Plant response to simulated acid rain with special reference to foliar injury, foliar leaching, trichome status and plant nutrition
The effects on plants of increased levels of acidity of precipitation are largely unknown. To evaluate plant response to acid rain, herbaceous and woody species were exposed to simulated rain (SR) at pH values from 2.7 to 5.7. Species exposed to simulated acid rain (SAR) exhibited a wide variety of symptoms, with lesions developing on both vegetative and reproductive structures. Herbaceous species were more susceptible than woody species to SAR, whereas coniferous species were least susceptible. With most species, rapidly expanding leaves were most susceptible to SAR. Trichomes were not a preferential site for the occurrence of injury by SAR. Plants of Zinnia developed an increased tolerance to SAR with repeated exposure. Plants supplied with higher levels of nutrients exhibited a greater susceptibility to SAR. Growth of plants increased with exposure to slightly acidic SR and decreased under more acidic SR. Foliar leaching of /sup 86/Rb increased with increasing acidity of SR but was always associated with visible foliar symptoms. Plants grown in the greenhouse and outdoors differed in susceptibility to SAR, both in the development of foliar symptoms and in the foliar leaching of /sup 86/Rb. A hypothesis for injury to plants exposed to SAR was proposed. Severity of injury is influenced by conditions of the rain event and characteristics of the plant. Leaf characteristics influencing the degree of injury include ease of wettability, rate of cuticular penetration and tolerance or resistance of underlying cells to altered extracellular or intracellular pH.
- OSTI ID:
- 6577719
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Simulated acid rain effects on Zinnia as influenced by available nutrients
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
SIMULATION
LEAVES
INJURIES
LEACHING
NUTRITION
VARIATIONS
PLANTS
RUBIDIUM 86
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISSOLUTION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RAIN
RUBIDIUM ISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)