Marcel Tosserams

Stratospheric ozone reduction and ecosystem processes: enhanced UV-B radiation affects chemical quality and decomposition of leaves of the dune grassland species Calamagrostis epigeios

This study reports changes in the plant’s chemical composition and the decomposition of this plant material under enhanced solar UV-B radiation. Calamagrostis epigeios, a dominant grass species in the dune grassland in The Netherlands, was grown outdoor on an experimental field under ambient and enhanced solar UV-B (5 and 7.5 kJ m-2 day-1 UV-BBE, respectively), corresponding to about 15% stratospheric ozone depletion. After one growing season aerial plant parts were harvested. The decomposition of this harvested leaf material was studied in a dune grassland and on the above mentioned experimental field under ambient (5 kJ m-2 day-1 UV-BBE) and enhanced (7.5 kJ m-2 day-1 UV-BBE) radiation, using litter bags. The chemical quality of the leaves grown under enhanced solar UV-B changed. There was an increase in the leaf content of lignin, while no significant changes occurred for the content of α-cellulose, hemicellulose and tannins under enhanced UV-B. In the field, the rate of decomposition of leaf material grown under enhanced UV-B (with an increased content of lignin) was reduced. The content of lignin of the decomposing leaf material increased, but less under exposure to enhanced UV-B. The latter may be explained by photodegradation of the lignin. The consequences of enhanced UV-B radiation for carbon fluxes in the dune grassland ecosystem are discussed.

Leaf thickness and UV-B absorbing pigments of plants in relation to an elevational gradient along the Blue Mountains, Jamaica

Terrestrial plant species vary widely in their adaptation to (increasing) solar UV-B radiation. Among the various responses of higher plants to enhanced UV-B are increasing leaf thickness and increasing concentrations of UV-B absorbing compounds. In some (UV-B resistant) plant species increased leaf thickness and UV-B absorbance may form part of mechanisms protecting plants from UV-B damage. However, in UV-B sensitive plant species leaf thickness and UV-B absorbance may increase as well with enhanced UV-B radiation. In the latter case however, this response cannot prevent plant damage and disturbance. In the present field study the relationship between these plant parameters and a natural elevational UV-B gradient on the tropical island of Jamaica was described. Four plant species of the Blue Mountain Tropical Montane Forest, occurring on open forest sites along the roadside and paths were studied along an elevational gradient. Plant species studied are Redbush (Polygonum chinense), Wild ginger (Hedychium gardneranum), John Crow Bush (Bocconia frutescens) and White clover (Trifolium repens). The elevational sites were at 800, 1000, 1200, 1400 and 1600 m above sea level. Leaf thickness was measured of leaves of intact plants around midday in the field. Leaf disks (5 mm) were sampled and extracted with a methanol/HCl mixture. UV-B absorption of these leaf extracts was measured spectrophotometrically. For all species leaves from higher elevations were thicker than those from lower elevations. In addition, the absorption of UV-B of leaf extracts increased with increasing elevations. It is assumed that the calculated gradient of the UV-BBE from 800 m above sea level: 9.45 kJ m-2 day-1 to 9.75 kJ m-2 day-1 at 1600 m is related to the measured increase of leaf thickness and UV-B absorbing compounds. The responsiveness of these plant parameters to the elevational gradient does not necessarily imply that the plant species are UV-B resistant. One possibility is that the species studied, which are growing on open, disturbed sites on the forest floor and along mountain-roads, are relatively sensitive to UV-B. In addition to clear sky conditions, mist and clouds occur frequently in this tropical mountane forest at Jamaica. Also, the low nutrient status of the soil (low pH, nutrient deficiency) and the high content of polyphenols in leaves of many plant species of the tropical montane rain forest may relate to the marked response of the species studied with increasing elevation. Abbreviations: asl – above sealevel, UV-B – ultraviolet-B radiation (280–320 nm), TMCF – Tropical Montane Cloud Forest.

