High nitrogen addition decreases the ozone flux by reducing the maximum stomatal conductance in poplar saplings.

Ground-level ozone (O3) and nitrogen (N) deposition are major environmental pollutants, often occurring concurrently. Ozone exposure- and flux-response relationships for tree biomass are used for regional O3 risk assessment. In order to investigate whether soil N addition affects stomatal O3 uptake of poplar, poplar saplings were exposed to treatment combinations of five O3 levels and four N addition levels. High N addition treatment reduced the accumulated stomatal O3 uptake in the leaf due to reduced maximum stomatal conductance (gs). Nitrogen addition also significantly reduced the steady-state light-saturated gs in August and September. Elevated O3 significantly reduced and N addition increased total plant biomass; however, there were no significant O3 × N interactions. The slopes of biomass-based O3 exposure- and flux-response relationships did not differ significantly among N treatments. The critical levels for a 5% biomass reduction were estimated at 15.4 ppm h and 17.1 mmol O3 m-2 projected leaf area (PLA) for Accumulated O3 exposure Over an hourly Threshold of 40 ppb (AOT40) and Phytotoxic Ozone Dose above a threshold 1 nmol O3 m-2 PLA s-1 (POD1). These results can facilitate the evaluations of O3 effect on the carbon-sink capacity and productivity of forest.

Effects of ozone on maize (Zea mays L.) photosynthetic physiology, biomass and yield components based on exposure- and flux-response relationships.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the global ambient O3 concentration has more than doubled. Negative impact of O3 on some common crops such as wheat and soybeans has been widely recognized, but there is relatively little information about maize, the typical C4 plant and third most important crop worldwide. To partly compensate this knowledge gap, the maize cultivar (Zhengdan 958, ZD958) with maximum planting area in China was exposed to a range of chronic ozone (O3) exposures in open top chambers (OTCs). The O3 effects on this highly important crop were estimated in relation to two O3 metrics, AOT40 (accumulated hourly O3 concentration over a threshold of 40 ppb during daylight hours) and POD6 (Phytotoxic O3 Dose above a threshold flux of 6 nmol O3 m-2 s-1 during a specified period). We found that (1) the reduced light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (Asat) mainly caused by non-stomatal limitations across heading and grain filling stages, but the stomatal limitations at the former stage were stronger than those at the latter stage; (2) impact of O3 on water use efficiency (WUE) of maize was significantly dependent on developmental stage; (3) yield loss induced by O3 was mainly due to a reduction in kernels weight rather than in the number of kernels; (4) the performance of AOT40 and POD6 was similar, according to their determination coefficients (R2); (5) the order of O3 sensitivity among different parameters was photosynthetic parameters > biomass parameters > yield-related parameters; (6) Responses of Asat to O3 between heading and gran filling stages were significantly different based on AOT40 metric, but not POD6. The proposed O3 metrics-response relationships will be valuable for O3 risk assessment in Asia and also for crop productivity models including the influence of O3.

Water stress mitigates the negative effects of ozone on photosynthesis and biomass in poplar plants.

Tropospheric ozone (O3) pollution frequently overlaps with drought episodes but the combined effects are not yet understood. We investigated the physiological and biomass responses of an O3 sensitive hybrid poplar clone ('546') under three O3 levels (charcoal-filtered ambient air, non-filtered ambient air (NF), and NF plus 40 ppb) and two watering regimes (well-watered (WW) and reduced watering (RW), i.e. 40% irrigation) for one growing season. Water stress increased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, protecting leaves from pigment degradation by O3. Impairment of photosynthesis by O3 was also reduced by stomatal closure due to water stress, which preserved light-saturated CO2 assimilation rate, and the maximum carboxylation efficiency. Water stress increased water use efficiency of the leaves while O3 decreased it, showing significant interactions. Effects were more evident in older leaves than in younger leaves. Water stress reduced biomass production, but the negative effects of O3 were less in RW than in WW for total biomass per plant. A stomatal O3 flux-based dose-response relationship was parameterized considering water stress effects, which explained biomass losses much better than a concentration-based approach. The O3 critical level of Phytotoxic Ozone Dose over a threshold of 7 nmol O3.m-2.s-1 (POD7) for a 4% biomass loss in this poplar clone under different water regimes was 4.1 mmol m-2. Our results suggest that current O3 levels in most parts of China threaten poplar growth and that interaction with water availability is a key factor for O3 risk assessment.

