Plants and related carbon cycling under elevated ground-level ozone: A mini review

• Published in: Applied geochemistry 2022-09, Vol.144, p.105400, Article 105400
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yanli, Han, Zhiyu, Li, Xinyi, Zhang, Hongliang, Yuan, Xiangyang, Feng, Zhaozhong, Wang, Peng, Mu, Zhaobin, Song, Wei, Blake, Donald R., Ying, Qi, George, Christian, Sheng, Guoying, Peng, Ping'an, Wang, Xinming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon allocation; Carbon cycling; Catalysis; Chemical Sciences; CO2 sequestration; Environment and Society; Environmental Sciences; Ozone; Plants
• ISSN: 0883-2927; 1872-9134
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2022.105400

Plants play a crucial role in global carbon biogeochemical cycling and natural terrestrial carbon sinks. Dynamic changes in plant-related carbon cycling processes under changing climate and atmospheric compositions are hot scientific issues concerning carbon neutrality. Ozone, as a damaging oxidant, shows a rising trend near the ground where plants grow, directly and indirectly impacting forests and other types of vegetation. This review focuses on the effects of elevated atmospheric ozone levels on plant-related carbon cycling processes, including carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation, carbon allocation to roots, volatile emissions, soil carbon sequestration and litter decomposition. Based on previous studies, we propose that field observations, especially in situ long-term observations under natural growing conditions in well-designed networks with a better representation, are needed to deeply understand the effects of elevated ozone on plants. Apart from an overwhelming concern about the influence of ozone on crop yields, studies on the effects of elevated ozone on forests, especially tropical and subtropical forests, should be strengthened in the future. Meanwhile, the interactions between ozone and plants should be considered in understanding plants’ feedback to oxidants through emissions of volatiles and other trace gases. Moreover, geochemical techniques such as carbon isotopes and molecular markers, along with big data and artificial intelligence approaches, can be extensively used to decode and constrain the ozone-plant relationships, such as those between net primary productivity and ozone. •The effects of elevated ozone on plant-related carbon cycling processes are summarized.•In situ long-term observations under natural growing conditions are needed.•Feedbacks of plants to atmospheric oxidants should be considered in ozone-plant interactions.