Growth and water use of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) exposed to ozone and simulated acidic precipitation for four growing seasons

• Published in: Forest science 1997-08, Vol.43 (3), p.355-361
• Main Authors: Laurence, J.A, Amundson, R.G, Kohut, R.J, Weinstein, D.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACID DEPOSITION; ACID RAIN; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; CARBON DIOXIDE; CONTAMINANTES; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; DEPOSICION ACIDA; DEPOT ACIDE; DIOXIDO DE CARBONO; DIOXYDE DE CARBONE; ECHANGE GAZEUX; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GAS EXCHANGE; GROWTH; INTERCAMBIO DE GASES; Non agrochemicals pollutants; OZONE; OZONO; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; PICEA RUBENS; PLANTULAS; PLANTULE; POLLUANT; POLLUTANTS; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; SEEDLINGS; SIMULACION; SIMULATION; STRESS RESPONSE; USO DEL AGUA; UTILISATION DE L'EAU; WATER USE
• ISSN: 0015-749X; 1938-3738
• DOI: 10.1093/forestscience/43.3.355

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) saplings from a pristine site in Maine were transplanted in native soil to 360 liter pots and relocated to Ithaca, New York. After a 1 yr establishment period, 90 saplings were chosen for use, assigned to treatments, placed in large open top chambers, and exposed to ozone (0.5 to 2.0 X ambient concentration) and simulated acidic precipitation (at pH 3.1, 4.1, or 5.1) for 3 or 4 consecutive growing seasons (total ozone exposures of about 165 ppm.hr to almost 570 ppm.hr). Forty-five trees were grown on weighing lysimeters and were used to develop whole tree water-use budgets. After 3 yr of exposure, the 45 trees not grown on lysimeters were harvested, and the plant tissues were weighed. After the fourth growing season, the remaining 45 trees were harvested, and the weight of the plant tissues was determined. Significant effects of ozone or simulated acidic precipitation were not detected, with the exception of a trend for increased needle dry weight with increasing ozone and, in 1990 needles only, with decreasing pH. No effects were detected in total dry weight, aboveground dry weight, coarse or fine root weight, stem dry weight, or relative growth rate. No significant interactions of ozone and pH treatment were detected. Neither ozone nor pH treatment affected the rate of water use by red spruce saplings, even when they were subjected to a dry-down period resulting in drought stress