The effects of atmospheric pollutants, originated from the industrial region of Cubatão, São Paulo State, were analysed on plants of Tibouchina pulchra from three areas with different types of pollutants. Root systems were used from passive and active monitoring specimens, and open-top-chambers (filtrated and no-filtrated air) specimens too. It was possible to evaluate the quantitative data from the root systems, the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) diversity, the mycorrhizal colonization percentage and the spores quantity in the rhizosphere soil. The results showed that in the most polluted area the specimens have: - increase in the mycorrhizal colonization percentages; - more VAM species diversity and quantity; - redution tendency in the root system development, especially in the wood roots length; - increase tendency in the fine roots quantity. These results demonstrate that the species studied is tolerant to the stress caused from the pollutants, with redution of the tolerance when the action of atmospheric pollutants takes place together the action of soil pollutants.
biomonitoring; mycorrhizal colonization; pollution; root system; VAM diversity
