title: The phytotoxic effect of C(1)/C(2)-halocarbons and trichloroacetic acid on the steppe plant Artemisia lerchiana.
abstract: Artemisia lerchiana is a wormwood species of the Central Asian steppe regions, where it completely cover whole areas. For the first time it was possible to show through field experiments that C(1)/C(2) halocarbons (VCHCs), such as chloroform (CHL), tetrachloroethene (PER) and hexachloroethane (HEX), can be taken up by test plants of the species A. lerchiana via the soil/root pathway and metabolised inter alia into trichloroacetic acid (TCA) under semi-aride conditions. At the same time, chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements carried out on the test plants revealed a phytotoxic influence on plant vitality (max. decline in vitality of 52% with application of CHL) and less efficient energy flows in the photosynthesis mechanism of the A. lerchiana test plants. The authors examine possible links between the simultaneous appearance of VCHCs and additional drought stress in the acceleration of desertification processes.
authors: UFZ--Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Permoserstrasse 15, 04301 Leipzig, Germany. ludwig.weissflog@ufz.de
authors: Ludwig
authors: L
authors: Weissflog
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: Krueger
authors: Nikolai
authors: N
authors: Elansky
authors: Erich
authors: E
authors: Putz
authors: Christian A
authors: CA
authors: Lange
authors: Lida
authors: L
authors: Lisitzina
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Pfennigsdorff
authors: Karsten
authors: K
authors: Kotte