Growth response of Pinus ponderosa seedlings and mature tree branches to acid rain and ozone exposure

Conference · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:110802

Anderson, P D ^[1]; Houpis, J L.J. ^[2]; Helms, J A ^[3]

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1. USDA Forest Service, Forestry Sciences Lab., Rhinelander, WI (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
3. California Univ., Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Science Policy and Management

Forests of the central and southern Sierra Nevada in California have been subjected to chronic damage by ozone and other atmospheric pollutants for the past several decades. Until recently, pollutant exposure of northern Sierra Nevada forests has been mild but increasing population and changes in land use throughout the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills may lead to increased pollutant damage in these forests. Although, better documented in other regions of the United States, little is known regarding the potential for acidic precipitation damage to Sierra Nevada forests. Only recently have studies directed towards understanding the potential interactive effects of ozone and acidic precipitation been undertaken. A key issue in resolving potential regional impacts of pollutants on forests is the extent to which research results can be scaled across genotypes and life-stages. Most of the pollution research to date has been performed using seedlings with varying degrees of genetic control. It is important to determine if the results obtained in such studies can be extrapolated to mature trees and to different genetic sources. In this paper, we present results from a one-year study examining the interactive effects of foliar exposure to acidic rain and ozone on the growth of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), a conifer known to be sensitive to ozone. The response to pollutants is characterized for both seedlings and mature tree branches of three genotypes grown in a common environment.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); California State Government, Sacramento, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 110802
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--116595; CONF-9409301--2; ON: DE96000359
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GROWTH
OZONE
PINES
TOXICITY