Effect of 3 years' free-air exposure to elevated ozone on mature Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) needle epicuticular wax physicochemical characteristics
2009
Percy, Kevin E. | Manninen, Sirkku | Häberle, Karl-Heinz | Heerdt, C. | Werner, H. | Henderson, Gary W. | Matyssek, Rainer
We examined the effect of ozone (O₃) on Norway spruce (Picea abies) needle epicuticular wax over three seasons at the Kranzberg Ozone Fumigation Experiment. Exposure to 2x ambient O₃ ranged from 64.5 to 74.2 μl O₃ l⁻¹ h AOT40, and 117.1 to 123.2 nl O₃ l⁻¹ 4th highest daily maximum 8-h average O₃ concentration. The proportion of current-year needle surface covered by wax tubes, tube aggregates, and plates decreased (P = 0.011) under 2x O₃. Epistomatal chambers had increased deposits of amorphous wax. Proportion of secondary alcohols varied due to year (P = 0.004) and O₃ treatment (P = 0.029). Secondary alcohols were reduced by 9.1% under 2x O₃. Exposure to 2x O₃ increased (P = 0.037) proportions of fatty acids by 29%. Opposing trends in secondary alcohols and fatty acids indicate a direct action of O₃ on wax biosynthesis. These results demonstrate O₃-induced changes in biologically important needle surface characteristics of 50-year-old field-grown trees. Free-air ozone exposure induced changes in needle wax characteristics of mature Picea abies.
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