Ozone Air Pollution and Effects on Native Plants in Switzerland (Project duration: 2000-2002)
	Norbert Kräuchi & John M. Skelly (Project leaders) Marcus Schaub

Contents: Rationale Project aims Methods Work plan Data Participants Hyperlinks

Rationale In 1997, based on ten years of monitoring forest condition in Europe for estimating direct effects by air pollution on forest trees, the UN/ECE (UN/ECE, 1997) concluded that tropospheric ozone is the main parameter to be considered. In nearly all regions of Europe ozone concentrations during the summer, are high enough to be of potential risk to sensitive plants. The value that is recognized as an accepted standard for the protection of forest trees from adverse ozone effects (Skärby et al. 1998) is frequently and repeatedly exceeded in many areas such as Austria, Switzerland and especially in the Mediterranean (Sanz et al. 1999). Forest and nursery surveys in Canton Ticino in southern Switzerland have recorded ozone-like symptoms on numerous native tree, shrub, and forb species (Innes et al., 1996; Skelly et al., 1998; Skelly et al., 1999, VanderHeyden et al. 2000). Little information is available on the effects of ozone on the multitude of native forest plant species throughout Europe (Fuhrer et al., 1998). (Abstract The Swiss Research Information System) Project aims The aim of this study was to examine long-term, cumulative, ozone concentrations in relation to the onset and development of visible foliar injury on several forest, shrub and herb species in southern Switzerland. In particular we aimed: to assess the sensitivity to ozone of different plant species and determination of dose-response relationship to determine, assess and validate visible and non-visible ozone symptoms to examine the seasonal long-term and cumulative ozone exposure required to induce the onset and development of visible foliar injury to test the applicability of the ICP Forest Sub-Manual on monitoring and assessment of ambient air quality and ozone effects to assess the influence of environmental modifying factors to produce information on ambient air quality in forest ecosystems to assess experimentally determined symptoms in the field and to develop a regionalized risk assessment on the basis of ozone monitoring and modelling data. Back to contents Methods An open-top chamber (OTC) research facility with 8 OTC and 4 open plots was established in 1995 within the Vivaio Lattecaldo Cantonal Forest Nursery (600 m asl) in the Muggio Valley of Canton Ticino. In 2000, 12 species (3 reps.) were planted in each plot. The methods included: For ozone monitoring two-minute air samples were taken for ambient, non-filtered, and filtered treatment every 20 minutes. All seedlings were evaluated daily until foliar injury symptoms first appeared and then twice weekly thereafter using a modified Horsfall-Barratt scale for estimating the precent of injured leaves. Physiological gas exchange measurements were conducted with a LiCor 6200 photosynthesis system throughout the season. A low cost method (passive ozone monitoring) for determining integrated ambient ozone exposures was used on 16 out of 17 ICP level II plots across Switzerland for dose-plant response relationship under natural field conditions. Results This project was concluded as of April 2002. Please click here to view continuing research projects at the Lattecaldo OTC Research Facilty (2002-2004). The following is a list of publications, posters, presentations, and extension activities from 2000-2002 (for additional literature search our section's publications database by keywords and topics or in full text.): 2000 Cherubini, P; Moretti, G; Schaub, M; Schnyder, D. (2000). Wie Ozon auf Mensch und Umwelt wirkt. Wanderuasstellung PUBLOZON 2000 – mit neuesten Forschungsergebnissen zu Auswirkungen von Ozon auf den Tessiner Wald. Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt WSL, Birmensdorf, 16 pp. Schaub, M. (2000). Ozone air pollution and effects to native plants in Switzerland. First Year Report to the Swiss the Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), Switzerland, 45 pp. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N. (Poster 2000). Ozon – was, warum, wie und wo. 157th Annual Meeting of the Swiss Forest Society (SFV) at the ETH Lausanne, 31. Aug. - 1. Sept. 2000. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N. (Poster 2000). Ozonschäden im Tessiner Wald. 157th Annual Meeting of the Swiss Forest Society (SFV) at the ETH Lausanne, 31. Aug. - 1. Sept. 2000. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N. (Poster 2000). Zeigerpflanzen für Ozon. 157th Annual Meeting of the Swiss Forest Society (SFV) at the ETH Lausanne, 31. Aug. - 1. Sept. 2000. 27-29 Aug 2000. Schaub, M. (Presentation). Experiences with passive ozone monitoring and visible ozone injury assessment on the forest vegetation on 5 ICP-Forests Level II plots within Switzerland. 1st ICP-Forests Training Course on ‘Assessment of Ozone Visual Injury’ in Morella, Valencia, Spain. 4 Dec 2000. Schaub, M. (Presenation). The effect of ozone on plant physiology and forest health. Technical School in Rapperswil (HSR) under the guidance of Mr. Hans Rudolf Bürgi from the EAWAG. 21 Sept-5 Oct 2000. Schaub, M; Cherubini, P; Kräuchi, N; Goerg-Günthard, M; Vollenweider, P. (Exhibition). ‘PUBLOZON 2000’. KV Zürich Business School. 17 Aug 2000. Novak, K. (Extension). Broadcast of the ongoing OTC study within the Lattecaldo research facility on the local TV channel of Ticino. 2001 Innes, J.L; Skelly, J.M; Schaub, M. (2001). Ozone and braodleaved species. A guide to the identification of ozone-induced foliar injury. Ozon, Laubholz- und Krautpflanzen. Ein Führer zum Bestimmen von Ozonsymptomen. Birmensdorf, Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt WSL, Birmensdorf. Bern, Stuttgart, Wien; Paul Haupt Verlag, 136 pp. Schaub, M. (2001). Interactions between soil moisture and ozone on three hardwood tree species. Ph.D. Thesis, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA, 255 pp. Schaub, M; Cherubini, P; Kräuchi, N. (2001). Publozon 2001, Ozon - Auswirkungen auf den Wald. Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt WSL, Birmensdorf, 11 pp. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N; Skelly, J.M; Novak, K; Hug, C; Bleuler, P; Ferdinand, J; Bussotti, F. (2001). Ozone air pollution and effects to native plants in Switzerland. Second Year Report to the Swiss the Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), Switzerland, 38 pp. Skelly, J.M; Davis, D.D; Steiner, K.C; Zhang, J; Schaub, M; Ferdinand, J; Savage, J.E; Stevenson, R.E. (2001). Impact of ambient ozone on physiological, visual, and growth responses of sensitive eastern hardwood tree species under natural and varying conditions. Final Report ER2001-2. University Park, PA, Pennsylvania State University, Environmental Resources Research Institute. 268 pp. Bussotti, F; Gravano, E; Gerosa, G; Ballarin-Denti, A; Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N; Skelly, J.M; Sanz, M.J; Calatayud, V. (Poster, 2001). Ozone air pollution and effects on native plants in southern Europe. 33rd Air Pollution Workshop, Riverside, USA, 9.-12. April, 2001. Novak, K; Schaub, M; Skelly, J; Kräuchi, N; Landolt, W; Bleuler, P; Hug, C; Innes, J. (Poster, 2001). Ozone air pollution and effects on native plants of southern Switzerland. 33rd Air Pollution Workshop, Riverside, USA, 9.-12. April, 2001. 4 Apr 2001. Schaub M. (Presentation). The Swiss Alps, Palm Trees and Ozone, a contribution to the 10th Air Pollution Society of Central PA. State College, PA, USA. 9-12 Apr 2001. Schaub M. (Presentation). Interactions between soil moisture and ozone of three hardwood tree species. 