Evaluation of vegetation injury as an air pollution criterion

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1965 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1965.10468376· OSTI ID:5226184

Treshow, M

Folar markings on vegetation have proven a highly sensitive criterion for the presence of many air pollutants; proper evaluation of such effects can serve as a valuable and inexpensive tool for delineating an air pollution condition. Injury symptoms from fluoride, sulfur dioxide, photochemical oxidants and other pollutants have been described and can be recognized by experienced observers. Field studies provide a valuable technique for appraising an air pollution problem when diagnosis is not confused by other factors. Careful inspection can avert difficulties arising in diagnosis where similar symptoms are produced by agents other than air pollutants. Several factors must be considered in appraising injury. These include a knowledge of the relative sensitivity of plant species to various pollutants, the syndrome of injury on a number of plants and species, and distribution and geographic relation of affected plants to the suspected source. Background information on cultural, environmental, disease and insect conditions which might be responsible for, or modify, foliar markings or chronic effects in question must also be understood. For some pollutants a chemical analysis of foliage and air may prove helpful. When these factors are studied, the presence, distribution and magnitude of an air pollution situation can be evaluated, thus providing a sensitive criterion of air quality. 29 references.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
• OSTI ID: 5226184
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 15:6; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CROPS
DISTRIBUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LEAVES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS
POLLUTION
SENSITIVITY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
TOXICITY