title: Ozone exposure of field-grown winter wheat affects soil mesofauna in the rhizosphere.
abstract: A 2-year open-top chamber experiment with field-grown winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Astron) was conducted to examine the effects of ozone on plant growth and selected groups of soil mesofauna in the rhizosphere. From May through June in each year, plants were exposed to two levels of O(3): non-filtered (NF) ambient air or NF+ 40 ppb O(3) (NF+). During O(3) exposure, soil sampling was performed at two dates according to different plant growth stages. O(3) exposure reduced above- and below-ground plant biomass in the first year, but had little effect in the second year. The individual density of enchytraeids, collembolans and soil mites decreased significantly in the rhizosphere of plants exposed to NF+ in both years. Differences were highest around anthesis, i.e. when plants are physiologically most active. The results suggest that elevated O(3) concentrations may influence the dynamic of decomposition processes and the turnover of nutrients.
authors.affiliation: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Biodiversity, Bundesallee 50, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany. stefan.schrader@vti.bund.de
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Weigel
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D058441:Rhizosphere; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis / Q000469:parasitology*; D014908:Triticum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D012987:Soil; D010126:Ozone