Abstract
The effects of single-season tropospheric ozone (O3) exposures on growth, leaf abscission, and biomass of trembling aspen (Populustremuloides Michx.) rooted cuttings and seedlings were studied. Plants were grown in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in open-top chambers with O3 exposures that ranged from 7 to 92 ppm-h. Depending on the genotype, total seasonal O3 exposure in the range of 50–92 ppm-h had negative impacts on stem, retained leaf, and root biomass accumulation and on diameter growth. Leaf abscission generally increased with increasing O3 exposure and was the principal cause of the decrease in leaf biomass of the O3-treated plants. Considerable genetic variation in O3 responses occurred, as shown by differences in sensitivities among clones and among seedlings. However, the responses to O3 of rooted cuttings and seedlings were similar when seedling means were compared with clonal means for leaf abscission, diameter growth, retained leaf biomass, and root biomass. Comparison of a single square-wave treatment (52 ppm-h) with 70 and 92 ppm-h episodic exposures suggested that the plant response to the square-wave exposure was similar to the response to the highest episodic exposure even though the 92 ppm-h episodic exposure was almost twice the square-wave exposure. Our results are consistent with previous studies that show that P. tremuloides is highly responsive to O3 exposure and this response has a strong genetic component.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.