Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring
Biomonitoring of atmospheric pollution is an increasingly accepted practice. However, most existing biomonitors are usually epiphytic species from mesic environments. This work assessed the suitability of buffelgrass (<i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i>), an invasive C<sub>4</sub> grass...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/5/942 |
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| author | Edison A. Díaz-Álvarez Erick de la Barrera |
| author_facet | Edison A. Díaz-Álvarez Erick de la Barrera |
| author_sort | Edison A. Díaz-Álvarez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biomonitoring of atmospheric pollution is an increasingly accepted practice. However, most existing biomonitors are usually epiphytic species from mesic environments. This work assessed the suitability of buffelgrass (<i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i>), an invasive C<sub>4</sub> grass in northwestern Mexico, as a biomonitor, by means of the spatial distribution of the carbon and nitrogen content and isotopic signatures for grass samples collected from urban, agricultural, and natural areas throughout the state of Sonora. We found the highest tissue carbon content of 45.6% (on a dry weight basis) and highest nitrogen content of 3.31% for buffelgrass from the Yaqui Valley. We also found the lowest δ<sup>13</sup>C of −15.9‰, and the highest δ<sup>15</sup>N of 16.7‰ in the same region. In contrast, the lowest carbon and nitrogen content of 39.4 and 1.49% were found for Bahía de Kino and Río Sonora mountains, respectively. The lowest δ<sup>15</sup>N of 2.18‰ and the highest δ<sup>13</sup>C of −13.7‰ were measured for two remote locations. These results show the influence that pollutant emissions, including agriculture and transportation, have on elemental and isotopic composition of vegetation. Buffelgrass is most adequate for tracking carbon and nitrogen emissions in arid environments and for determining alterations on nitrogen soil reactions, as a first approximation for saturation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:36:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1955b8f80fc64e3d9d6c960e9f9cec0c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:36:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-1955b8f80fc64e3d9d6c960e9f9cec0c2023-11-21T18:51:37ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472021-05-0110594210.3390/plants10050942Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for BiomonitoringEdison A. Díaz-Álvarez0Erick de la Barrera1Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales, Universidad Veracruzana, Parque Ecológico “El Haya”, Carretera Antigua a Coatepec-Coapexpan, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, MexicoInstituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Col. Ex-Hacienda de San José del Cerrito, Morelia Michoacán 58190, MexicoBiomonitoring of atmospheric pollution is an increasingly accepted practice. However, most existing biomonitors are usually epiphytic species from mesic environments. This work assessed the suitability of buffelgrass (<i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i>), an invasive C<sub>4</sub> grass in northwestern Mexico, as a biomonitor, by means of the spatial distribution of the carbon and nitrogen content and isotopic signatures for grass samples collected from urban, agricultural, and natural areas throughout the state of Sonora. We found the highest tissue carbon content of 45.6% (on a dry weight basis) and highest nitrogen content of 3.31% for buffelgrass from the Yaqui Valley. We also found the lowest δ<sup>13</sup>C of −15.9‰, and the highest δ<sup>15</sup>N of 16.7‰ in the same region. In contrast, the lowest carbon and nitrogen content of 39.4 and 1.49% were found for Bahía de Kino and Río Sonora mountains, respectively. The lowest δ<sup>15</sup>N of 2.18‰ and the highest δ<sup>13</sup>C of −13.7‰ were measured for two remote locations. These results show the influence that pollutant emissions, including agriculture and transportation, have on elemental and isotopic composition of vegetation. Buffelgrass is most adequate for tracking carbon and nitrogen emissions in arid environments and for determining alterations on nitrogen soil reactions, as a first approximation for saturation.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/5/942biomonitoringcarbon emissionsenvironmental pollutionglobal ecologynitrogen depositionstable isotopes |
| spellingShingle | Edison A. Díaz-Álvarez Erick de la Barrera Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring Plants biomonitoring carbon emissions environmental pollution global ecology nitrogen deposition stable isotopes |
| title | Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring |
| title_full | Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring |
| title_short | Influence of Land Use on the C and N Status of a C<sub>4</sub> Invasive Grass in a Semi-Arid Region: Implications for Biomonitoring |
| title_sort | influence of land use on the c and n status of a c sub 4 sub invasive grass in a semi arid region implications for biomonitoring |
| topic | biomonitoring carbon emissions environmental pollution global ecology nitrogen deposition stable isotopes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/5/942 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT edisonadiazalvarez influenceoflanduseonthecandnstatusofacsub4subinvasivegrassinasemiaridregionimplicationsforbiomonitoring AT erickdelabarrera influenceoflanduseonthecandnstatusofacsub4subinvasivegrassinasemiaridregionimplicationsforbiomonitoring |