Responses of herbaceous plants to urban air pollution: Effects on growth, phenology and leaf surface characteristics
| Autor: | Trevor W. Ashenden, J. Neil Cape, Sarah L. Honour, Sally A. Power, J. Nigel B. Bell |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2009 |
| Předmět: |
Pollution
Diesel exhaust Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis media_common.quotation_subject Plant Development Toxicology complex mixtures Ecology and Environment Atmospheric Sciences chemistry.chemical_compound Botany Nitrogen dioxide Cities NOx Vehicle Emissions media_common Transpiration Pollutant Air Pollutants Ecology Phenology fungi Plant Transpiration General Medicine Plants Herbaceous plant Plant Leaves Agronomy chemistry Environmental science Nitrogen Oxides |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.11.049 |
| Popis: | Vehicle exhaust emissions are a dominant feature of urban environments and are widely believed to have detrimental effects on plants. The effects of diesel exhaust emissions on 12 herbaceous species were studied with respect to growth, flower development, leaf senescence and leaf surface wax characteristics. A diesel generator was used to produce concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) representative of urban conditions, in solardome chambers. Annual mean NO(x) concentrations ranged from 77 nl l(-l) to 98 nl l(-1), with NO:NO(2) ratios of 1.4-2.2, providing a good experimental simulation of polluted roadside environments. Pollutant exposure resulted in species-specific changes in growth and phenology, with a consistent trend for accelerated senescence and delayed flowering. Leaf surface characteristics were also affected; contact angle measurements indicated changes in surface wax structure following pollutant exposure. The study demonstrated clearly the potential for realistic levels of vehicle exhaust pollution to have direct adverse effects on urban vegetation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|