Composition of fatty acids, essential oils and morphological characteristics of some medial plants growing in permafrost ecosystems

Using chromatographic (TLC, GC-FID), spectrophotometric methods (3D fluorescence spectroscopy), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the composition and content of fatty acids (FA), essential oils (EO) and morphological features were investigated in five plant species (Alnus alnobetula subsp. fruticosa (Rupr.) Raus, Equisetum arvense L., Tanacetum vulgare L., Thymus serpyllum L. subsp. mongolicus Ronniger, Juniperus sibirica Burgsd.) from different taxonomic groups (angiosperms, gymnosperms, and cryptogams) growing in the conditions of cryolithozone of Yakutia. Differences in the magnitude and variability of FA composition in the studied species were revealed. The main components of total lipids were found to be polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the acid families omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6), such as linoleic [18:2(n-6)], (LA) and alpha-linolenic [18:3(n-3)], (ALA), the content of which reached up to 47.4% of the sum of FA. Comparative analysis of the component composition of the components of EO of essential oils revealed that two species were characterized by a high content from polyphenolic compounds of T. serpyllum and J. sibirica, compared to other species studied. When plants were examined using SEM, morphological features such as the presence of well-formed trichomes, megasporophylls, and microphylls were identified. The identification of features such as high PUFA content in total lipids, polyphenolic components in essential oils, and well-formed trichomes, megasporophylls, and microphylls contribute to the survival and subsequent vegetation of perennial plants in cold climate permafrost ecosystems.