Shoot growth of mature Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies in relation to ozone.
Epidemiological analysis of sequential growth data may be a tool in assessing ozone sensitivity of mature trees. Annual shoot growth of mature Fagus sylvatica in 83 Swiss permanent forest observation plots and of Picea abies in 61 plots was evaluated for 11 and 8 consecutive years, respectively, using branches harvested every 4 years. The data were assessed as annual deviation from average growth and related to fructification, ozone, meteorological parameters, and modelled soil water content using a mixed linear model. In beech, a significant association between ozone and shoot growth was observed which corresponded to a 7.4% growth reduction between 0 and 10 ppm h AOT40 (accumulated ozone over threshold 40). This is in the same order of magnitude as the response observed in experiments with seedlings. No interaction was found between ozone and drought parameters. In Norway spruce, shoot growth was neither associated with ozone nor with drought.
Braun
Sabine
S
Institute for Applied Plant Biology, Sandgrubenstrasse 25, CH-4124 Schönenbuch, Switzerland. sabine.braun@iap.ch
Schindler
Christian
C
Rihm
Beat
B
Flückiger
Walter
W
D004190:Disasters; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D029964:Fagus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D028222:Picea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone