Trees can improve air quality by capturing particles in their foliage. We determined the particle capture efficiencies of coniferous Pinus sylvestris and three broadleaved species: Betula pendula, Betula pubescens and Tilia vulgaris in a wind tunnel using NaCl particles. The importance of leaf surface structure, physiology and moderate soil drought on the particle capture efficiencies of the trees were determined. The results confirm earlier findings of more efficient particle capture by conifers compared to broadleaved plants. The particle capture efficiency of P. sylvestris (0.21%) was significantly higher than those of B. pubescens, T. vulgaris and B. pendula (0.083%, 0.047%, 0.043%, respectively). The small leaf size of P. sylvestris was the major characteristic that increased particle capture. Among the broadleaved species, low leaf wettability, low stomatal density and leaf hairiness increased particle capture. Moderate soil drought tended to increase particle capture efficiency of P. sylvestris.

The response of Betula pubescens Ehr., B. pendula Roth and two provenances of Pinus sylvestris L. to solar ultraviolet radiation were investigated in a UV exclusion field experiment during the 1997-1999 growing seasons in Finnish Lapland. The seed-grown seedlings were grown under UV-B exclusion and UV-B/UV-A exclusion as compared to control treatment and ambient plants. The only significant impacts of UV exclusion were found in P. sylvestris provenance Enontekio. Longer-term field studies are needed to detect the cumulative characteristics of the UV responses

Metal detoxification in plants is a complex process that involves different mechanisms, such as the retention of metals to the cell wall and their chelation and subsequent compartmentalization in plant vacuoles. In order to identify the mechanisms involved in metal accumulation and tolerance in Betula pubescens, as well as the role of mycorrhization in these processes, mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants were grown in two industrial soils with contrasting concentrations of heavy metals.Mycorrhization increased metal uptake at low metal concentrations in the soil and reduced it at high metal concentrations, which led to an enhanced growth and biomass production of the host when growing in the most polluted soil. Our results suggest that the sequestration on the cell wall is the main detoxification mechanism in white birch exposed to acute chronic metal-stress, while phytochelatins play a role mitigating metal toxicity inside the cells. Given its high Mn and Zn root-to-shoot translocation rate, Betula pubescens is a very promising species for the phytoremediation of soils polluted with these metals.

To reveal the degradation capacity of bacteria in PAH polluted soil and rhizosphere we combined bacterial extradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenase and 16S rRNA analysis in Betula pubescens rhizoremediation. Characterisation of the functional bacterial community by RFLP revealed novel environmental dioxygenases, and their putative hosts were studied by 16S rRNA amplification. Plant rhizosphere and PAH amendment effects were detected by the RFLP/T-RFLP analysis. Functional species richness increased in the birch rhizosphere and PAH amendment impacted the compositional diversity of the dioxygenases and the structural 16S rRNA community. A shift from an Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia dominated to an Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria dominated community structure was detected in polluted soil. Clone sequence analysis indicated catabolic significance of Burkholderia in PAH polluted soil. These results advance our understanding of rhizoremediation and unveil the extent of uncharacterized functional bacteria to benefit bioremediation by facilitating the development of the molecular tool box to monitor bacterial populations in biodegradation.

In urban areas, a highly variable mixture of pollutants is deposited as particulate matter. The concentration and bioavailability of individual pollutants within particles need to be characterised to ascertain the risks to ecological receptors. This study, carried out at two urban parks, measured the deposition and water-solubility of metals to four species common to UK urban areas. Foliar Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations were elevated in at least one species compared with those from a rural control site. Concentrations were, however, only affected by distance to road in nettle and, to a lesser extent, birch leaves. Greater concentrations of metal were observed in these species compared to cypress and maple possibly due to differences in plant morphology and leaf surfaces. Solubility appeared to be linked to the size fraction and, therefore, origin of the metal with those present predominantly in the coarse fraction exhibiting low solubility. High density traffic resulted in elevated metal concentrations on vegetation, which were related to distance from road and plant species.

Two birch clones originating from metal-contaminated sites were exposed for 3 months to soils (sand-peat ratio 1:1 or 4:1) spiked with a mixture of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; anthracene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene). PAH degradation differed between the two birch clones and also by the soil type. The statistically most significant elimination (p <= 0.01), i.e. 88% of total PAHs, was observed in the more sandy soil planted with birch, the clearest positive effect being found with Betula pubescens clone on phenanthrene. PAHs and soil composition had rather small effects on birch protein complement. Three proteins with clonal differences were identified: ferritin-like protein, auxin-induced protein and peroxidase. Differences in planted and non-planted soils were detected in bacterial communities by 16S rRNA T-RFLP, and the overall bacterial community structures were diverse. Even though both represent complex systems, trees and rhizoidal microbes in combination can provide interesting possibilities for bioremediation of PAH-polluted soils. Birch can enhance degradation of PAH compounds in the rhizosphere.

We studied the responses of micropropagated, northern provenances of downy, mountain and silver birches to elevated ozone (O₃) and changing climate using open-top chambers (OTCs). Contrary to our hypothesis, northern birches were sensitive to O₃, i.e. O₃ levels of 31-36 ppb reduced the leaf and root biomasses by -10%, whereas wood biomass was affected to a lesser extent. The warmer and drier OTC climate enhanced growth in general, though there were differences among the species and clones, e.g. in bud burst and biomass production. Inter- and intra-specific responses to O₃ and changing climate relate to traits such as allocation patterns between the above- and belowground parts (i.e. root/shoot ratio), which further relate to nutrient and water economy. Our experiments may have mimicked future conditions quite well, but only long-term field studies can yield the information needed to forecast responses at both tree and ecosystem levels. Northern birches are responsive to ambient ozone levels.