Morphological variability of pollen of Pinus sylvestris L. in conditions of industrial town (Russia, Monchegorsk)

Data of palynology analysis of Pinus sylvestris pollen in heavily polluted industrial barrens of Monchegorsk (Russia, Murmansk region) are presented. Nine experimental plots were founded on the territory of the town. Male strobiles of pine were gathered in June 2013, immersed in 50 % etanol solution. Coloration for palynology analysis was carryed out by 1 % solution of acetocarmine. Normal and teratomorphen pollen grains were calculated under the lighting microscope. During palynology analysis 10 types of teratomorphen pollen such as without pollen sacs, with one pollen sac, with two various sacs, with three sacs, with four sacs, without content, with damage of exine, polyads, gigantic, and reduced pollen grains were determined. The part of normal pine pollen grains collected in Ecopark and Kirov Street varied from 86 up to 90 % in control samples. In other samples, a part of pollen with unchanged morphology was greatly reduced - from 45 up to 76 %. The content of teratomorphen pollen in these samples varied from 24 up to 55 %. Small pollens without content or with reduced body were encounted rather frequently. All samples are characterized by great quantity of pollen with anomalies of pollen sacs (with one or two various sacs). Pollen with three and four pollen sacs were rare. Gigantic pollen was attended in almost samples. The quantity of pine teratomorphen pollen greatly varied in Monchegorsk districts, which speaks of existing ecological problems intrinsic to some districts.