| Rationale
Project aims
Methods
Work plan
Data
Participants
Publications
Links
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Many studies investigating the negative impacts of ozone on biomass production
and physiological functions have demonstrated the relationships between
ozone exposure and reductions in both growth and physiological gas exchange
leading to an increasing interest in effects of ozone exposure expressed
as a critical cumulative exposure of 10’000 ppb hrs above the threshold
of 40 ppb (AOT40). Ozone effects on plants, mainly depend on atmospheric
transport and stomatal uptake. Thus ozone risk assessments should not
only use measured ozone concentrations, but should also account for the
influence of atmospheric conditions and soil moisture on stomatal conductance
and non-stomatal ozone deposition. Following the Level II approach, this
study aims to provide a model to estimate the ozone flux for forest ecosystems
throughout Switzerland.
(Abstract, The Swiss Research Information System)
- Conduct an ozone risk assessment with the development of an ozone
deposition model for forest ecosystems based on the existing ODEM (Nussbaum
et al., in press) model for crops,
- The screening and validation of ozone sensitive plant species combined
with studies investigating the physiological above- and below-ground
plant response under controlled conditions within the validation- and
learning center Lattecaldo,
- The assessment of visible ozone injury in the field, i.e. Level II
plots throughout Switzerland and Level I plots in Canton Ticino, applying
the UN/ECE
ICP-Forests guidelines, and
- The development of a data bank based web
page on visible foliar ozone injury for extension activities.
Although these objectives are investigating different aspects within
the proposed research, they are complementary and intended to strengthen
the collaboration with our national and international partners, working
in the field of ozone effects on vegetation.
Within the following three years, we intend to continue and foster the
collaboration with our international research partners (USA, Spain, Italy,
ICP-Forests, UN/ECE) and to use the different ongoing studies within the
Lattecaldo OTC research facility, on the long term monitoring Level II
plots, as well as on the Level I plots of the Canton Ticino to approach
our objectives. In addition to the previous years, we will emphasize the
risk assessment of ozone effects on forest plants by developing an ozone
deposition model for forest ecosystems based on the existing ODEM for
agricultural areas and in close collaboration with the Swiss Federal Research
Station for Agroecology and Agriculture FAL,
with METEOTEST, and
with international collaborators such as Lisa Emberson and Mike Ashmore
(University of York).
The main challenge will be to combine the different simultaneous studies
in a way to take advantage of synergies.
The following points have been successfully completed during the 2002 research
season:
- Set-up of OTC facility (installation of plastic panels, charcoal
filters, and ozone monitoring equipment)
- Assessment of visible ozone injury on a regular basis from beginning
of May until end of September
- Measuring of gas exchange during the field season once monthly from
May to September with the LiCor 6400 photosynthesis system
- Intensified measurements for physiological parameters from mid July
until mid September in combination with fluorescence and morphological
measurements in collaboration with F. Bussotti
- Shutting down of OTC facility at beginning of October including harvesting
of plant material with C. Hug and P. Bleuler
- Assessment of ozone visible injury in the field from mid August until
end of September
- Test applicability of ICP-Forests
Sub-Manual on LESS of 16 Level II plots towards end of September
(10 field days)
- Assessment of ozone injury on Level I plots within Canton Ticino
by field crew
- Passive ozone monitoring from beginning of May until end of September
- Data analysis and publication of results (in process)
- The development of a databank based web
page on visible foliar ozone injury and
- The preparation of pictorial data and corresponding comments/text
Work plan for 2003
- Calibration of ODEM with flux data from flux measurements in the field
studies within Lattecaldo OTC experimental facility
- End of April: set-up of OTC facility with new planting and new plastic
panels
- Installation of mesh bags and in-growth cores (spring)
- Intensified site maintenance (watering, weeding)
- Assessment of visible ozone injury on a regular basis from beginning
of May until end of September
- Measuring soil respiration and above-ground gas exchange twice monthly
in August and September in the PVC rings with or without roots in collaboration
with B. Frey
- Assessment of ozone visible injury in the field from mid August until
end of September
- Test applicability of ICP-Forests Sub-Manual on LESS and IMP (tree
climber) of 16 Level II plots towards end of September
- Assessment of ozone injury on Level I plots within Canton Ticino
by field crew
- Passive ozone monitoring from beginning of May until end of September
- Data analysis and publication of results continues
The data from the 2002 research season are currently being analyzed.
Preliminary results were presented at the 35th Air Pollution Workshop,
Vancouver, BC, Canada. 7-10 April, 2003 (Poster
+ Presentation).
.
Click here for a
complete listing of collaborators.
Publications, Posters, Presentations and
Extension
Check our chronological
list where most publications can be downloaded or otherwise ordered
per e-mail.
You can also search our section's publications
database by keywords and topics or in full text.
Click here
for a list of links related to ozone research.
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