Four physiological and biochemical parameters of leaf relative water content, Ascorbic acid content, total leaf chlorophyll content and leaf extract pH values were used to compute the air pollution tolerance index values. The results were showed significant effects of various air pollutants on the vegetation. APTI values for 30 common tree species at both sites showed varied tolerance, categorizing into high, intermediate, and sensitive groups. Species with higher APTI values are significant pollutant sinks, while lower values were serve as bioindicators for air pollution monitoring. Trees like Swietenia mahagoni and Saraca asoca, with favourable morphological and economic characteristics, are recommended for urban green maintenance.