Foliar, Physiologial and Growth Responses of Four Maple Species Exposed to Ozone

Abstract

The effects of ozone in four maple species, Acer campestre, A. opalus subsp. granatense, A. monspessulanum and A. pseudoplatanus were studied in OTC under two different experimental conditions: in charcoal filtered air (CF), and in non filtered air plus 30 ppb ozone (NF+30). The four species of maple showed contrasting sensitivity to ozone as demonstrated by visible injury development, gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence, and growth measurements. Plant injury index (i.e. a combination of percentage of injured leaves and leaf surface affected) was more consistently related with physiological measurements than the onset of first symptom of visible injury. Differences in ozone sensitivity among species may be partly related to higher stomatal conductances in A. opalus and A. pseudoplatanus. In these two species, ozone produced significant reductions in CO2 assimilation under saturating light conditions (Asat), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (Tr) and Water Use Efficiency (WUE) (the latter also significantly declined in A. campestre) towards the end of summer, while intercellular CO2 concentrations (Ci) increased significantly. In asymptomatic leaves of A. opalus, neither stomatal limitation nor photoinhibitory damage (Fv/Fm) could explain the observed decline of Asat, and photosynthesis was down regulated by reducing the proportion of absorbed energy used in photochemistry (ΦPSII) at expenses of the energy dispersed non-photochemically (NPQ). Leaf N content also declined significantly in A. pseudoplatanus. Plants exposed to ozone showed a tendency to decrease growth, but it was not significant within the exposure period for any of the four species. The most sensitive species were A. opalus and A. pseudoplatanus, while the species with the smallest and more coriaceous leaves, A. monspessulanum, was the most resistant.