Early detection of effects of acid deposition and automobile exhaust on young spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] trees

Abstract

Rooted spruee cuttings frotn three elones were sprayed daily with sulfurie acid at pH 2.5 for one month or treated with automobile exhaust for one hour. Foliage samples were extraeted and analyzed by high performance liquid ehromatography. Chroinatographic peaks representing unidentified leaf constituents from treated and control trees were compared. Discriminant analysis indicated a weak but significant difference and Canonical discriminant analysis indicated clear differences between treatments and control. Similar differences were found between the three elones. Visible symptoms of damage were not evident even four months after treatment. This result is important because it demonstrates the possibility of using unidentified plant constituents to detect damage to plants even before visible symptoms appear.