Leaf anatomy of Rubiaceae species occurring in an impacted and none impacted environment by the action of limestone mining

• Grant number: 13/21855-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Aline Redondo Martins
• Grantee: Isabela Alonso Buzetti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The impact of mining activity can cause severe damage to the environment. One of these effects can be observed not only in morphology and physiology of plants that are found around the affected areas. Anatomical, comparative and quantitative morphological studies may indicate environmental impacts on plants. Moreover such studies may also provide information about which species present adaptive advantages that support the environmental impact. So, they are indicated as the viable use of the restoration of degraded areas. The aim of this study is to verify if Rubiaceae species exhibit morphological and anatomical changes when observed at the edge of rain forest hit by a limestone mining operation, compared with a preserved rain forest environment that does not suffer such impact. The leaves of three species of Rubiaceae (Rudgea jasminoides, Bathysa australis and Psychotria vellosiana) will be taking in a region affected by mining and in an area with no pollution impact. After obtaing then, samples of species leaves will be fixed, dehydrated, embedded in synthetic resin and sectioned for mounting histological slides, in order to check possible changes in anatomy of leaf tissues.