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Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree...
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Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2020) | Viewed by 21388

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Takeshi Izuta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
Interests: plants; environmental stress; ozone; aerosol; acid deposition; global warming

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest tree species can be regarded as life-support equipment because they can provide the oxygen necessary for respiration to living organisms, alleviate global warming by the absorption and fixation of atmospheric CO2, and purify a polluted atmosphere by the absorption and/or adsorption of air pollutants. However, anthropogenic emission of CO2 and air pollutants into the atmosphere causes climate change, such as global warming and air pollution, as well as adverse effects on many forest tree species all over the world. This means that we are turning off this life-support equipment by ourselves. For sustainable development, therefore, we must protect forest tree species against climate change and air pollution. This Special Issue is focused on the effects of climate change, such as elevated air temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration, and air pollutants, such as ozone, acid deposition, and aerosols on forest tree species, and case studies on relationships between climate change and/or air pollution and forests. I hope that this Special Issue will contribute, both to an increased awareness of climate change and air pollution problems, and to the protection of forest tree species against environmental stress. Experimental and field studies on the effects of climate change and air pollutants on forest tree species are welcome to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Takeshi Izuta
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Forest tree species
  • Environmental stresses
  • Climate change
  • Global warming
  • Gaseous air pollutants
  • Aerosol
  • Acid deposition
  • Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide
  • Dry and wet depositions of air pollutants onto forest

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1105 KiB  
Article
Metabolite Composition of Paper Birch Buds after Eleven Growing Seasons of Exposure to Elevated CO2 and O3
by Johanna Riikonen, Minna Kivimäenpää, Vladimir Ossipov, Amelie Saunier and Paula Marquardt
Forests 2020, 11(3), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11030330 - 17 Mar 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2126
Abstract
Research Highlights: Long-term exposure of paper birch to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3) modified metabolite content of over-wintering buds, but no evidence of reduced freezing tolerance was found. Background and Objectives: Atmospheric change may affect the metabolite [...] Read more.
Research Highlights: Long-term exposure of paper birch to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3) modified metabolite content of over-wintering buds, but no evidence of reduced freezing tolerance was found. Background and Objectives: Atmospheric change may affect the metabolite composition of over-wintering buds and, in turn, impact growth onset and stress tolerance of perennial plant species in spring. Materials and Methods: Low molecular weight compounds of paper birch (Betula papyrifera) buds, including lipophilic, polar and phenolic compounds were analyzed, and freezing tolerance (FT) of the buds was determined prior to bud break after 11 growing seasons exposure of saplings to elevated concentrations of CO2 (target concentration 560 µL L−1) and O3 (target concentration 1.5 × ambient) at the Aspen FACE (Free-Air CO2 and O3 Enrichment) facility. Results: The contents of lipophilic and phenolic compounds (but not polar compounds) were affected by elevated CO2 and elevated O3 in an interactive manner. Elevated O3 reduced the content of lipids and increased that of phenolic compounds under ambient CO2 by reallocating carbon from biosynthesis of terpenoids to that of phenolic acids. In comparison, elevated CO2 had only a minor effect on lipophilic and polar compounds, but it increased the content of phenolic compounds under ambient O3 by increasing the content of phenolic acids, while the content of flavonols was reduced. Conclusions: Based on the freezing test and metabolite data, there was no evidence of altered FT in the over-wintering buds. The impacts of the alterations of bud metabolite contents on the growth and defense responses of birches during early growth in spring need to be uncovered in future experiments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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13 pages, 3541 KiB  
Article
Impact Assessment of Ozone Absorbed through Stomata on Photosynthetic Carbon Dioxide Uptake by Japanese Deciduous Forest Trees: Implications for Ozone Mitigation Policies
by Yoshiyuki Kinose, Masahiro Yamaguchi, Hideyuki Matsumura and Takeshi Izuta
Forests 2020, 11(2), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/f11020137 - 24 Jan 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2452
Abstract
Photosynthesis by trees is expected to contribute to preventing climate change including global warming. However, the current levels of tropospheric ozone (O3) reduce the uptake of photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) by forest trees in Japan, which is a concern. [...] Read more.
Photosynthesis by trees is expected to contribute to preventing climate change including global warming. However, the current levels of tropospheric ozone (O3) reduce the uptake of photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) by forest trees in Japan, which is a concern. Furthermore, it is unknown how much O3 should be reduced to prevent plants’ O3-induced damage. The objective of the present study was to assess the negative effects of the current levels of O3 absorbed via stomata and the impact of its mitigation on the CO2 uptake by trees in Japanese forests. Impact assessment, targeted in 2011–2015, was performed for four deciduous broad-leaved trees: Fagus crenata, Quercus serrata, Q. mongolica var. crispula, and Betula platyphylla var. japonica. The assessment was based on species-specific cumulative stomatal O3 uptake (COU) and species-specific responses of annual photosynthetic CO2 uptake to COU. Annual COU differed between the four trees; the average COU of F. crenata, Q. serrata, Q. mongolica var. crispula, and B. platyphylla var. japonica across Japan was 41.7, 26.5, 33.0, and 29.1 mmol m−2, respectively, and the reductions in CO2 uptake by the four trees were 14.0%, 10.6%, 8.6%, and 15.4%, respectively. Further analysis revealed that reducing the atmospheric O3 concentration by approximately 28%, 20%, 17%, and 49% decreased the O3-induced reductions in photosynthetic CO2 uptake to 5% in F. crenata, Q. serrata, Q. mongolica var. crispula, and B. platyphylla var. japonica, respectively. In the near future, implementing mitigation measures for the O3 damage in plants is expected to enhance the photosynthetic capacity of Japanese forest tree species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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15 pages, 3002 KiB  
Article
Does Drought Stress on Seedlings Have Longer Term Effects on Sapling Phenology, Reshooting, Growth and Plant Architecture in Quercus robur, Q. petraea and Their Morphological Intermediates?
by Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge, Arion Turcsan, Stefaan Moreels, Michiel Van Goethem, Steven Meeus and Beatrijs Van der Aa
Forests 2019, 10(11), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10111012 - 13 Nov 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2239
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Summer droughts are expected to increase in central and western Europe both in terms of frequency and intensity, justifying studies on longer term legacies of drought stress on tree species and their hybrids. Materials and Methods: We studied the longer-term [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Summer droughts are expected to increase in central and western Europe both in terms of frequency and intensity, justifying studies on longer term legacies of drought stress on tree species and their hybrids. Materials and Methods: We studied the longer-term after effects of water withholding and re-watering in the first growing season of potted seedlings from the sympatric species Quercus robur L., Q. petraea (Matt.) Liebl. and their morphological intermediates. Phenology, growth, and plant architecture were examined after a cut-back of the stems at the end of the third growing season. Results: The legacy of the first-year water limitation is faded in the phenological response. Nonetheless, leaf senescence occurred later in offspring from Q. robur than in offspring from Q. petraea at the end of the fourth growing season and leafing out tended to be later in the subsequent growing season. Offspring from the intermediate forms displayed variable phenological responses. Height and radial growth were still affected by the drought stress in a taxon-dependent way, with the offspring from Q. petraea displaying growth reduction both in height and diameter, whereas offspring from Q. robur did not show any differences anymore between control and treated plants, demonstrating better post-stress recovery in Q. robur. Offspring from morphological intermediates responded again in a variable way. Although the number of reshoots after cutting back the stems was not affected anymore by the drought treatment in the first growing season, the number of side shoots on the reshoots was still reduced in the drought treated group of plants, independent of the taxon of the mother tree. Conclusions: Together, our results demonstrate the longer-lasting effects of drought stress on oak saplings with regard to growth and plant architecture, with the first being taxon dependent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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16 pages, 1812 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of O3 Effects on Cumulative Photosynthetic CO2 Uptake in Seedlings of Four Japanese Deciduous Broad-Leaved Forest Tree Species Based on Stomatal O3 Uptake
by Masahiro Yamaguchi, Yoshiyuki Kinose, Hideyuki Matsumura and Takeshi Izuta
Forests 2019, 10(7), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10070556 - 02 Jul 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3476
Abstract
The current level of tropospheric ozone (O3) is expected to reduce the net primary production of forest trees. Here, we evaluated the negative effects of O3 on the photosynthetic CO2 uptake of Japanese forest trees species based on their [...] Read more.
The current level of tropospheric ozone (O3) is expected to reduce the net primary production of forest trees. Here, we evaluated the negative effects of O3 on the photosynthetic CO2 uptake of Japanese forest trees species based on their cumulative stomatal O3 uptake, defined as the phytotoxic O3 dose (POD). Seedlings of four representative Japanese deciduous broad-leaved forest tree species (Fagus crenata, Quercus serrata, Quercus mongolica var. crispula and Betula platyphylla var. japonica) were exposed to different O3 concentrations in open-top chambers for two growing seasons. The photosynthesis–light response curves (A-light curves) and stomatal conductance were measured to estimate the leaf-level cumulative photosynthetic CO2 uptake (ΣPn_est) and POD, respectively. The whole-plant-level ΣPn_est were highly correlated with the whole-plant dry mass increments over the two growing seasons. Because whole-plant growth is largely determined by the amount of leaf area per plant and net photosynthetic rate per leaf area, this result suggests that leaf-level ΣPn_est, which was estimated from the monthly A-light curves and hourly PPFD, could reflect the cumulative photosynthetic CO2 uptake of the seedlings per unit leaf area. Although the O3-induced reductions in the leaf-level ΣPn_est were well explained by POD in all four tree species, species-specific responses of leaf-level ΣPn_est to POD were observed. In addition, the flux threshold appropriate for the linear regression of the responses of relative leaf-level ΣPn_est to POD was also species-specific. Therefore, species-specific responses of cumulative photosynthetic CO2 uptake to POD could be used to accurately evaluate O3 impact on the net primary production of deciduous broad-leaved trees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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11 pages, 1984 KiB  
Article
Elevated CO2 Increases Root Mass and Leaf Nitrogen Resorption in Red Maple (Acer rubrum L.)
by Li Li, William Manning and Xiaoke Wang
Forests 2019, 10(5), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10050420 - 15 May 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2761
Abstract
To understand whether the process of seasonal nitrogen resorption and biomass allocation are different in CO2-enriched plants, seedlings of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) were exposed to three CO2 concentrations (800 µL L−1 CO2 treatments—A800, 600 µL [...] Read more.