33rd Air Pollution Workshop, Riverside, USA. 1 Jun 2001. Schaub M; Kräuchi N; Cherubini P. (Presentation). Ozono e foreste: la situazione in Svizzera. Giornata di studio Ozono e foreste. Pisa, Italy. 23-27 Aug 2001. Kräuchi N; Schaub M. (Power Point Presentation) Schweizerische Forstmesse, Luzern. 3-4 Sept 2001. Schaub M. (Presentation). Ozone plant effects in Switzerland; an overview. INTERREG 2001. Ozone effects over Mediterranean vegetation. Ending conference. Torino, Italy. 4-7 Mai 2001. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N; Hug, C. (Exhibition). Herein-spaziert ins Ozongewächshaus. Science et cité, Zürcher Festival des Wissens, Zürich. 10 Aug 2001. Kräuchi, N; Schaub, M. (Web page). WSL ozone web page: http://www.wsl.ch/ozone/ 22-24 Aug 2001. Schaub, M; Hug, C; Kräuchi, N; Novak, K. (Meeting). Hosting of the ‘2nd UNECE/ICP-Forests Intercalibration Course on the Assessment of Ozone Injury on European Tree Species’. Switzerland / Italy. 24 Aug 2001. Läubli M. (Extension). Beitrag zu Zeitungsartikel „Ozon – keine Entlastung in Sicht“, Tages-Anzeiger, WISSEN. Schaub, M; Ballarin-Denti, M; Bussotti, F; Kräuchi, N; Skelly, J.M. (2001) Assessment of Ozone Air Pollution Injuries on Forest Vegetation in the Transalpine Region of Lombardy and Canton Ticino. Research Proposal, 19 pp. 25 Sept 2001. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N; Broggi, M. (Official Letter of Agreement). Scientific collaboration between WSL (Section Forest Ecosystems and Ecological Risks) and the Italian working group, coordinated by Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente (FLA), and composed (besides FLA) by Regional Forest Agency (Antonio Tagliaferri), Regional Environmental Protection Agency and the Universities of Brescia (A. Ballarin-Denti and G. Gerosa) and the University of Florence (F. Bussotti). Zimmermann, N.E; Thornton, P.E; Jolly, W.M; Cherubini, P; Kräuchi, N; Kienast, F; Wildi, O; Forster, T; Dobbertin, M; Schaub, M. (2001). Scaling carbon fluxes from stands to landscapes: calibrating and testing Biome-BGC along multiple environmental gradients. Research Proposal, 19 pp. 2002 Bussotti, F; Schaub, M; Cozzi, A; Kräuchi, N; Ferretti, M; Novak, N; Skelly, J. (2003). Assessment of ozone visible symptoms in the field: perspectives of quality control. Environmental pollution, submitted. Cherubini, P; Innes, J.L; Skelly, J.M; Hug, C; Schaub, M; Kraeuchi, N. (2002). La divulgazione dei resultati di dieci anni di ricerca sui danni da ozono tropospherico nei boschi in Svizzera. Informatore Fitopatologico 3, 48-51. Ferdinand, J; Schaub M; Skelly J; Zhang J. (in press). Effects of tropospheric ozone on gas exchange, foliar injury, and leaf Nitrogen in Prunus serotina seedlings: age-class comparisons. Environmental Pollution (in press). Novak, K. (2002). Ozone air pollution and foliar injury development on native plants of Switzerland. Masters of Science Thesis, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA. 92 pp. Novak, K; Skelly, J; Schaub, M; Kraeuchi, N; Hug, C; Landolt, W; Bleuler, P. (2003). Ozone air pollution and foliar injury development. Environmental Pollution, submitted. Novak, K; Skelly, J; Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N; Hug, C; Landolt, W; Bleuler, P. (2002). Ozone air pollution and foliar injury development on native plants of Switzerland. Final Report, Environmental Resources Research Institute, University Park, PA, USA, 92 pp. Paoletti, E. and Schaub, M. (2002). Danni visibili tipo-ozono su latifoglie. Sherwood 76, 25–26. Schaub, M; Novak, K; Skelly, J; Kräuchi, N; Hug, C; Landolt, W; Bleuler, P. (in press). BUWAL Final Report 2000-2002. Ozone Air Pollution and Effects to Native Plants in Switzerland. WSL publication in