The Properties of Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia L. to Selectively Accumulate Chemical Elements from Soils of Ecologically Transformed Areas

The black locust Robinia pseudoacacia L. is a common species that originated from North America. In Europe, it is an invasive and introduced plant. Due to its low habitat requirements and ecological plasticity, this species colonizes new anthropogenically transformed areas quickly. This study investigated the chemical composition of selected tissues of Robinia pseudoacacia L. in five various habitats with different levels of anthropopression conditions in southern Poland. The presented research aimed to compare the chemical composition of black locust parts tissues (leaves, branches, and seeds) and the soil under its canopy. To determine the heavy metal contamination and enrichment in soil, the geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor, contamination factor, pollution load index, and potential ecological risk index were calculated. The results showed that all examined soils are considerably or very highly contaminated and the main heavy metals, which pollute the studied samples, are cadmium (1.3-3.91 ppm), lead (78.17-157.99 ppm), and zinc (129.77-543.97 ppm). Conducted research indicates that R. pseudoacacia leaves are the primary carrier of potentially toxic elements. Due to low bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values, it is clear that black locusts do not accumulate contaminants in such amounts that it would pose risk to its use in degraded area reclamation. The obtained results showed that R. pseudoacacia is able to grow in a wide range of habitats and could be applied for greening urban habitats and disturbed ecosystems caused by industry.

Automated summary

The black locust, originally from North America, is introduced and considered invasive in Europe. This study investigated its chemical composition in different habitats in southern Poland. The results showed high levels of heavy metal contamination in the soils, with cadmium, lead, and zinc being the main pollutants. The leaves of black locust were found to be the primary carrier of potentially toxic elements. The study suggests that black locusts have the potential to be used for urban greening and ecosystem restoration in polluted areas.