The Effect of Acid Precipitation on Epicuticular Wax in Norway Spruce and Lodgepole Pine

1988

13 S.

4 Abb., 2 Tab., 24 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200011317

The amount of wax on the needles of young trees irrigatedfor several years with acidified water of pH 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, and 6.0 has been d etermined by chloroform extraction. On the average, spruce needles had way weights of (Formel) in the spring and (Formel) in the autumn, and pine needles (Formel) . The way weight decreased with needle age from about 1 year onwards. Significant effects of irrigation water pH were found only in pine in the spring, when needle wax weight increased with decreasing pH. Scanning elektron microscopyrevealed that spruce needles had more rodled formed wax on the surface, especi ally in the epistomatal cavities, than had pine. With increasing age these rodlets disappeared from the surface and coalesced to plugs in the epistomatal cavities. No effects could be detected or irrigation or water pH on wax structures.