RNGR.net is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and Southern Regional Extension Forestry and is a colloborative effort between these two agencies.

U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Extension Forestry Southern Regional Extension Forestry

Implications of Genetic Variation in Host Resistance to Air Pollutants

Reports of inter- and intraspecific variation in response of forest trees to air pollutants are summarized. Examples of variation in host response to sulfur dioxide, ozone, fluorides, and roadside salt sprays are included. Potential uses of this inherent variation include: 1. breeding trees capable of surviving under either the severely polluted conditions in large industrial and urban complexes or chronic air pollution that exists over much of the U.S.; 2. developing trees with a readily identifiable air pollution-induced symptom expression and with both a range of sensitivity to one pollutant and differential response to several pollutants for use as bioindicators in air monitoring networks; and 3. breeding trees with a high pollutant absorption and deactivation capacity that would serve as air purifiers. Additional keywords : Forest trees, sulfur dioxide, ozone, tree breeding, bioindicators, pollutant absorption.


Download this file:

PDF document Download this file — PDF document, 312Kb

Details

Author(s): David F. Karnosky

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Central States Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1974