title: The effect of wind gusts on leaf growth and foliar water relations of aspen.
abstract: Potted plants of various trees and shrubs (clones), exposed in the dividing strip and along the border of a motorway, showed an inhibition of leaf growth and a faster development of necrotic leaf areas, when suffering from water deficiency. In greenhouse experiments with potted aspen exposed to periodic artificial wind gusts, wind velocities of 6 m/s were sufficient to inhibit leaf growth by 50%. Therefore it is suggested that repeated strong shaking of plants grown near a motorway, caused by traffic wind, might be responsible for this inhibition. Measurements of water relations did not show obvious changes when aspen trees with [Formula: see text]-month old leaves were treated with wind gusts, but when plants were continously treated with wind (6 m/s) significant increases in stomatal diffusive resistances and transpiration rates were found as well as a significant decrease in water potential. Aspens with young leaves, exposed to the same treatment, showed a rising of stomatal diffusive resistance in the beginning, but after about [Formula: see text] h diffusive resistances suddenly decreased. Subsequently after a 2 to 3-h wind treatment intercostal necrosis appeared over the whole leaf surface.
authors.affiliation: Botanisches Institut der Universität Basel, Schönbeinstr. 6, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Flückiger
authors.affiliation: Botanisches Institut der Universität Basel, Schönbeinstr. 6, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Oertli
authors.affiliation: Botanisches Institut der Universität Basel, Schönbeinstr. 6, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flückiger-Keller