Deciduous shrubs for ozone bioindication: Hibiscus syriacus as an example.
Ozone-like visible injury was detected on Hibiscus syriacus plants used as ornamental hedges. Weekly spray of the antiozonant ethylenediurea (EDU, 300ppm) confirmed that the injury was induced by ambient ozone. EDU induced a 75% reduction in visible injury. Injury was more severe on the western than on the eastern exposure of the hedge. This factor of variability should be considered in ozone biomonitoring programmes. Seeds were collected and seedlings were artificially exposed to ozone in filtered vs. not-filtered (+30ppb) Open-Top Chambers. The level of exposure inducing visible injury in the OTC seedlings was lower than that in the ambient-grown hedge. The occurrence of visible injury in the OTC confirmed that the ozone sensitivity was heritable and suggested that symptomatic plants of this deciduous shrub population can be successfully used as ozone bioindicators. EDU is recommended as a simple tool for diagnosing ambient ozone visible injury on field vegetation.
Paoletti
Elena
E
Institut Plant Protection (IPP), National Council Research (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
Ferrara
Anna Maria
AM
Calatayud
Vicent
V
Cerveró
Júlia
J
Giannetti
Fabio
F
Sanz
María José
MJ
Manning
William J
WJ
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D031584:Hibiscus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D007558:Italy; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D036226:Seedlings
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; C032766:ethylene diurea; D010126:Ozone