Using commercial tree nurseries to monitor visible ozone injury—An evaluation

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 260; no. 10; pp. 1824 - 1831
• Main Authors: Benham, Suzanne E., Broadmeadow, Mark S.J., Schaub, Marcus, Calatayud, Vicent, Bussotti, Filippo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15-10-2010; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: abiotic stress; air pollution; air quality; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Artificial regeneration. Forest nurseries. Planting; Assessments; Bioindicator; Biological and medical sciences; Damage; elevated atmospheric gases; environmental monitoring; Flux; forest nurseries; forest trees; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; geographical variation; indicator species; Injuries; Mathematical models; meteorological data; Methodology; new methods; Nurseries; Ozone; Ozone exposure; photoperiod; plant available water; plant damage; seedlings; signs and symptoms (plants); species differences; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trees; Visible ozone injury; United Kingdom; Italy; Switzerland; Spain; Europe; Ozone exposure; Visible ozone injury; Bioindicator; Evaluation; Use; Forest ecology; Nursery (plant); Biological indicator; Ozone; Exposure; Surveillance; Forestry; Lesion
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2010.08.028

▶ Assessment of potential methodology to assess the extent of ozone damage to trees. ▶ Comparisons of ozone mean concentration, AOT40 and cumulative stomatal flux. ▶ Detection of visible ozone injury in trees. ▶ Comparison of critical levels for ozone. ▶ Cost effective methodology for large scale assessment of ozone damage to trees.
Ozone damage on trees leaves no residue that can be detected analytically; therefore visible assessment is the only easily detectable method for collecting evidence. Here we present an evaluation of an assessment method using damaged detected on trees grown in commercial tree nurseries. The extent of visible ozone injury to susceptible species was investigated on a total of 95 species across 13 nurseries, over four European countries during the 2006 season. Commercial nurseries were chosen because nurseries stock a wide range of accessible, susceptible species which are irrigated when necessary and therefore represent the optimum conditions for assessment of potential risk. Ozone climate at each site was characterised using a combination of passive and active samplers to estimate the accumulated ozone exposure over a threshold of 40ppb (AOT40). Meteorological and ozone monitoring data were used to calculate cumulative ozone flux using the DO3SE model (Emberson et al., 2000). Ozone injury was observed in all countries demonstrating that the impacts of ozone are not restricted to countries with higher ozone concentrations; the longer day-length, higher moisture availability and cooler conditions in northern Europe resulted in a greater potential for ozone uptake. Further use of commercial nurseries as an important, unofficial, bioindicator network is warranted.