Effects of ozone, acid mist and soil characteristics on clonal Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.)—Overall results and conclusions of the joint 14 month tree exposure experiment in closed chambers

Abstract

This paper summarizes and evaluates the main findings of 14 preceding papers related to the joint 14-month tree-exposure experiment carried out by the ‘Munich Working Party on Air Pollution’ at the GSF, Munich, FRG, from July 1986 to September 1987. The experiment tested the hypothesis that an interaction of ozone/acid mist/soil/extreme climatic conditions is the cause of decline of Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) at higher altitudes of the Inner Bavarian Forest. The main findings of the individual studies are presented and their implications for the hypothesis are discussed. Clear effects of soil and genetic factors (differences between clones), for example on growth and frost resistance were found. Treatment with O 3/acid mist was shown to have effects on plant biochemistry, physiology, histology/ cytology, and growth. The wide scattering of these effects, and the lack of a consistent pattern of response across all clones does not permits a firm conclusion on the validity of the experimental hypothesis. These effects were not confounded by the nutrient stresses imposed during the initial exposure period and were not found to be cumulative during repeated treatments, as was proposed by the hypothesis. It is concluded that the experimental evidence does not indicate that ozone/acid mist are major factors to explain the Norway spruce decline on acidic sites at higher altitudes of the Inner Bavarian Forest and probably similar forest areas.