Animals & nature · 1980
Can just two hours of exposure reduce photosynthesis in pine trees?
Yes. After two hours at 5.0 ± 0.5 pphm sulfur dioxide, average apparent photosynthetic rates fell by 27% in sensitive eastern white pine clones and by 10% in tolerant clones.
Details
An experimental fumigation study exposed sensitive and tolerant eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) clones to sulfur dioxide (SO₂) at 5.0 ± 0.5 pphm for 2 hours, examining photosynthesis and final needle length.
At the end of fumigation, the average apparent photosynthetic rate was depressed by 27% in sensitive clones and by 10% in tolerant clones. Regression analysis of the rate of reduction in photosynthesis over the 2 hours was significant at the 0.05 level for both classes. The difference between the levels of the two regressions was also significant, at the 0.01 level.
Differences in final needle lengths between fumigated tolerant and sensitive clones were not significant.
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