Summary
Photosynthetic performance of several needle age classes of Norway spruce trees [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] in highly SO2-polluted and heavily damaged forest sites was measured at two different locations in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge, Krusne Hory) during early summer. The carboxylation efficiency showed a dramatic drop from current-year's needles to 1-year-old needles with only a slight further decrease with increased needle age. The light use efficiency also revealed these characteristics. For both parameters, no linear decrease with needle age could be found. In contrast, the maximum photosynthetic capacity (A2500) decreased linearly with time and revealed a good correlation with the total sulfur content of the needles. Absolute values measured for A2500 were approximately 50% lower than those of comparable trees in the nearby Fichtelgebirge. Mineral deficiencies or acute nutrient imbalances of the needles were not detected. In contrast to the situation in the forests of the Fichtelgebirge, a direct effect of gaseous SO2 on the trees in the Ore Mountains seems plausible.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous (1987) The SO2 pollution in the CSSR (in Czechoslovakian). CHMU, Prague
Asada K, Kiso K (1973) Initiation of aerobic oxidation of sulfite by illuminated spinach chloroplasts. Eur J Biochem 33: 253–257
Beyschlag W, Wedler M, Lange OL, Heber U (1987) Einfluß einer Magnesiumdüngung auf Photosynthese und Transpiration von Fichten an einem Magnesium-Mangelstandort im Fichtelgebirge. Allg Forstz 27/28/29: 738–740
Beyschlag W, Barnes PW, Ryel R, Caldwell MM, Flint SD (1990) Plant competition for light analyzed with a multi-species canopy model. II. Influence of photosynthetic characteristics on mixtures of wheat and wild oat. Oecologia 82: 374–380
Caemmerer S von, Farqhuar GD (1981) Some relationships between the biochemistry of photosynthesis and the gas exchange of leaves. Planta 153: 376–387
Dittrich APM, Pfanz H, Heber UC (1992) Oxidation and reduction of sulfite by chloroplasts and formation of sulfite addition compounds. Plant Physiol 98: 738–744
Fiedler HJ (1991) Untersuchungen zu Azidität, Ionenbelegung und Mineralbestand der Waldböden im SO2-Immissionsgebiet des Osterzgebirges. In PBWU (ed) Expertentagung Waldschadensforschung im östlichen Mitteleuropa und in Bayern. GSF Bericht 24/91, pp 56–70
Grill D (1971) Pufferkapazität gesunder und rauchgeschädigter Fichtennadeln. Z Pflanzenkr Pflanzenschutz 78: 612–622
Hällgren JE, Fredriksson SA (1982) Emission of sulfide from sulfur dioxide fumigated Pine trees. Plant Physiol 70: 456–459
Hällgren JE, Linder S, Richter A, Troeng E, Granat L (1982) Uptake of SO2 in shoots of scots pine: field measurements of net flux of sulphur in relation to stomatal conductance. Plant Cell Environ 5: 75–83
Höhne H (1964) Untersuchungen über die jahreszeitlichen Veränderungen des Gewichtes und Elementgehaltes von Fichtennadeln in jüngeren Beständen des Osterzgebirges. Arch Forstw 13: 747–773
Ingestad T (1959) Studies on the nutrition of forest tree seedlings. II: mineral nutrition of spruce. Physiol Plant 12: 568–593
Jirgle J, Kucera J, Tichy J, Materna J (1983) Problems in the Ore Mountains (in Czechoslovakian). Vyzkumu 1: 6–16
Kaiser G, Martinoia E, Schröppel-Meier G, Heber U (1989) Active transport of sulfate into the vacuole of plant cells provides halotolerance and can detoxify SO2. J Plant Physiol 133: 756–763
Kaupenjohann M, Schneider BU, Hantschel R, Zech W, Horn R (1988) Sulfuric acid rain treatment of Picea abies (Karst. L.): Effects on nutrient solution, throughfall chemistry and tree nutrition. Z Pflanzenernähr Bodenk 151: 123–126
Keller Th (1989) Oberirdische Wirkung von Luftschadstoffen: Neuere Ergebnisse. In. Schmidt-Vogt H (ed) Die Fichte. Vol II/2, Paul Parey, Hamburg, pp 280–345
Köstner B, Czygan F-C, Lange OL (1990): An analysis of needle yellowing in healthy and chlorotic Norway spruce (Picea abies) in a forest decline area of the Fichtelgebirge (N. E. Bavaria). I. Annual timecourse changes in chloroplast pigments for five different needle age classes. Trees 4: 55–67
Lange OL, Führer G, Gebel J (1986) Rapid field determination of photosynthetic capacity of cut spruce twigs [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] at saturating ambient CO2. Trees 1: 70–77
Lange OL, Zellner H, Gebel J, Köstner B, Czygan FC (1987) Photosynthetic capacity, chloroplast pigments, and mineral content of the previous year's spruce needles with and without the new flush: analysis of the forest decline phenomenon of needle bleaching. Oecologia 73: 351–357
Lange OL, Weikert M, Wedler M, Gebel J, Heber U (1989) Photosynthese und Nährstoffversorgung von Fichten aus einem Waldschadensgebiet auf basenarmen Untergrund. Allg Forstz 3: 55–64
Lochman V (1985) The influence of air pollution on the enrichment of soils in Norway spruce forest stands and the development of their chemism. In. Klimo E, Saly R (eds) Int Symp Air Pollut Stabil Forest Ecosyst Brno, CSFR, 137–153
