Leaf demography and growth analysis to assess the impact of air pollution on plants: A case study on alfalfa exposed to a gradient of sulphur dioxide concentrations
Although air pollution usually leads to a reduction in the overall growth and development of plants, its effects on leaf demography have not been well examined so far.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Although air pollution usually leads to a reduction in the overall growth and development of plants, its effects on leaf demography have not been well examined so far.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The present study was designed to highlight the capability of the demographic approach, together with traditional growth and other leaf trait analyses, to assess the impact of air pollution on vegetation by exposing plants of Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) to a long-term gradient of sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentrations (0, 30, 60 and 90 ppb, for 45 consecutive days).
💡
Conclusion & Impact:This study shows that (i) alfalfa plants tolerated only the lower SO2 concentration, while detrimental effects on leaf demography and growth were imposed by higher SO2 levels, with a less efficient strategy in carbon gain and allocation found in plants under 60 ppb; (ii) leaf demography and traditional growth analysis leaded to agreeing outcomes, but the demographic approach detected the stress induced by SO2 sooner; and more generally (iii) demography can be a powerful and non-destructive tool for monitoring plant responses to air pollution, especially considering that the feasibility of this approach will likely increase with the reduction of its operational time related to the rapid expansion of several automated phenotyping techniques.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Domain Parameters
Özet
Although air pollution usually leads to a reduction in the overall growth and development of plants, its effects on leaf demography have not been well examined so far. The present study was designed to highlight the capability of the demographic approach, together with traditional growth and other leaf trait analyses, to assess the impact of air pollution on vegetation by exposing plants of Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) to a long-term gradient of sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentrations (0, 30, 60 and 90 ppb, for 45 consecutive days). This study shows that (i) alfalfa plants tolerated only the lower SO2 concentration, while detrimental effects on leaf demography and growth were imposed by higher SO2 levels, with a less efficient strategy in carbon gain and allocation found in plants under 60 ppb; (ii) leaf demography and traditional growth analysis leaded to agreeing outcomes, but the demographic approach detected the stress induced by SO2 sooner; and more generally (iii) demography can be a powerful and non-destructive tool for monitoring plant responses to air pollution, especially considering that the feasibility of this approach will likely increase with the reduction of its operational time related to the rapid expansion of several automated phenotyping techniques.
🔖
Cite This Article
GOTROZZİ, L. (2020). Leaf demography and growth analysis to assess the impact of air pollution on plants: A case study on alfalfa exposed to a gradient of sulphur dioxide concentrations. Atmospheric Pollution Research, Cilt: 11 - Sayı: 1, 186–192. https://ajindex.com/articles/146391
Awanish, 2014. Plant responses to SO2 pollution and its amelioration. Int. J. Plant Sci. 9, 441–448.
Awanish, Kumar, N., 2010. Amelioration of SO2 induced phytotoxicity in Triticum aestivum L. cv. PBW-343. Asian J. Environ. Sci. 5, 29–36.
Bazzaz, F.A., Harper, J.L., 1977. Demographic analysis of the growth of Linum usitatissimum. New Phytol. 78, 193–208.
Byres, D.P., Dean, T.J., Johnson, J.D., 1992. Long-terms effects of ozone and simulated acid rain on the foliage dynamics of slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm.). New Phytol. 120, 61–67.
Cerro, J.C., Cerdà, V., Pey, J., 2015. Trends of air pollution in the western Mediterranean Basin from a 13-year database: a research considering regional, suburban and urban environments in Mallorca (Baleari Islands). Atmos. Environ. 103, 138–146.
Chen, Y., Ye, Y., 2014. Effects of salinity and nutrient addition on mangrove Excecaria agallocha. PLoS One 9, e93337. Costa, C.S.B., Seeliger, U., Cordazzo, C.V., 2001. Leaf demography and decline of Panicum racemosum populations in coastal foredunes of southern Brazil. Can. J. Bot. 69, 1593–1599.
Cotrozzi, L., Campanella, A., Pellegrini, E., Lorenzini, G., Nali, C., Paoletti, E., 2018a. Phenylpropanoids are key players in the antioxidant defense to ozone of European ash, Fraxinus excelsior. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 25, 8137–8147.
Cotrozzi, L., Townsend, P.A., Pellegrini, E., Nali, C., Couture, J.J., 2018b. Reflectance spectroscopy: a novel approach to better understand and monitor the impact of air pollution on Mediterranean plants. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 25, 8249–8267.
Deevey, E.S., 1947. Life tables for natural populations of animals. Q. Rev. Biol. 22, 283–314.
Doley, D., 2010. Rapid quantitative assessment of visible injury to vegetation and visual amenity effects of fluoride air pollution. Environ. Monit. Assess. 160, 181–190.
Gerini, O., Guidi, L., Lorenzini, G., Soldatini, G.F., 1990. Leaf gas exchange of maize plants fumigated with sulfur dioxide. J. Environ. Qual. 19, 154–156.
Gottardini, E., Cristofori, A., Cristofolini, F., Nali, C., Pellegrini, E., Bussotti, F., Ferretti, M., 2014. Chlorophyll-related indicators are linked to visible ozone symptoms: evidence from a field study on native Viburnum lantana L. plants in northern Italy. Ecol. Indicat. 39, 65–74.
Harper, J.L., White, J., 1974. The demography of plants. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Systemat. 5, 419–463.
Held, A.A., Mooney, H.A., Gorham, J.N., 1991. Acclimation to ozone stress in radish: leaf demog