SO2-sensitivity of plant communities in a beech forest

Steubing, L.; Fangmeier, Andreas

doi:10.1016/0269-7491(87)90205-3

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…In plants, resistance to SO 2 varies depending on the plant species (Steubing & Fangmeier 1987), the plant's stage of development and external factors such as soil, season and temperature. Herbaceous plants are discussed to be more tolerant to SO 2 fumigation than woody plants, because they have a higher sulfur:carbon ratio than woody species and can therefore take up more SO 2 before adverse effects occur (Heber & Hüve 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sulphite oxidase as key enzyme for protecting plants against sulphur dioxide

Lang

Popko

Wirtz

et al. 2007

Plant Cell & Environment

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Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is known as a strongly damaging air pollutant. After conversion to sulphite in aqueous solution, it becomes a strong nucleophilic agent that attacks numerous compounds in the cell. Therefore, plants have developed a mechanism to control sulphite levels. Recently, we have cloned and characterized the enzyme sulphite oxidase (SO) from Arabidopsis thaliana. Yet, its physiological role remained unclear. Here, we describe results demonstrating that SO is essential for detoxifying excessive amounts of sulphite in the cell which is important for the survival of the plant. T-DNA-tagged A. thaliana plants lacking the enzyme showed a decrease in vitality during SO2 fumigation and a change in their S-metabolites. The same was found with RNA-interference (RNAi) plants that were generated for tobacco. On the contrary, over-expression of SO helped the plant to survive SO2 concentrations that are detrimental for non-transformed wild-type (WT) plants, as was shown with poplar plants which are known to be particularly sensitive to SO2. Fumigation induced the expression of the enzyme as demonstrated by promoter-reporter gene fusion, by immunoblot analysis of SO-protein and by induction of enzyme activity. This implies that SO, as an otherwise constitutively expressed protein, is under additional control by SO2 in the environment.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sulphite oxidase as key enzyme for protecting plants against sulphur dioxide

Lang

Popko

Wirtz

et al. 2007

Plant Cell & Environment

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“…Air pollutants can affect various levels of ecosystem organization, starting from an individual leaf to an entire ecosystem (McClenahen, 1978;McLaughlin, 1985). Steubing and Fangmeier (1987) and Fangmeier (1989) have reported the sensitivity of the herb layer in a beech forest to fumigation with SO2, NO2 and 03, individually as well as in combinations in open-top field experiments. Freedman and Hutchinson (1980) have described the longterm effects of smelter pollution at Sudbury, Ontario on forest community composition including the ground flora.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of power plant emissions on plant community structure

1994

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A field study was conducted around two coal-fired thermal power plants (TPP) to analyse the impact of their emission on the structure of herbaceous communities in a dry tropical area. Phytosociological studies reflected that Cassia tora, Cynodon dactylon and Dichanthium annulatum dominate at heavily polluted sites. Alsycarpus monilifer, Convolvulus pluricaulis, and Desmodium triflorum are uniformly distributed, whereas Paspalidium flavidum, Phyllanthus simplex, and Rungia repens are dominant at less polluted sites. On the basis of Importance Value Index, the species were classified as sensitive, intermediate and resistant to TPP emissions. Shannon-Wiener Index of species diversity, species richness and evenness were inversely related, whereas concentration of dominance was directly related to the pollution load in the area. Significant negative correlation between ambient SO2 concentration and species diversity suggested selective elimination of sensitive species from the heavily polluted sites.

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“…Acidification of the stroma and accumulation of H202, as induced by SO2, could also inactivate several enzymes necessary for CO2 fixation (Alscher, 1984). Stomatal conductance in several woody angiosperms increases after exposure to low levels of SO2, but can decrease in response to high doses (Steubig and Fangmeier, 1987;Cao, 1989). Inhibition of photosynthesis may lead CO2 to accumulate in the substomatal cavity, sometimes prompting stomatal closure (Atkinson and Winner, 1987;Veljovic-Jovanovic et al, 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stomatal and photosynthetic responses ofCichorium intybus leaves to sulfur dioxide treatment at different stages of plant development

et al. 2001

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Fifty-day-old Cichorium in~/bus Linn. plants were exposed to I ppm sulfur dioxide gas, 2 h per day for 7 consecutive days. Their leaves as well as those from the conlrol plants were sampled at pre-flowerin& flowering, and post-flowering stages to study their morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses to S02 stress. The number, dimensions, area, and biomass of leaves were less in the treated plants. Length and width of stomatal apertures on both epidermises were greater for leaves exposed to S02. The Stomata were longer on the adaxial epidermis, but shorter on the abaxial epidermis, except at the pre-flowering stage. Stomatal widths varied widely. Compared with the controis, the abaxial epidermis on treated leaves showed consistently lower stomatal densities as well as stomatal indices. This was also true for the adaxial epidermis during the post-flowering stage. The photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance were reduced in the S02-exposed plants, but intercellular CO~ concentrations increased at the pre-flowering stage and, subsequently, declined. Chlorophyll a, carotenoid, and total chlorophyll contents increased at the pre-flowering stage, and then decreased. The level of chlorophyll b was reduced throughout plant development compared with the untreated controls.

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SO2-sensitivity of plant communities in a beech forest

Cited by 19 publications

References 3 publications

Sulphite oxidase as key enzyme for protecting plants against sulphur dioxide

Sulphite oxidase as key enzyme for protecting plants against sulphur dioxide

Effect of power plant emissions on plant community structure

Stomatal and photosynthetic responses ofCichorium intybus leaves to sulfur dioxide treatment at different stages of plant development

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