PARAMETERS OF ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF RED OAK (QUERCUS RUBRA L.) LEAF IN URBANIZED CONDITIONS

The effect of urbanized conditions on the anatomical parameters of red oak ( Quercus rubra L.) leaves was researched. The object of the study was a Q. rubra trees, which grow in non-polluted site – Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (site 1) and near the highway with heavy traffic (site 2) in Dnipro. It was established that the histological parameters of Q. rubra leaves under pollution conditions is changed toward xeromorphism – a thickening of the cuticle and adaxial epidermis, increasing the thickness of palisade and reducing the thickness of spongy mesophyll, increasing the palisade index and increasing the number of stomata per unit epidermis surface. Stomata of leaf epidermis on site 2 is located more densely than in plants of non-polluted site. Number of epidermal cells per 1 mm2 of leaf surface increases in trees on site 2 relative to trees on site 1. The degree of openness of stomata in plants is greater on non-polluted site. The length and width of guard cells in the plants of site 2 is decreased by an average of 20 %. Changes in some parameters of leaves anatomical structure toward xeromorphism in urbanized conditions is considered as adaptive response of plants to environmental pollution.