Retrospective bioindication of stratospheric ozone and ultraviolet radiation using hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives of herbarium samples of an aquatic liverwort.
We analyzed bulk UV absorbance of methanolic extracts and levels of five UV-absorbing compounds (hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives) in 135 herbarium samples of the liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia subsp. cordifolia from northern Europe. Samples had been collected in 1850-2006 (96% in June-August). Both UV absorbance and compound levels were correlated positively with collection year. p-Coumaroylmalic acid (C1) was the only compound showing a significant (and negative) correlation with stratospheric ozone and UV irradiance in the period that real data of these variables existed. Stratospheric ozone reconstruction (1850-2006) based on C1 showed higher values in June than in July and August, which coincides with the normal monthly variation of ozone. Combining all the data, there was no long-term temporal trend from 1850 to 2006. Reconstructed UV showed higher values in June-July than in August, but again no temporal trend was detected in 1918-2006 using the joint data. This agrees with previous UV reconstructions.
Universidad de La Rioja, Complejo Científico-Tecnológico, Avda. Madre de Dios 51, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain.
Saúl
S
Otero
Encarnación
E
Núñez-Olivera
Javier
J
Martínez-Abaigar
Rafael
R
Tomás
Satu
S
Huttunen
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D035926:Hepatophyta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D015415:Biomarkers; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D010126:Ozone