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SENSITIVITY OF FOREST PLANT REPRODUCTION TO LONG RANGE TRANSPORTED AIR POLLUTANTS:
Author(s) -
COX R. M.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1983.tb03493.x
Subject(s) - pollen , germination , plant reproduction , biology , pollen tube , acid deposition , botany , pollutant , acid rain , range (aeronautics) , reproduction , flora (microbiology) , ecology , pollination , soil water , bacteria , materials science , composite material , genetics
SUMMARY Although some studies have been made of the direct effects of wet deposition of acid on plants, few have examined its effects on plant reproductive processes. Reported here are the relative sensitivities of pollen germination and pollen tube growth from 13 forest species to a range of acidities found in ambient rainfall. In vitro assays indicate that pollen of all species tested was significantly influenced by pH's from 56 to 26. Two‐thirds of the species tested had pollen that was significantly inhibited in germination by pH 30 (1000 μEq H + I −1 ) whereas few effects were observed at pH 4–6 (25 μEq H + I −1 ). Broad‐leaved tree pollens were more sensitive to pH than those of conifers, and those of the understorey and ground flora species tested were of intermediate sensitivity. It is of concern that all values of LD 50 for pollen germination response to initial culture pH were within the range of acid rain events in eastern Canada. Further research is required into the in vivo responses, to determine if reproduction in plants with sensitive pollen is inhibited by ambient levels of acid deposition.