The issue of preserving natural ecosystems in relation to the intensification of environmental pollution in recent decades has caused growing concern within the international scientific community. In this context, it is essential to identify passive bioindicators of environmental quality as they provide an objective basis for assessing the current state of ecosystems and developing effective strategies aimed at conservation and sustainable management of natural ecosystems. The present study investigated the bioindicative potential of Quercus pubescens Willd. for an assessment of environmental conditions under motor vehicle pollution. Field research was conducted in the Khachmaz region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Two monitoring sites were selected, differing in the intensity of anthropogenic impact. The control site was located within a national park, representing an undisturbed forest ecosystem, while the comparison site was situated in a roadside zone exposed to high levels of vehicle emissions. The ecological assessment of the environmental quality was conducted through an integral analysis of the morphometric parameters of Quercus pubescens Willd. leaves by the fluctuating asymmetry method, as well as the determination of the concentration of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu) in both soil and leaf samples through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The organic matter content, pH, and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) of the soil samples were determined. The results indicate that the heavy metal concentrations increase under pollution conditions in both leaf and soil samples. In parallel, the stability of leaf development and soil MBC exhibits a decline in polluted environments. The findings demonstrate that Quercus pubescens Willd. exhibits a cumulative biological response to environmental stress factors and may be considered a cost-effective and reliable species for biomonitoring heavy metal pollution in ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic impact.
Mammadova et al. (2026) studied this question.