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Extraordinary drought of 2003 overrules ozone impact on adult beech trees (Fagus sylvatica)

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Abstract

The extraordinary drought during the summer of 2003 in Central Europe allowed to examine responses of adult beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) to co-occurring stress by soil moisture deficit and elevated O3 levels under forest conditions in southern Germany. The study comprised tree exposure to the ambient O3 regime at the site and to a twice-ambient O3 regime as released into the canopy through a free-air O3 fumigation system. Annual courses of photosynthesis (A max), stomatal conductance (g s), electron transport rate (ETR) and chlorophyll levels were compared between 2003 and 2004, the latter year representing the humid long-term climate at the site. ETR, A max and g s were lowered during 2003 by drought rather than ozone, whereas chlorophyll levels did not differ between the years. Radial stem increment was reduced in 2003 by drought but fully recovered during the subsequent, humid year. Comparison of AOT40, an O3 exposure-based risk index of O3 stress, and cumulative ozone uptake (COU) yielded a linear relationship throughout humid growth conditions, but a changing slope during 2003. Our findings support the hypothesis that drought protects plants from O3 injury by stomatal closure, which restricts O3 influx into leaves and decouples COU from high external ozone levels. High AOT40 erroneously suggested high O3 risk under drought. Enhanced ozone levels did not aggravate drought effects in leaves and stem.

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Acknowledgements

The present study is part of the Project “CASIROZ—The carbon sink strength of beech in a changing environment: Experimental risk assessment by mitigation of chronic ozone impact”, which is supported by European Commission – Research Directorate-General, Environment Programme, “Natural Resources Management and Services” (EVK2-2002-00165, Ecosystem Vulnerability). Data of soil water content and precipitation from “Kranzberger Forst” were kindly provided by Bayerisches Landesamt für Wald und Forstwirtschaft (LWF) by G. Gietl and W. Grimmeisen. The substantial technical assistance of T. Feuerbach and P. Kuba is highly appreciated. The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ökophysiologie der Pflanzen, Technische Universität München, Am Hochanger 13, 85354, Freising, Germany

    M. Löw, A. J. Nunn, K.-H. Häberle & R. Matyssek

  2. Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Universität Graz, Schubertstraße 51, 8010, Graz, Austria

    K. Herbinger & M. Tausz

  3. Lehrstuhl für Ökoklimatologie, Technische Universität München, Am Hochanger 13, 85354, Freising, Germany

    M. Leuchner, C. Heerdt & H. Werner

  4. Lehrstuhl für Waldwachstumskunde, Technische Universität München, Am Hochanger 13, 85354, Freising, Germany

    P. Wipfler & H. Pretzsch

  5. School of Forest and Ecosystem Science, University of Melbourne, Water Street, Creswick, Vic 3363, Australia

    M. Tausz

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  1. M. Löw
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  2. K. Herbinger
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Correspondence to M. Löw.

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Löw, M., Herbinger, K., Nunn, A.J. et al. Extraordinary drought of 2003 overrules ozone impact on adult beech trees (Fagus sylvatica). Trees 20, 539–548 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-006-0069-z

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