Design and performance of branch chambers suitable for long-term ozone fumigation of foliage in large trees

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 591 - 595
• Main Authors: Teskey, R.O. (Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA), Dougherty, P.M, Wiselogel, A.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America 01.07.1991; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: 540120 - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); AGE; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; ARBOLES; ARBRE; Biological and medical sciences; BRANCHE; CARBON COMPOUNDS; CARBON DIOXIDE; CARBON OXIDES; CHALCOGENIDES; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CONCEPTION; DESIGN; DIMENSION; DISENO; EDAD; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; EQUIPO; EXPOSURE CHAMBERS; FUMIGACION; FUMIGATION; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GROWTH; MATERIEL; Non agrochemicals pollutants; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; OZONE; OZONO; PERFORMANCE DU MATERIEL; PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS; PHOTOSYNTHESIS; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; PINUS TAEDA; PLANT GROWTH; PLANTS; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; RADIATIONS; RAMAS; RENDIMIENTO DE LA MAQUINARIA; SYNTHESIS; TREES; VISIBLE RADIATION; Fumigation; Pinus taeda; Instrumentation; Ozone; Microenvironment; Design; Plant part; Branch; Softwood forest tree; Gymnospermae; Foliage; Air pollution; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Pollutant effect; Maturity; Exposure chamber
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq1991.00472425002000030015x

Fumigation chambers for exposing branches of mature trees to ozone (O3) were developed and used in a 2-yr field study. The performance compared very favorably with that of open-top chambers. The branch chambers were cylindrical with dimensions of 1.5 by 0.5 m. To examine the effects that the chamber alone might have on branch or foliage physiology and phenology, six chambers were placed on the branches of trees that bad no additional treatments (i.e., no charcoal filtration or O3 amendments). These chambers produced no significant effects on the growth of the branches or foliage within them, as compared with adjacent, nonchambered branches. Hourly net photosynthetic rates were also very similar. The air in the chambers was exchanged 10 times per minute, which resulted in nearly identical air temperatures, relative humidities, and CO2 concentrations inside and outside the chambers. Only light levels were significantly lower within the chambers, which was due primarily to the light transmission properties of the PVC plastic covering the chambers. This approach allows long-term fumigations to be made on mature tissue of large trees, providing an alternative to the use of seedlings in studies of the effects O3 or other gases on forest species