Lufthygienische Monatsberichte (1983–1990) Bayerisches Landesamt für Umweltschutz, Munich
Lyr H, Polster H, Fiedler H-J (1967) Gehölzphysiologie. Fischer, Jena
Materna J (1962) Einführung in die Rauchschadensprobleme im Erzgebirgsteil der CSSR. Wiss Z Techn Univ Dresden 11: 639–641
Materna J (1981a) Nutrient status of spruce stands in the Ore Mountains, (inCzechoslovakian). Lesnictvi 27:689–698
Materna J (1981b) Concentration of sulfur dioxide in the air and sulfur content in Norway spruce needles [Picea abies (L.) Karst.]. Common Inst Forest 12: 137–146
Nebe W, Fiedler HJ, Ilgen G, Hofmann W (1987) Immissionsbedingte Ernährungsstörungen der Fichte [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] in Mittelgebirgslagen. Flora 179: 453–462
Nihlgard B (1987) The seasonal variation of nutrients in needles of three differently exposed spruce stands. In: Mathy P (ed) Direct effects of dry and wet deposition on forest ecosystems. Air Pollut Res Rep 4. CEC, Brussels pp 60–70
Pfanz H, Heber U (1986) Buffer capacities of leaves, leaf cells, and leaf cell organelles in relation to fluxes of potentially acidic gases. Plant Physiol 81: 597–602
Pfanz H, Martinoia E, Lange OL, Heber U (1987) Flux of SO2 into leaf cells and cellular acidification by SO2. Plant Physiol 85: 928–933
Pfanz H, Heber U (1989) Determination of extra- and intracellular pH values in relation to the action of acidic gases on cells. In Linskens HF, Jackson JF (eds) Modern methods of plant analysis NS, vol 9, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 322–343
Pfanz H, Weikert M, Heber U, Lange OL (1990) Photosynthesis of damaged and undamaged forest trees: A study with spruce in the Fichtelgebirge. In Ulrich B (ed) Proc Int Congr Forest Decline Res Friedrichshafen FRG, pp 527–550
Pfanz H, Oppmann B (1991) The possible role of apoplastic peroxidases in detoxifying the air pollutant sulfur dioxide. In: Lobarzewski J, Greppin H, Penel C, Gaspar Th (eds) Biochemical molecular and physiological aspects of plant peroxidases. University of Lublin and Geneva, Switzerland, pp 401–417
Reemtsma JB (1986) Der Magnesiumgehalt von Nadeln niedersächsischer Fichtenbestände und seine Beurteilung. Allg Forst Jagdz 157: 196–200
Ronen R, Galun M (1984) Pigment extraction from lichens with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and estimation of chlorophyll degradation. Environ Exp Bot 24: 239–245
Scholz F, Knabe W (1976) Investigations on buffering capacity in spruce clones of different resistance to air pollution. IUFRO World-Congress Oslo S 2.09.04
Schramel P (1988) ICP and DCP spectrometry for trace element analysis in biomedical and environmental samples. Spectrochim Acta 43B: 881–896
Schulze ED, Lange OL, Oren R (1989) Forest decline and air pollution. A study of spruce (Picea abies) on acid soils. (Ecological Studies vol 77), Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Schulze ED, Mc Cracken I, Zimmermann R, Benecke U (1990) Performance of two Picea abies (L.) Karst. stands at different stages of decline. VIII. Photosynthesis and nutrition under polluted and clean air conditions of Germany and New Zealand. Oecologia 82: 158–161
Tichy J (1991) The status of development of forest ecosystem in North Bohemia. In: PBWU (eds) Waldschäden im östlichen Mitteleuropa und in Bayern. GSF-Bericht 24/91, pp 23–27
Weikert RM (1991) Photosynthese und Mineralstoffversorgung von Fichten an einem Waldschadensstandort im Fichtelgebirge und unter experimenteller Langzeitbelastung mit Luftschadstoffen im Freiland. Dissertation, Universität Würzburg
Weikert RM, Wedler M, Lippert M, Schramel P, Lange OL (1989) Photosynthetic performance, chloroplast pigments, and mineral content of various needle age classes of spruce (Picea abies) with and without the new flush: an experimental approach for analysing forest decline phenomena. Trees 3: 161–172
Wentzel KF (1956) Die Verantwortlichkeit von Industrie- und Hausfeuerung für Wald-Rauchschäden und Luftverschmutzung. Forstarch 27: 84–89
Wind E (1979) Pufferkapazität in Koniferennadeln. Phyton (Austria) 19: 197–215
Woodrow IE, Murphy DJ, Latzko E (1984) Regulation of stromal sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase activity by pH and Mg2+ concentration. J Biol Chem 259: 3791–3795
Ziegler I (1975) The effect of SO2-pollution on plant metabolism. Residue Rev 56: 79–105
Zöttl HW (1990) Ernährung und Düngung der Fichte. Forstw Cbl 109: 130–137
Zöttl HW, Hüttl RE (1985) Schadsymptome und Ernährungszustand von Fichtenbeständen im süddeutschen Alpenvorland. Allg Forstz 40: 197–199
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper is dedicated to our teacher Professor Otto Ludwig Lange on the occasion of his 65th birthday
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pfanz, H., Beyschlag, W. Photosynthetic performance and nutrient status of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] at forest sites in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge). Trees 7, 115–122 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225478
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225478