Seasonal changes in the pigments, carbohydrates and growth of red spruce as affected by ozone |
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Authors: | R. G. ALSCHER R. G. AMUNDSON J. R. CUMMNG S. FELLOWS J. FINCHER G. RUBIN P. VAN LEUKEN L. H. WEINSTEIN |
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Affiliation: | Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061;Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;Biometrics Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 |
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Abstract: | ![]() Two-year-old red spruce seedlings were exposed to various levels ot ozone, from 0.4 to 3 times ambient levels, in open-top chambers in Ithaca, NY, USA. Exposures, which varied with changes in day length, commenced on May 30, 1987 and continued until December 14, 1987. Seedling biomass, carbohydrate contents, pigment contents, and rate of electron transport were assessed twice monthly during the fumigation period. Orthogonal quadratic or cubic polynomials were used to model the response through time each variable measured. A one-way analysis of variance model was fitted to every regression coefficient in each polynomial model to test for ozone effects on seasonal physiological patterns. Ozone did not influence growth, foliar pigment content, foliar starch content, root carbohydrate content, or rate of electron transport. The seasonal change of needle raffinose content differed between exposed to low (0.4 ×, 1×) and high (2×, 3×) ozone levels. There was also a trend towards reduced total soluble sugar content foliage during late autumn in higher ozone treatments. |
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Keywords: | Red spruce Picea rubeus glutathione cold tolerance raffinose forest decline ozone |
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