Minor effects of long-term ozone exposure on boreal peatland species Eriophorum vaginatum and Sphagnum papillosum

The effects of long-term ozone fumigation on two common peatland plant species, a sedge Eriophorum vaginatum L. and a moss Sphagnum papillosum Lindb., were studied applying peatland microcosms. The peat cores with intact vegetation were cored from an oligotrophic pine fen and partially embedded into the soil of an open-air experimental field for four growing seasons. The open-air ozone exposure field consists of eight circular plots of which four were fumigated with elevated ozone concentration (doubled ambient) and four were ambient controls. The results showed that E. vaginatum and S. papillosum can tolerate ozone better than expected. Elevated ozone concentration did not affect overall relative length growth of E. vaginatum or S. papillosum. The leaf cross-section area of E. vaginatum leaves was 8% bigger in the ozone treatment compared to that in the ambient control. Ultrastuctural variables did not show any significant treatment effect in E. vaginatum or in S. papillosum. Total chlorophyll (a + b) concentration tended to increase in early growing season under ozone exposure. During the first growing season, elevated ozone concentration decreased methanol-extractable, UV-absorbing compounds in E. vaginatum. The results suggest that E. vaginatum and S. papillosum are ozone tolerant plant species and are likely able to cope with expected increase in tropospheric ozone concentration.