Field surveys to assess foliar ozone injury on plants in national parks and monuments on the Colorado Plateau
Kohut R. 2020. Field surveys to assess foliar ozone injury on plants in national parks and monuments on the Colorado Plateau. Natural Resource Report. NPS/NRSS/ARD/NRR—2020/2112
Tropospheric, or ground-level, ozone of anthropogenic origin is recognized as one of the most widely dispersed and phytotoxic air pollutants in the United States, and its effects on the physiology, growth, productivity and wellbeing of plant species have been widely researched and documented in laboratory and field studies. Foliar ozone injury is produced on plants when a triad of biological and environmental variables are satisfied: the levels of ozone exposure exceed a threshold for foliar injury, plant species sensitive to ozone are present, and environmental conditions occur that facilitate the uptake of ozone by the plants. Vegetation injury due to ozone has been measured in mesic areas across the United States where soil moisture is high enough to allow for consistent precipitation. Desert areas have been not previously been surveyed due to the correlation of peak ozone timing with the summer drought. This study surveys riparian vegetation in desert environments to assess whether the availability of soil moisture in a dry climate will allow for damage to occur on sensitive species. Assessments were conducted at Arches National Park (ARCH), Canyonlands National Park (CANY), Colorado National Monument (COLM), Dinosaur National Monument (DINO) and Mesa Verde National Park (MEVE) located in the eastern portion of the Colorado Plateau in Utah and Colorado. Unfortunately, with respect to the survey for foliar injury, the levels of ozone in 2016 were low in most of the parks (ARCH, CANY, COLM, DINO). This effectively prevented the development of foliar injury on bioindicator species in spite of moderate to high levels of precipitation in some parks. It is important to understand that even though a plant does not develop foliar injury, it does not mean the plant has not been affected by the exposure to elevated levels of ozone. Ozone does not kill plants, but rather debilitates them by impacting their carbon budget. Ozone taken up by a plant readily reduces its rate of photosynthesis and carbon fixation.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Kohut, Robert
- Date of Issue
- 2020-05
- Publisher
- NPS/NRSS/ARD/NRR—2020/2112
- Units
- ARCH , CANY , COLM , DINO , MEVE , NRSS
- Keywords
- foliar ozone injury, Ozone, ozone bioindicator
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Air Quality | Ozone , Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Weather and Climate | Weather and Climate , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Desert Communities