Differential effects of elevated ultraviolet-B radiation on plant species of a dune grassland ecosystem

In a greenhouse study, plants of three monocotyledonous and five dicotyledonous species, which occur in a Dutch dune grassland, were exposed to four levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. UV-B levels simulated up to 30% reduction of the stratospheric ozone column during summertime in The Netherlands. Six of the plant species studied in the greenhouse were also exposed to enhanced UV-B irradiance in an experimental field study. In the field experiment plants either received the ambient UV-B irradiance (control) or an enhanced UV-B level simulating 15–20% ozone depletion during summertime in The Netherlands. The purpose of both experiments was to determine the response of the plant species to UV-B radiation and to compare results obtained in the greenhouse with results of the field experiment. Large intraspecific differences in UV-B sensitivity were observed in the greenhouse study. Total dry matter accumulation of monocotyledons was increased, while dry matter accumulation of dicotyledons remained unaffected or decreased. The increase in biomass production of monocotyledons at elevated UV-B was not related to the rate of photosynthesis but to alterations in leaf orientation. In the greenhouse study, UV-B radiation also affected morphological characteristics. Shoot height or maximum leaf length of five out of eight species was reduced. In the field study only one species showed a significantly decreased maximum leaf length at enhanced UV-B. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. The absorbance of methanolic leaf extracts also differed between species. UV absorbance of field-grown plants was higher than greenhouse-grown plants. In the greenhouse study, the highest UV-B level increased UV-B absorbance of some species. In the field study however, this stimulation of UV absorbance was not observed. In general, results obtained in the greenhouse study were similar to results obtained in the field study. Difficulties in extrapolating results of UV-B experiments conducted in the greenhouse to the field situation are discussed.

The combined effects of CO2 concentration and enhanced UV-B radiation on faba bean. 3. Leaf optical properties, pigments, stomatal index and epidermal cell density

Seedlings of Vicia faba L. (cv. Minica) were grown in a factorial experiment in a greenhouse. The purpose of the study was to determine whether CO2 enrichment and supplemental UV-B radiation affect leaf optical properties and whether the combined effects differ from single factor effects. Seedlings were grown at either 380 μmol mol-1 or 750 μmol mol-1 CO2 and at four levels of UV-B radiation. After 20 and 40 days of treatment, absorptance, transmittance and reflectance of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were measured on the youngest fully developed leaf. On the same leaf, the specific leaf area on a fresh weight basis (SLAfw), chlorophyll content, UV-B absorbance, transmittance of UV light and stomatal index were measured. UV-B radiation significantly increased PAR absorptance and decreased PAR transmittance. The increased PAR absorptance can be explained by an increased chlorophyll content in response to UV-B radiation. Leaf transmittance of UV radiation decreased with increasing UV-B levels mainly caused by increased absorbance of UV absorbing compounds. UV-B radiation decreased both the stomatal density and epidermal cell density of the abaxial leaf surface, leaving the stomatal index unchanged. Effects of CO2 enrichment were less pronounced than those of UV-B radiation. The most important CO2 effect was an increase in stomatal density and epidermal cell density of the adaxial leaf surface. The stomatal index was not affected. No interaction between CO2 and UV-B radiation was found. The results are discussed in relation to the internal light environment of the leaf.

Effects of UV-B radiation on terrestrial plants and ecosystems: interaction with CO2 enrichment

UV-B radiation is just one of the environmental factors, that affect plant growth. It is now widely accepted that realistic assessment of plant responses to enhanced UV-B should be performed at sufficiently high Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), preferably under field conditions. This will often imply, that responses of plants to enhanced UV-B in the field will be assessed under simultaneous water shortage, nutrient deficiency and variation of temperature. Since atmospheric CO2 enrichment, global warming and increasing UV-B radiation represent components of global climatic change, interactions of UV-B with CO2 enrichment and temperature are particularly relevant. Only few relevant UV-B× CO2 interaction studies have been published. Most of these studies refer to greenhouse experiments. We report a significant CO2 × UV-B interaction for the total plant dry weight and root dry weight of the C3-grass Elymus athericus. At elevated CO2 (720 μmol mol-1, plant growth was much less reduced by enhanced UV-B than at ambient atmospheric CO2 although there were significant (positive) CO2 effects and (negative) UV-B effects on plant growth. Most other CO2 × UV-B studies do not report significant interactions on total plant biomass. This lack of CO2 × UV-B interactions may result from the fact that primary metabolic targets for CO2 and UVB are different. UV-B and CO2 may differentially affect plant morphogenetic parameters: biomass allocation, branching, flowering, leaf thickness, emergence and senescence. Such more subtle interactions between CO2 and UV-B need careful and long term experimentation to be detected. In the case of no significant CO2× UV-B interactions, combined CO2 and UV-B effects will be additive. Plants differ in their response to CO2 and UV-B, they respond in general positively to elevated CO2 and negatively to enhanced UV-B. Moreover, plant species differ in their responsiveness to CO2 and UV-B. Therefore, even in case of additive CO2 and UV-B effects, plant competitive relationships may change markedly under current climatic change with simultaneous enhanced atmospheric CO2 and solar UV-B radiation.

