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Mosses are proven bioindicators of living environments. It is known that mosses accumulate pollutants from precipitates and, to some lesser extent, from the substrate. In this study, the effects of cesium (Cs) on the physiological traits of acrocarp polytrichaceous Catherine's moss (Atrichum undulatum Hedw.) were studied under controlled, in vitro conditions. Cesium can be found in the environment in a stable form (133Cs) and as a radioactive isotope (134Cs and 137Cs). Belonging to the same group of elements, Cs and potassium (K) share various similarities, due to which Cs can interfere with this essential element and thus possibly alter the plant's metabolism. Results have shown that Cs affects the measured physiological characteristics of A. undulatum, although the changes to antioxidative enzyme activities were not drastic following Cs treatments. Therefore, the activities of antioxidative enzymes at lower pH values are more the consequence of pH effects on enzymatic conformation than simply the harmful effects of Cs. Moreover, Cs did not affect the survival of plants grown on the solid substrate nor plants grown in conditions of light and heavy rain simulation using Cs with variable pH, indicating that Cs is not harmful in this form for the studied species A. undulatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Botanica Serbica is the property of University of Belgrade, Institute of Botany & Botanical Garden Jevremovac and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)