Comparative characteristics of antioxidant capacity of some forage plants of the Baltic Sea Region (a case study of the Kaliningrad Region and Estonia)

摘要

In this paper, we investigate changes in the antioxidant levels (anthocyanins, leucoanthocyanins, catechins) and the total water-soluble antioxidants capacity in forage plants in relation to their geography, i.e. proximity to northern or coastal areas. We demonstrate that the antioxidant content increases in unfavorable conditions, being higher in plants growing closer to the sea and in northernmost plants. Thus, since the total water-soluble antioxidants capacity is influenced by ecological factors, it may be used as one of the indicators in complex environmental assessment.