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Critical levels of O3 for wood production of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

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Abstract

During recent decades, ozone (O3) has gained much attention as a possible contributor to forest decline. Attempts have been made to set critical levels for O3 in order to protect vegetation. Damage to vegetation seems to depend on the pattern of exposure. Episodic peaks followed by periods with low concentrations are more phytotoxic than exposures with generally elevated concentrations but without peaks. The present experiment aims to examine whether O3 affects the wood production of beech seedlings. The seedlings were exposed to three different air pollution regimes: charcoal-filtered ambient air (CF), non-filtered ambient air (NF), and NF+30nl1−l−1 O3 8 hours day1 during summer periods (NFO). Basal stem diameter was measured regularly during three growing seasons. The relative diameter increase was significantly reduced with increased O3 concentration. AOT40 is calculated for all treatments and evaluated in relation to the relative diameter growth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Atmospheric Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, DK-4000, Roskilde

    L. Mortensen & A. Bastrup-Birk

  2. Department of Plant Ecology, Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    H. Ro-Poulsen

Authors
  1. L. Mortensen
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  2. A. Bastrup-Birk
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  3. H. Ro-Poulsen
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Mortensen, L., Bastrup-Birk, A. & Ro-Poulsen, H. Critical levels of O3 for wood production of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Water Air Soil Pollut 85, 1349–1354 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00477169

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00477169

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