Effects of Black Carbon and Ammonium Sulfate Particles on Plants

Roadside Moss Turfs in South East Australia Capture More Particulate Matter Along an Urban Gradient than a Common Native Tree Species

“…Black carbon (BC) is known to block stomates, shade the leaf, and also increase leaf temperature, with adverse effects on growth and photosynthesis. But while these effects are commonly observed in laboratory experiments, they have not always been found in long term field studies, perhaps due to far greater concentrations of BC used in the laboratory [47]. Ammonium sulfate (AMS) can be formed from the precursor, SO 2 , and is thought to deliquesce (dissolve in water) on the leaf surface, then be absorbed into the leaf tissue, resulting in increased concentrations of NH 4…”

“…+ , amino acids, and total soluble protein [47]. Nitrogen deposition is considered a threat to plant diversity in Europe, but exactly how these PM constituents impact local plants in Wollongong, NSW, Australia, may depend on species tolerance and local conditions [13].…”

Visualization and Localization of Submicron-Sized Ammonium Sulfate Particles on Needles of Japanese Larch (Larix kaempferi) and Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and Leaves of Japanese Beech (Fagus crenata) and Japanese Chinquapin (Castanopsis sieboldii) after Artificial Exposure

“…Thus, understanding the effect of submicron-sized AS particles on forest trees is important. However, Yamaguchi et al [15,18] reported no significant changes in the growth or net photosynthetic rates of Larix kaempferi, Fagus crenata, or Castanopsis sieboldii, but the net photosynthetic rate of the current-year needles increased, and that of previous-year needles decreased in Cryptomeria japonica after long-term exposure to AS particles. The relationship between the physiological changes and the presence of AS particles on the surfaces of the leaves and needles remains unknown.…”

“…We previously conducted an exposure experiment on leaf and needle surfaces to submicron-sized black carbon (BC) particles to clarify the effects of BC particles on forest trees species [13][14][15]. We also developed a visualization method to determine the deposition and localization of submicron-sized BC particles on tree leaves and needles using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) [13].…”

“…To investigate the effects of particles, including the chemical composition on forest trees, Yamaguchi et al [15,18] clarified the effects of submicron-sized ammonium sulfate (AS) particles on the physiology of four Japanese forest tree species, such as Larix kaempferi, Cryptomeria japonica, Fagus crenata, and Castanopsis sieboldii. AS is the dominant fine particle chemical species in Japan [19] and China [9].…”