The influence of dust on optical properties of beech leaves

We studied the influence of dust on optical properties of beech tree leaves (Fagus sylvatica L.). We were assessing the influence of dust particles at two locations in the vicinity of a quarry and compared it with the reference location. We measured the anatomical characteristics of the leaf (thickness, thickness of the cuticle, and of the lower and upper epidermis, and the thickness of the spongy and palisade tissue, specific leaf surface, the number and size of leaf stomata, the structure of the leaf). We also performed biochemical analyses, comparing the content of pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanians) and UV-absorbing substances (UV-A and UV-B), and measured the reflection spectra of leaves covered with dust particles and of leaves where the dust particles were removed. We wanted to estimate the influence of dust particles on measured parameters and the relation of properties of leaves are related to the presence of dust. We also wanted to point out how dust cover affects reflectance spectra. The results showed that differences occur mainly in certain anatomical features, pigment content and reflectance, while in the amount of UV-absorbing substances the impact of dust was not detected. Redundancy analysis revealed that the most of variability of spectra was explained by structure of the leaf (the thickness of the palisade tissue and the specific leaf surface), as well as the amount of dust