press. Schaub, M; Skelly, J.M; Steiner, K.C; Davis, D.D; Zhang, J; Ferdinand, J.A; Savage, J.E; Stevenson, R.E. (2003). Physiological and symptom responses of Prunus serotina, Fraxinus americana, and Acer rubrum seedlings to varying soil moisture and ozone. Environmental Pollution (submitted). Novak, K; Schaub, M. (2002). Concept for a Ph.D thesis - Assessment of Morphological and Physiological Ozone Effects on Native Forest Species in Canton Ticino of Switzerland. Research Proposal, 18 pp. Schaub, M; Kräuchi, N; Bassin, S; Fuhrer, J; Skelly J. (2002). Effect- and Risk-Assessment of Ozone Air Pollution on Forest Vegetation in Switzerland. Research Proposal for SAEFL, 29 pp. Bussotti, F; Schaub, M; Novak, N; Cozzi, A; Kräuchi, N; Ferretti, M; Skelly, J. (Poster, 2002). Assessment of ozone visible symptoms in the field: perspectives of quality control. 34th Air Pollution Workshop, State College, PA, USA, 15.-18. April, 2002. Novak, K; Schaub, M; Skelly, J.M; Kraeuchi, N; Landolt, W; Bleuler, P; Hug, C; Innes, J. (Poster, 2002). Ozone air pollution effects on native plants of southern Switzerland. 34th Air Pollution Workshop, State College, PA, USA, 15.-18. April, 2002. Schaub, M; Bassin, S; Kräuchi, N. (Poster, 2002). Assessment of ozone visible injury on 16 ICP-Forests Level II plots in Switzerland. 34th Air Pollution Workshop, State College, PA, USA, 15.-18. April, 2002. 15-18 Apr 2002. Schaub, M; Bussotti, F; Novak, K; Skelly, J.M; Kräuchi, N; Bleuler, P; Landolt, W. (2002)(Presentation). Discussion of an O3 standard dependent on plant response. 34th Air Pollution Workshop, State College, PA, USA. 25-27 Sept 2002. Schaub, M; Novak, K; Kräuchi, N; Skelly J. (2002)(Presentation). Assessment of ozone visible injury in the field: Perspectives of Quality Control. 3rd UN/ECE ICP-Forests Training Course, Ville-Franche, France. 21 Oct 2002. Schaub, M; Innes, J; Skelly, J; Bernhard, L; Jakob, P; Kräuchi, N. (2002) (Web page). UN/ECE ICP-Forests LWF web page for the assessment of visible ozone injury: http://www.ozone.wsl.ch/ Previous studies have reveiled the following results: The Level I critical level for forest trees, AOT 40, 10 ppm.h (10 ppm.h accumulated exposure of ozone over a threshold of 40 ppb), is exceeded annually at many monitoring stations throughout Switzerland (NABEL 1999). 83 species across Switzerland have been observed to show foliar ozone injury (Skelly, pers. comm.) 25 native species have been confirmed to be sensitive to ambient ozone concentrations (Innes et al., 1996; Skelly et al., 1998; 1999; Sanz et al., 1999; VanderHeyden et al., 2000) Nutrition, water availability, temperature, atmospheric humidity, wind speed, and incident light levels are all known to affect physiological gas exchange (Sandermann et al., 1997) Innes and Seklly (1996) found that seedlings varied markedly in symptom severity and development both within and among species. Back to contents Visible symptoms arising from ozone-induced injury Prunus serotina Acer pseudoplatanus Morus nigra Participants Kristopher Novak Christian Hug Peter Bleuler Werner Landolt John Innes Hyperlinks Continuing research at the Lattecaldo Open-top Facility LWF Ozone Injury Webpage Real-time ozone concnetration at Lattecaldo WSL Ozone News Ozone-induced symptoms on native forest vegetation in Switzerland with confirmation via controlled exposures Critical levels for visible ozone injury to Prunus serotina in south Switzerland Back to contents Project no. 4.00.1219 "Ozone Air Pollution and Effects on Native Plants in Switzerland" - Project duration: 2000- 2002. The success of scientific international co-operative programmes such as the Long-term forest Ecosystem Research LWF depends on an unprecedented sharing of scientific data and information. Please check our Data access policy. 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