Validation of ozone response functions for annual Mediterranean pasture species using close-to-field-conditions experiments.

Ozone (O3) critical levels have been established under the Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention to assess the risk of O3 effects in European vegetation. A recent review study has led to the development of O3 critical levels for annual Mediterranean pasture species using plants growing in well-watered pots at a coastal site and under low levels of competition. However, uncertainties remain in the extrapolation of the O3 sensitivity of these species under natural conditions. The response of two O3-sensitive annual Mediterranean pasture Trifolium species at the coastal site was compared with the response of the same species growing at a continental site, in natural soil and subject to water-stress and inter-specific competition, representing more closely their natural habitat. The slopes of exposure- and dose-response relationships derived for the two sites showed differences in the response to O3 between sites attributed to differences in environmental growing conditions, growing medium and the level of inter-specific competition, but the effect of the individual factors could not be assessed separately. Dose-based O3 indices partially explained differences due to environmental growing conditions between sites. The slopes showed that plants were more sensitive to O3 at the continental site, but homogeneity of slopes tests revealed that results from both experimental sites may be combined. Although more experimental data considering complex inter-specific competition situations and the effect of important interactive factors such as nitrogen would be needed, these results confirm the validity of applying the current flux-based O3 critical level under close to natural growing conditions. The AOT40-based O3 critical level derived at the coastal site was also considered a suitable risk indicator in close to natural growing conditions in the absence of soil moisture limitations on plant growth.

Ozone levels in the Spanish Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range are above the thresholds for plant protection: analysis at 2262, 1850, and 995 m a.s.l.

The Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range, located at 60 km from Madrid City (Spain), includes high valuable ecosystems following an altitude gradient, some of them protected under the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. The characteristic Mediterranean climatic conditions and the precursors emitted from Madrid favor a high photochemical production of ozone (O3) in the region. However, very little information is available about the patterns and levels of O3 and other air pollutants in the high elevation areas and their potential effects on vegetation. Ozone levels were monitored at three altitudes (2262, 1850, and 995 m a.s.l.) for at least 3 years within the 2005-2011 period. NO x and SO2 were also recorded at the highest and lowest altitude sites. Despite the inter-annual and seasonal variations detected in the O3 concentrations, the study revealed that SG is exposed to a chronic O3 pollution. The two high elevation sites showed high O3 levels even in winter and at nighttime, having low correlation with local meteorological variables. At the lower elevation site, O3 levels were more related with local meteorological and pollution conditions. Ozone concentrations at the three sites exceeded the thresholds for the protection of human health and vegetation according to the European Air Quality Directive (EU/50/2008) and the thresholds for vegetation protection of the CLRTAP. Ozone should be considered as a stress factor for the health of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain ecosystems. Furthermore, since O3 levels at foothills differ from concentration in high elevation, monitoring stations in mountain ranges should be incorporated in regional air quality monitoring networks.

An epidemiological assessment of stomatal ozone flux-based critical levels for visible ozone injury in Southern European forests.

