Terpenoids in the wood of Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings exposed to ozone at different nitrogen availability

Abstract

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings were exposed to low-level ozone (O3) in an open-air exposure system for three or two growing seasons, respectively. Simultaneously, seedlings were supplied with nutrient solution containing either optimum (control) nitrogen (N), 70% of optimum N (low N availability), or 150% of optimum N (high N availability). Carbon-based secondary compounds, e.g., terpenes and resin acids, were analysed from the stemwood. α-Pinene, 3-carene, and limonene + β-phellandrene were the major terpenes in pine wood, whereas α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene + β-phellandrene dominated in the spruce wood. Palustric + levopimaric and abietic acids were the major resin acids in the wood of both species. Ozone exposure did not cause any remarkable changes in the concentrations and proportional quantities of terpenes and resin acids in the wood of either tree species. Nitrogen availability did not affect the concentrations of carbon-based secondary compounds either, and the effects on proportional quantities were slight and ambiguous with respect to N supply. We conclude that realistically elevated levels of O3 do not have effects on concentrations of carbon-based secondary compounds of conifer wood and N availability might cause only slight changes in them. Therefore, our results do not directly support the carbon–nutrient balance hypothesis.