ABSTRACT
Ventilated Solardomes (hemispherical glasshouses) have been used for 20 yr for studying the effects of gaseous pollutants on plants. This paper describes a computer-operated facility for studying the effects of CO2 × temperature regimes on plants. The eight chambers were set up for factorial design experiments - with two levels of CO2 (ambient and ambient + 340 ppmv), two levels of temperature (ambient and 3 °C tracked continuously above ambient) and two replicates of each CO2 × temperature treatment. Monitoring of environmental conditions within the chambers over a 2 yr period has shown highly effective control of CO2 and temperature regimes. Even with high-quality and u.v.-B transmitting glass, the irradiance in the PAR region Was reduced by 18% within the domes. Variation in temperature across the radii of the domes increased with higher photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Vapour pressure deficits CVPDs) in the ambient temperature domes compared well with outside conditions hut were higher in the elevated temperature domes. The watering regime within the domes affected intermittently the relationship between 'dome' and 'outside' VPDs. The Solardome facility has been used extensively for studies of the impacts of climate change within the UK Programme on Terrestrial Initiative on Global Environmental Research (TIGER).
ABSTRACT
Polytrichum formosum Hedw. was exposed to 60 nl litre(-1) (122.4 microm(-3)) NO2 for 37 weeks in a closed chamber fumigation system. This concentration was chosen to simulate roadside levels in rural areas. Over an initial winter period (October-January) growth of existing shoots was stimulated by NO2. When new growth was recorded in April and May, NO2 pollution over winter and spring had resulted in a 36% reduction in new (< 1 cm) shoot production, and a 46% reduction in old shoots showing new growth. It is concluded that plants of Polytrichum formosum Hedw. growing near to roads may be adversely affected by NO2 pollution. Adverse effects of NO2 on plants and possible synergistic effects with other pollutants could cause growth reductions in sensitive species, thus affecting species composition of roadside vegetation.
ABSTRACT
A system is described for exposing large numbers of plants to acidic fogs. The system allows low volumes of treatment solutions to be provided at particle sizes chiefly in the 5-30 microm range (equivalent to fog/cloud droplets). Plants of Poa alpina L. and Epilobium brunnescens were propagated from material collected in Snowdonia, North Wales and exposed to fog treatments at pH values of 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 5.6. There were 3 x 4 h exposures per week which provided a total of 6 mm deposition. Supplementary watering was with pH 4.5 simulated acid rain (24 mm per week). After 21 weeks, there was increased lowering and a greater dry weight for plants of E. brunnescens exposed to the pH 2.5 fog in comparison with other treatments. Also, the plants used assimilated material to form shoots rather than roots. A similar increase in dry weight accumulation in the pH 2.5 treatment was found in P. alpina after 63 weeks but this was not associated with changes in assimilate partitioning.
ABSTRACT
The effects of exposing plants of Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott, Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.) Newman and Polypodium vulgare L. to 60 nl litre(-1) (122 microg m(-3)) NO(2) for 37 weeks were investigated in a closed chamber fumigation system. There was no effect of NO(2) on the numbers of fronds produced for any species at any time during the exposure period. However, at the end of the study, there was a lower dry weight yield of green shoots of D. filix-mas and P. scolopendrium and a higher yield of green shoots of P. vulgare for plants in the NO(2) treatment as compared to control plants. These differences in shoot dry weights were not accompanied by an effect of NO(2) exposure on total plant dry weights.