Southern forests are at the highest ozone (O3) risk in Europe where ground-level O3 is a pressing sanitary problem for ecosystem health. Exposure-based standards for protecting vegetation are not representative of actual field conditions. A biologically-sound stomatal flux-based standard has been proposed, although critical levels for protection still need to be validated. This innovative epidemiological assessment of forest responses to O3 was carried out in 54 plots in Southeastern France and Northwestern Italy in 2012 and 2013. Three O3 indices, namely the accumulated exposure AOT40, and the accumulated stomatal flux with and without an hourly threshold of uptake (POD1 and POD0) were compared. Stomatal O3 fluxes were modeled (DO3SE) and correlated to measured forest-response indicators, i.e. crown defoliation, crown discoloration and visible foliar O3 injury. Soil water content, a key variable affecting the severity of visible foliar O3 injury, was included in DO3SE. Based on flux-effect relationships, we developed species-specific flux-based critical levels (CLef) for forest protection against visible O3 injury. For O3 sensitive conifers, CLef of 19 mmol m(-2) for Pinus cembra (high O3 sensitivity) and 32 mmol m(-2) for Pinus halepensis (moderate O3 sensitivity) were calculated. For broadleaved species, we obtained a CLef of 25 mmol m(-2) for Fagus sylvatica (moderate O3 sensitivity) and of 19 mmol m(-2) for Fraxinus excelsior (high O3 sensitivity). We showed that an assessment based on PODY and on real plant symptoms is more appropriated than the concentration-based method. Indeed, POD0 was better correlated with visible foliar O3 injury than AOT40, whereas AOT40 was better correlated with crown discoloration and defoliation (aspecific indicators). To avoid an underestimation of the real O3 uptake, we recommend the use of POD0 calculated for hours with a non-null global radiation over the 24-h O3 accumulation window.

Can ammonia tolerance amongst lichen functional groups be explained by physiological responses?

Ammonia (NH3) empirical critical levels for Europe were re-evaluated in 2009, based mainly on the ecological responses of lichen communities without acknowledging the physiological differences between oligotrophic and nitrophytic species. Here, we compare a nitrogen sensitive lichen (Evernia prunastri) with a nitrogen tolerant one (Xanthoria parietina), focussing on their physiological response (Fv/Fm) to short-term NH3 exposure and their frequency of occurrence along an NH3 field gradient. Both frequency and Fv/Fm of E. prunastri decreased abruptly above 3 µg m(-3) NH3 suggesting direct adverse effects of NH3 on its photosynthetic performance. By contrast, X. parietina increased its frequency with NH3, despite showing decreased capacity of photosystem II above 50 µg m(-3) NH3, suggesting that the ecological success of X. parietina at ammonia-rich sites might be related to indirect effects of increased nitrogen (NH3) availability. These results highlight the need to establish NH3 critical levels based on oligotrophic lichen species.

Adubação potássica para o crambe / Potassic fertilization for crambe crop

São escassos os trabalhos para a cultura do crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst), sendo necessários estudos que caracterizem o nível de suficiência de potássio (K) no solo e nas folhas, visando subsidiar futuros programas de adubação potássica para essa cultura de outono/inverno. Foi realizado um experimento visando estudar a resposta do crambe ao K do solo. O experimento foi realizado em um Latossolo Vermelho argiloso sob o sistema de semeadura direta, em Botucatu - SP. Os tratamentos consistiram de sete níveis de K no solo, resultantes da aplicação anual de 2000 a 2010, na cultura de verão (soja), de 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 e 180 kg ha-1 de K2O. Antes de iniciar o experimento, amostras de solo foram coletadas na camada de 0-20 cm e os teores de K no solo determinados pelos métodos da resina e Mehlich-1. Os níveis de suficiência de K no solo e nas folhas foram obtidos considerando-se a produtividade relativa de grãos de 90%. Quando os teores de K do solo, extraídos por resina e por Mehlich-1, são superiores a 88 e 94 mg dm-3, respectivamente, equivalente a 26 g kg-1 de K nas folhas, o aumento da produtividade de grãos da cultura do crambe é improvável. Estes valores devem corresponder ao nível de suficiência da cultura e são suficientes para atingir produtividade de grãos relativa de 90%.

