Comparison of biologically active compounds in Vaccinium Myrtillus and Vaccinium Vitis-idaea extracts before and after clear-cutting of forest

Abstract

Forest cuttings are an important environmental factor. This process changes forest ecosystem (flora and fauna) resulting in the extinction of some species. More importantly, clear cutting has an impact to the climate changes, greenhouse effect, water circulation disturbances, etc. The aim of this work was to determine biologically active compounds of the understory layer forest plants: Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium vitis-idaea before and after the clear-cuttings in the pinewoods. The samples of Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium vitis-idaea were collected from different types of Lithuanian pinewoods (Pinetum vaccinio-myrtillosum and Pinetum vacciniosum). Collected plants were of different vegetation periods. Extracts were prepared from 0.5 g of undried plant material adding 20 ml of methanol 75 % and shaking for 24 hours. All extracts were filtered through a paper filter before analysis. Spectrophotometry methods were used for determination of the total amount of polyphenols and flavonoids. Rutin was used for calibration and determined quantities expressed in rutin equivalents. Vaccinium vitis-idaea herb accumulated the higher total amount of flavonoids than Vaccinium myrtillus in all vegetation periods compared. All parameters of Vaccinium vitis-idaea were higher after clear-cuttings except total amount of flavonoids in the roots collected from the Pinetum vacciniomyrtillosum type forest. Clear-cutting of the forest affects the accumulation of biologically active compounds in understory layer forest plants.