Influence of copper and nickel on morphophysiological indicators of seedlings of coastal aquatic plants.

The effect of copper and nickel ions at concentrations of 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L on morphometric and pigment indicators of the seedlings of narrowleaf water-plantain Alisma gramineum and seashore dock Rumex maritimus was studied. It was found that the pigment characteristics were more sensitive to nickel and copper than the morphometric characteristics. It was noted that copper started to be toxic at relatively low concentrations and lead to a significant degradation of the pigment complex compared with nickel. An inverse correlation was found in seedlings between metal concentrations in the medium and chlorophyll a (Chl a). It was shown that the synthesis of chlorophyll a was inhibited by metal salts more strongly than by chlorophyll b and carotenoids, and seedlings of seashore dock were more resistant to the action of the factors studied than seedlings of the narrowleaf water-plantain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]