There are few studies for the crambe crop (Crambe abyssinica Hochst), and studies that characterize the sufficiency level of K in the soil and leaves are indispensable to support future programs potassium fertilization for this crop of fall/winter. An experiment was carried out to investigate the response of crambe to K soil. The experiment was carried out on a clayey Red Latossol under no-till in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Treatments consisted of seven K levels in the soil, resulting from the application year (2000 to 2010), the summer crop (soybean), 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 kg ha-1 K2O. Before starting the experiment, soil samples were collected at depths of 0-20 cm and soil K contents determined by the resin and Mehlich-1 method. The sufficiency levels of K in soil and leaves were obtained considering the relative yield of 90%. When the levels of soil K extracted by resin and Mehlich-1, are above 88 and 94 mg dm-3, respectively, equivalent to 26 g kg-1 K in the leaves, the increase in crop yield of crambe is unlikely. These values should match the sufficiency level of crop and are sufficient to achieve relative grain yield of 90%.

Responses of fen and fen-meadow communities to ozone.

• Species of fen and fen-meadow communities, well supplied with water and nutrients, are characterised by high rates of growth, stomatal conductance values and specific leaf areas, all factors which have been associated with high sensitivity to ozone. We therefore examined the effects of ozone on 12 characteristic fen and fen-meadow species. • Plants received either filtered air or ozone; AOT40 exposures ranged from 9200 to 14 300 ppb h. Eight of the 12 species exhibited foliar injury in response to ozone exposure, with the first signs of injury on Vicia cracca, following an AOT40 exposure of only 1950 pbb h. • Ozone exposure significantly reduced plant photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and biomass production in four species. Cirsium arvense exhibited the greatest biomass response to ozone (32% and 58% reduction in above- and below-ground weight, respectively). Species with higher levels of visible injury tended to show greater reductions in biomass. There was a significant positive association between stomatal conductance and the magnitude of ozone effects on root biomass. • The widespread occurrence of either visible injury or growth reductions amongst the species screened, and the magnitude of effects on the most sensitive species, indicate that species of fens and fen-meadows may be more sensitive to ozone than other seminatural ecosystems which have been the focus of recent ozone studies.

Relationships between ozone resistance and climate in European populations of Plantago major.

The relative ozone resistance of 20 European and two American populations of Plant ago major was examined, and relationships with climatic factors at the source of the plant material were explored using data provided by participants in the ICP-Crops initiative (International Co-operative Programme to Investigate the Effects of Air Pollutants and Other Stresses on Agricultural and Semi-Natural Vegetation). Plants grown from seed were exposed to either charcoal/Purafil® filtered air (CF < 5 nmol mol-1 O3 ) or CF + ozone (70 nmol mol-1 O3 7 h d-1 ) over a 2-wk period in controlled environment chambers, and effects on mean plant relative growth rate (R) and allometric root/shoot growth (K) determined. Ozone resistance (R%) was calculated from (R03 /RCF ) × 100. Populations exhibited contrasting sensitivities to ozone, without the development of typical visible symptoms of injury. A positive relationship was found between relative ozone resistance and descriptors of the ozone-climate at the site of seed collection for the year of, and the 2 yr before, seed collection. The best predictors of inherent ozone resistance were shown to be cumulative ozone exposure indices calculated according to current United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) critical level guidelines for the pollutant (i.e. the accumulated hourly average ozone exposure over a threshold level of 40 nmol mol-1 (AOT40) or 30 nmol mol-1 (AOT30) calculated during daylight hours for the consecutive 3-month period of the year experiencing the highest ozone concentrations). No relationships were found between ozone resistance and climatic factors (temperature, precipitation, sunshine hours, humidity) or the concentrations of other air pollutants (SO2 , NO2 , NO). These findings support the view that current ambient levels of ozone in many regions of Europe are high enough to promote evolution of resistance to the pollutant in native plant populations. The significance of these findings to the debate over the establishment of separate critical levels for the protection of natural and semi-natural vegetation is discussed.