Do Leaf Characteristics of White Willow Emphasis

Authors: Tatiana Wuytack Roeland Samson Karen Wuyts Sandy Adriaenssens Fatemeh Kardel Kris Verheyen

Publish Date: 2013/07/05

Volume: 224, Issue: 8, Pages: 1635-

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Abstract

This study assessed the effect of ambient air pollution on leaf characteristics of white willow northern red oak and Scots pine Willow oak and pine saplings were planted at sixteen locations in Belgium where nitrogen dioxide NO2 ozone O3 sulfur dioxide SO2 and particulate matter PM10 concentrations were continuously measured The trees were exposed to ambient air during 6 months April–September 2010 and thereafter specific leaf area SLA stomatal resistance R s leaf fluctuating asymmetry FA drop contact angle CA relative chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence F v/F m were measured Leaf characteristics of willow oak and pine were differently related to the ambient air pollution indicating a speciesdependent response Willow and pine had a higher SLA at measuring stations with higher NO2 and lower O3 concentrations Willow had a higher R s and pine had a higher F v/F m at measuring stations with a higher NO2 and lower O3 concentrations while oak had a higher F v/F m and a lower FA at measuring stations with a higher NO2 and lower O3 concentrations FA and R s of willow oak and pine SLA of oak and CA of willow were rather an indicator for local adaptation to the microenvironment than an indicator for the ambient air pollutionWe would like to thank VMM ISSeP and BIM which allowed entrance to the measuring stations and provided us with the necessary air pollution data Also many thanks to Jeroen Wyffels for the assistance in the fieldwork and Roland Caubergs for making the samples for anatomical studies This research was funded by a PhD grant of the Agency for Innovation through Science and Technology IWTVlaanderen

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