SUMMARYDactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne and Phleum bertolonii were collected from one or more of three sites with differing pollution characteristics in the north of England, and screened for tolerance to both acute and chronic sulphur dioxide injury in comparison with either bred cultivars or individuals of the same species collected from clean areas. Selection for tolerance was detected in all species and at all sites, suggesting that tbis is widespread in the field.Differential response to chronic injury was manifested as effects on senescence, dry matter production, and/or partition of assimilate between roots and shoots. No correlation was found between the degree of acute and chronic injury at either the intraspecific or interspecific levels, which may indicate independent physiological mechanisms for these. Tolerance may evolve within 17 to 25 years. The significance of the evolution of SOg tolerance for grasslands at polluted sites is discussed.
SUMMARYGenotypes of Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra, Dactylis glomerata and Holcus lanatus which appeared to be differentially sensitive to acute or chronic SOj injury were compared in various morphological and physiological studies to examine some possible mechanisms of tolerance. Stomatal number and size showed no relationship with tolerance, but stomatal resistance in clean air showed a relationship with intra-and interspecific differences in tolerance to acute injury. Also, acute doses of SOj increased stomatal resistance in tolerant, but not in sensitive species.Membrane permeability was increased by acute doses of SO2, but there were no differential effects which could be related to tolerance. Uptake of ^^COg by leaf segments in buffered solution was reduced in the presence of sulphite to a greater extent in genotypes of Lolium perenne sensitive to chronic injury. Prefumigation for 13 months with a low concentration of SOj increased the sensitivity to sulphite, especially in the sensitive genotypes.The species tolerant of acute SO2 injury, Dactylis glomerata and Holcus lanatus, had lower rates of '^COg fixation than sensitive species, and were affected less by sulphite. There were no relationships between prefumigation or sensitivity to chronic injury and the uptake or oxidation of sulphite in three Lolium perenne genotypes. Species sensitive to acute injury absorbed morê^S Oj than tolerant species. Oxidation of the absorbed radioactivity was fastest in the most tolerant and slowest in the least tolerant species.It is concluded that many of the differential responses to acute injury can be explained by avoidance mechanisms. Some potential mechanisms of tolerance to chronic injury are discussed.
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