Struktur Anatomi Daun Akasia dan Mahoni Akibat Pengaruh Gas dan Materi Vulkanik Pasca Letusan Gunung Merapi Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta

Abstract

Increased of pollutant in Yogyakarta City caused by the eruption of Merapi Mountain has given many effects to environment, including vegetation. Penetration of high concentration of pollutant through leaf stomata could destruct leaf anatomical structure that made its function as pollutant absorber decreased. Thus there was a requirement to identify the plant species was resistant to high concentration pollutant, mainly volcanic gas and material that could be recommended as plant for urban forest in Yogyakarta City. The objective of this research was to identify the effect of volcanic dust to leaf anatomical structure of acacia and mahagony, and to compare their microscopic damages. This research was carried out in Yogyakarta, Solo and Plant Anatomy Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University from June to September 2011. Data and information collected in the research was including primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected from observation of leaf anatomical structure on paradermal and transversal section af sample leaves from each plant species taken from both cities. Secondary data included air quality data of both cities that obtained from Environmental Bureau of each city. The observation showed that there were anatomical structure changes of leaves sample from both plants species take from Yogyakarta. The changes was assumed as responses of leaves toword the increased consentration of pollutant. Acacia responses were lower of adaxsial stomatal index, higher epidermic cell damage, higher abnormality of adaxsial and abaxsial stomata, and thicker cuticle tissue. Mahogany responses were higher abnormality of abaxsial stomata, and thinner leaf, palisade tissue, sponge tissue and lower side cuticle. Total of observed damage cells on acacia leaves were higher than those found in mahogany leaves. Thus it can be said that mahogany was more resistant to the increase of pollutant concentration occurred in particular period, and could be recommended for urban forest plant to improve environmental quality of Yogyakarta City after the eruption of Merapi Mountain.