  We explore quantum and classical correlations along with coherence in the
ground states of spin-1 Heisenberg chains, namely the one-dimensional XXZ model
and the one-dimensional bilinear biquadratic model, with the techniques of
density matrix renormalization group theory. Exploiting the tools of quantum
information theory, that is, by studying quantum discord, quantum mutual
information and three recently introduced coherence measures in the reduced
density matrix of two nearest neighbor spins in the bulk, we investigate the
quantum phase transitions and special symmetry points in these models. We point
out the relative strengths and weaknesses of correlation and coherence measures
as figures of merit to witness the quantum phase transitions and symmetry
points in the considered spin-1 Heisenberg chains. In particular, we
demonstrate that as none of the studied measures can detect the infinite order
Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in the XXZ model, they appear to be able to
signal the existence of the same type of transition in the biliear biquadratic
model. However, we argue that what is actually detected by the measures here is
the SU(3) symmetry point of the model rather than the infinite order quantum
phase transition. Moreover, we show in the XXZ model that examining even single
site coherence can be sufficient to spotlight the second-order phase transition
and the SU(2) symmetry point.
