Identifying ozone-sensitive communities of (semi-)natural vegetation suitable for mapping exceedance of critical levels

Environ Pollut. 2007 Apr;146(3):736-43. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.04.005. Epub 2006 Jun 15.

Abstract

Using published data on the responses of individual species to ozone, 54 EUNIS (European Nature Information System) level 4 communities with six or more ozone-sensitive species (%OS) and c. 20% or more species tested for ozone sensitivity, were identified as potentially ozone-sensitive. The largest number of these communities (23) was associated with Grasslands, with Heathland, scrub and tundra, and Mires, bogs and fens having the next highest representation at 11 and 8 level 4 communities each respectively. Within the grasslands classification, E4 (Alpine and sub-alpine grasslands), E5 (Woodland fringes and clearings) and E1 (Dry grasslands) were the most sensitive with 68.1, 51.6 and 48.6%OS respectively. It is feasible to map the land-cover for these and other communities at level 2, but it may not be currently possible to map the land-cover for all communities identified to be ozone-sensitive at levels 3 and 4.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Altitude
  • Biodiversity
  • Climate
  • Ecosystem
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Europe
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Oxidants, Photochemical / toxicity*
  • Ozone / toxicity*
  • Plants / drug effects*
  • Poaceae / drug effects
  • Risk Assessment / methods
  • Soil
  • Trees / drug effects
  • Water
  • Wetlands

Substances

  • Oxidants, Photochemical
  • Soil
  • Water
  • Ozone