To understand whether the process of seasonal nitrogen resorption and biomass allocation are different in CO2-enriched plants, seedlings of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) were exposed to three CO2 concentrations (800 µL L−1 CO2 treatments—A800, 600 µL L−1 CO2 treatments—A600, and 400 µL L−1 CO2 treatments—A400) in nine continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) chambers. Leaf mass per area, leaf area, chlorophyll index, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) contents, nitrogen resorption efficiency (NRE), and biomass allocation response were investigated. The results indicated that: (1) Significant leaf N decline was found in senescent leaves of two CO2 treatments, which led to an increase of 43.4% and 39.7% of the C/N ratio in A800 and A600, respectively. (2) Elevated CO2 induced higher NRE, with A800 and A600 showing significant increments of 50.3% and 46.2%, respectively. (3) Root biomass increased 33.1% in A800 and thus the ratio of root to shoot ratio was increased by 25.8%. In conclusion, these results showed that to support greater nutrient and water uptake and the continued response of biomass under elevated CO2, Acer rubrum partitioned more biomass to root and increased leaf N resorption efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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11 pages, 1670 KiB  
Article
Comparative Genome and Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Gene Selection Patterns Along with the Paleo-Climate Change in the Populus Phylogeny
by You-jie Zhao, Chang-zhi Han, Yong Cao and Hua Zhou
Forests 2019, 10(2), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10020163 - 15 Feb 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3813
Abstract
Poplars are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere and have good adaptability to different living environments. The accumulation of genome and transcriptome data provides a chance to conduct comparative genomics and transcriptomics analyses to elucidate the evolutionary patterns of Populus phylogeny. Transcript sequences [...] Read more.
Poplars are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere and have good adaptability to different living environments. The accumulation of genome and transcriptome data provides a chance to conduct comparative genomics and transcriptomics analyses to elucidate the evolutionary patterns of Populus phylogeny. Transcript sequences of eight Salicaceae species were downloaded from public databases. All of the pairwise orthologues were identified by comparative transcriptome analysis in these species, from which we constructed a phylogenetic tree and estimated the rate of divergence. The divergence times of the phylogenetic clades were mainly estimated during the Middle Miocene Climate Transition (MMCT) to Quaternary Ice Age. We also identified all of the fast-evolving sequences of positive selection and found some resistance genes that were related to environmental factors. Our results suggest that drought-, H2O2- and cold-stress genes are involved in positive selection along with the paleoclimate change. These data are useful in elucidating the evolutionary patterns and causes of speciation in the Populus lineage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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22 pages, 2370 KiB  
Article
Input-Output Budgets of Nutrients in Adjacent Norway Spruce and European Beech Monocultures Recovering from Acidification
by Michal Růžek, Oldřich Myška, Jiří Kučera and Filip Oulehle
Forests 2019, 10(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10010068 - 16 Jan 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3654
Abstract
Soil acidification has constituted an important ecological threat to forests in Central Europe since the 1950s. In areas that are sensitive to acid pollution, where the soil buffering capacity is naturally low, tree species can significantly modulate the extent of soil acidification by [...] Read more.
Soil acidification has constituted an important ecological threat to forests in Central Europe since the 1950s. In areas that are sensitive to acid pollution, where the soil buffering capacity is naturally low, tree species can significantly modulate the extent of soil acidification by affecting throughfall deposition and the composition of litter. A principal difference can be expected between coniferous and broadleaf tree species. The aim of our study was to compare long-term trends in element cycling in two stands representing the main types of forest ecosystem in the region (Picea abies vs. Fagus sylvatica). In the period of 2005–2017, we continually measured element concentrations and fluxes in bulk precipitation, throughfall precipitation, and soil leachates. A continuous decline of acid deposition was detected in both bulk precipitation and throughfall. Declining deposition of S and N in both forests has led to the recovery of soil solution chemistry in the mineral soil, manifested by rising pH from 4.25 to 4.47 under spruce and from 4.42 to 4.69 in the beech stand. However, soil water in the spruce stand was more acidic, with higher concentrations of SO42− and Al when compared to the beech stand. While the acidity of soil leachates from organic horizons was driven mainly by organic anions, in lower mineral horizons it was controlled by inorganic acid anions. NO3− concentrations in deeper horizons of the spruce stand have diminished since 2006; however, in the beech plot, episodically elevated NO3− concentrations in mineral horizons are a sign of seasonal processes and of nearby perturbations. Higher output of S when compared to the input of the same element indicates slow S resorption, delaying the recovery of soil chemistry. Our results indicate that, although forest ecosystems are recovering from acidification, soil S retention and the ability to immobilize N is affected by the dominant tree species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollutants on Forest Tree Species)
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