Chronic ozone effects on three northeastern hardwood species: growth and biomass

Abstract

The response of black cherry (Prunusserotina Ehrh.), sugar maple (Acersacchárum Marsh.), and yellow-poplar (Liriodendrontulipifera L.) seedlings after being exposed to two seasons of ozone ranging from subambient to twice ambient (exposures ranged from 16 to 107 ppm•h in 1990 and 31 to 197 ppm•h in 1991) was studied in standard 3-m diameter open-top chambers. All three species responded differently to ozone. After one season of exposure, black cherry growth and biomass decreased with increasing ozone exposure; yellow-poplar growth and biomass increased with increasing ozone exposure; and sugar maple growth and biomass were not significantly affected by ozone. After two seasons of exposure, few to no effects from ozone were observed in either sugar maple or yellow-poplar. However, total plant and root biomass of black cherry exposed to twice ambient ozone were reduced 32 and 39%, respectively, when compared with those grown in charcoal-filtered air. Exposure–response relationships were either linear or quadratic for most of the growth and biomass parameters measured.