Assessment of air pollution tolerance and anticipated performance index of roadside trees in urban and semi-urban regions

Rapid urbanization and rising vehicular population are the main precursors in increasing air pollutants concentration which negatively influences the surrounding ecosystem. Roadside plants are frequently used as the barrier against traffic emissions to minimize the effects of air pollution. They are, however, vulnerable to various contaminants, and their tolerance capacity varies. This necessitates a scientific inquiry into the role of roadside plantations in improved urban sprawl planning and management, where chosen trees could be cultivated to reduce air pollution. The present study assesses biochemical and physiological characteristics to evaluate the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The anticipated performance index (API) was assessed based on calculated APTI and socioeconomic characteristics of a selected common tree species along the roadside at different sites. According to APTI, Mangifera indica and Eugenia jambolana were the most tolerant species throughout all the sites, while Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa were intermediately tolerant towards air pollution. The one-way ANOVA shows no significant variation in APTI throughout all the sites. The regression plot shows the positive correlation of APTI with ascorbic acid among all the parameters. According to API, the Mangifera indica, Eugenia jambolana Ficus religiosa and Ficus benghalensis were excellent and best performers among all the sites. So, the air pollution-resistant tree species can be recommended for roadside plantations for the development of green belt areas in urban regions.

Automated summary

Rapid urbanization and rising vehicular population contribute to increased air pollution, negatively impacting the surrounding ecosystem. Roadside plants are commonly used as barriers against traffic emissions to mitigate air pollution, but their tolerance to contaminants varies. This study evaluates the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) of selected tree species in Ranchi, India, considering their biochemical and physiological characteristics. The results suggest that Mangifera indica and Eugenia jambolana are the most tolerant species, while Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa are moderately tolerant. The recommended tree species for roadside plantations in urban areas are Mangifera indica, Eugenia jambolana, Ficus religiosa, and Ficus benghalensis.