We have researched the morphological, biochemical and optical properties of tufted hairgrass from different growing sites and we have studied how the content of biominerals in the tufted hairgrass leaves depends on their content in the ground and how biominerals affect the different functional characteristics of the tufted hairgrass leaves. We conducted measurements on the leaves of the tufted hairgrass that we collected in four different locations at the time of flowering when the leaves were most developed. We took the collected leaf samples to the laboratory where we measured the leaf reflectance and transmittance, performed morphological measurements on the leaf cross-sections, and in this way obtained data on the surface thickness of a leaf, on mesophyll, cuticle and epidermis, on density and spine length and leaf slits on the upper and lower side of the leaves. By conducting biochemical analyses we determined the content of chlorophylls, carotenoids, anthocyanins and UV-absorbing substances in the leaves. We also analysed the content of biominerals in leaves and soil samples from the sampling locations of the tufted hairgrass. The results of measuring the optical properties of the tufted hairgrass leaves showed that the leaves from Rakov Škocjan have both the highest reflectance and the lowest transmittance in the UV-A and UV-B part of the spectrum. This is similar in the visible part of the spectrum, where most of the incident light is absorbed by chlorophylls. The results of the measured morphological and biochemical properties showed the affect of biomineral content on the functional characteristics of the tufted hairgrass leaves. Plant leaves from higher altitudes or with a higher content of Ca and Si biominerals in leaves were thicker, had longer spines, thicker epidermis and longer leaf slits. It is surprising that the maximum density of spines that disperse light would be expected in the leaves collected below the top of Komen, however the exact opposite was established. The results showed that the calcium content in the sampled ground positively correlates with the calcium content in the tufted hairgrass leaves. We did not confirm this for silicon.
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