Responses of plant volatile emissions to increasing nitrogen deposition: A pilot study on Eucalyptus urophylla

Abstract

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) significantly impact atmospheric chemistry, with emissions potentially influenced by nitrogen (N) deposition. The response of BVOC emissions to increasing N deposition remains debated. In this study, we examined Eucalyptus urophylla (E. urophylla) using three N treatments: N0, N50, and N100 (0, 50, and 100 kg N hm−2 yr−1 N addition). These treatments were applied to mature E. urophylla trees in a plantation subjected to over 10 years of soil N addition in southern China, a region with severe N deposition. Seventeen BVOCs were measured, with isoprene (36.99 %), α-pinene (38.80 %), and d-limonene (14.27 %) being the predominant compounds under natural conditions. Total BVOC emissions under N50 were nearly double those under N0 and N100, with leaf net CO2 assimilation identified as the most critical photosynthetic parameter. Isoprene and α-pinene emissions significantly increased under N50 compared to N0, while d-limonene emission decreased under N100. Stronger correlations for individual BVOCs under N50 and N100 compared to N0 might be due to differences in BVOC biosynthetic pathways and storage structures. The localized canopy-scale emission factors (EFs) under N50 were significantly higher than the default values in the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN), suggesting the model might underestimate BVOC emissions from Eucalyptus in southern China under increased N deposition. Additionally, the secondary pollutant formation potentials of BVOCs were evaluated, identifying isoprene and monoterpenes as primary precursors of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. This study provides insights into the impacts of increased N deposition on BVOC emissions and their contribution to secondary atmospheric pollution. Updating localized BVOC EFs for subtropical tree species in southern China is crucial to reduce uncertainties in BVOC estimations under current and future N deposition scenarios.