Oxidant air pollution effects on plants of Joshua Tree National Monument
Temple PJ. 1989. Oxidant air pollution effects on plants of Joshua Tree National Monument. Environmental Pollution. 57(1):35–47
This report provides details of air quality monitoring at Joshua Tree National Monument in the mid-1980's. It states that because of the monument's location in the path of heavily polluted air from the Los Angeles Basin, such a program to monitor the effects on natural resources is particularly important. Ozone monitoring began at Lost Horse Ranger Station in June 1985, and some previous records were gathered from surrounding towns. Ozone concentrations in 1984 and 1985 at times reached levels that could have damaged plants, but as the occurrences were mostly at night, the stomata of most plants were closed, preventing uptake. Vegetation plots, set up to allow direct observations of effects, showed no damage in those two years. Some nursery-grown plants were experimentally exposed to various ozone levels, and of those, Rhus trilobata has the best potential as a bioindicator.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Temple, Patrick
- Units
- ARD , JOTR
- Keywords
- Air Pollution, Air Quality, AIRBIB, Atmospheric Sciences, Biomonitoring, Foliar Damage, Ozone (O3), Plant Studies, Plots, Vegetation