Nutrient availability influences UV-B sensitivity of Plantago lanceolata

Seeds of Plantago lanceolata were collected in a dune grassland ecosystem in the Netherlands. Plants were grown in a greenhouse for 61 days under either low or high nutrient conditions and were exposed to four different levels of biologically effective UV-B radiation. The highest UV-B exposure level simulated 30% reduction of the stratospheric ozone layer during summertime in the Netherlands. Total biomass production of plants at low nutrient supply was 50% lower compared to plants grown at high nutrient supply, while net photosynthesis was decreased by only 12%. Increased levels of UV-B reduced biomass production under non-limiting nutrient conditions only. Biomass production of plants grown at limited nutrient supply was not affected by UV-B. This response was correlated to increased accumulation of carbohydrates under nutrient limitation, which agrees well with the carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis. It is concluded that the increased accumulation of carbon in nutrient-stressed plants, may lead to a reduction of UV-B induced damage because of increased foliar UV-B absorbance by enhanced accumulation of phenolic compounds and leaf thickening.

Combined effects of CO2 concentration and enhanced UV-B radiation on faba bean

Due to anthropogenic influences, both solar UV-B irradiance at the earths surface and atmospheric [CO2] are increasing. To determine whether effects of CO2 enrichment on faba bean (cv. Minica) growth are modified by UV-B radiation, the effects of enhanced [CO2] on growth and photosynthetic characteristics, were studied at four UV-B levels. Faba bean was sensitive to enhanced UV-B radiation as indicated by decreases in total biomass production. Growth stimulation by CO2 enrichment was greatly reduced at the highest UV-B level. [CO2] by UV-B interactions on biomass accumulation were related to loss of apical dominance. Both [CO2] and UV-B radiation affected biomass partitioning, UV-B effects being most pronounced. Effects of [CO2] and UV-B on faba bean growth were time-dependent, indicating differential sensitivity of developmental stages. [CO2] and UV-B effects on photosynthetic characteristics were rather small and restricted to the third week of treatment. CO2 enrichment induced photosynthetic acclimation, while UV-B radiation decreased light-saturated photosynthetic rate. It is concluded that the reduction in biomass production cannot be explained by UV-B-induced effects on photosynthesis.

Impact of enhanced solar UV-B radiation on plants from terrestrial ecosystems

Abstract The methodology of a UV-B supplementation and UV-B filtration system is described. The response to enhanced UV-B of terrestrial plant species ranges from very sensitive to tolerant or even a positive response; crop plant species tend to be more sensitive to elevated UV-B than wild plant species. Enhanced UV-B is expected to cause changes of both structure (competitive relationships, species composition) and functioning (plant-herbivore relationships, process of decomposition).

The effect of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation on germination and seedling development of plant species occurring in a dune grassland ecosystem

The germination of seeds of seven plant species occurring in a dune grassland vegetation of the Netherlands, was studied at four levels of UV-B radiation simulating unto 45% stratospheric ozone reduction during April. With the exception of seeds of Senecio jacobaea, germination of the dune grassland species was not affected by enhanced UV-B irradiance. Although a clear UV-B fluence-response relationship was not observed, the germination rate of S. jacobaea seeds and maximal germination percentage were reduced at enhanced UV-B. Germination rate in the dark was higher than germination in the light for Oenothera biennis, Plantago lanceolata, Rumex obtusifolius and S. jacobaea. Total dry biomass accumulation of seedlings was not affected by increased UV-B radiation in any of the species tested. Clear-cut differences in UV-absorbance of methanolic extracts were observed between species. Enhanced UV-B irradiance stimulated UV-absorbance of seedling extracts of Holcus lanatus and Verbascum thapsus. A clear UV-B fluence-response relationship was observed for both species. The results indicate that germination of the studied plant species probably will not be adversely affected by the expected stratospheric ozone reduction in The Netherlands.