The effects of tropospheric ozone on oaks: A global meta-analysis

Abstract

Tropospheric ozone (O3) levels are still elevated in many regions of the world including Northern Hemisphere forests areas, and are predicted to increase further due to anthropogenic activities and climate change. Oaks are major woody angiosperms in the Northern Hemisphere in terms of biodiversity, ecological dominance, and economic values. This meta-analysis shows overwhelming evidence of the O3 effects on 51 growth, anatomical, biomass, physiological and biochemical parameters of 14 deciduous or evergreen oak species distributed all around the Northern Hemisphere. Although no large impacts were observed on biomass, suggesting an O3 tolerance by oaks, some impairments were found at physiological level that might negatively affect carbon sequestration and water vapour transfer to the atmosphere. This outcome suggests the need to incorporate this phenomenon into future projection studies dealing with how atmospheric change and forest biomes will interact in effecting climatic change. Among the antioxidants used by oaks to respond to O3, phenols seem to have a crucial role. Deciduous species resulted more affected by O3 than evergreen ones, as well as oaks native to Eurasia, in comparison with those from North-America. Experiments performed in less controlled environments showed more O3 deleterious effects, especially under higher AOT40 levels, but negative impacts were also reported for acute O3 exposures. Most of the reviewed studies with additional treatments to O3 exposure investigated the interaction(s) between O3 and drought, but the negative effects induced by drought seemed not to be exacerbated by the pollutant. However, more combined experiments on the impact of O3 and co-occurring stressors on woody species are necessary. Another major issue is the lack of experiments on adult trees. To better understand O3 impacts, and to reinforce the strength of O3 impact predictions, O3 controlled experiments on young individuals should be combined with long-term experiments on mature trees grown in open-air conditions.