Alteration of Chlorophyll in Plants Upon Air Pollutant Exposure : Biologic Markers of Air-Pollution Stress and Damage in Forests. Workshop Papers

1989

S. 347-356

4 Abb., 1 Tab., 31 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200069354

The loss of chlorophyll from plants (chlorosis) has been long used to assess injury induced by varied air pollutants, and is believed to signal a decline in photosynthetic capacity and plant productivity. Unfortunately, chlorosis is not specific for air pollutant stress; other stresses and, even, normal development can alter pigment content. In fact, it is not even clear that a loss of chlorophyll consistently mirrors a loss of photosynthetic capacity. This paper will briefly review some concepts of pigment loss, including photosynthetically-linked mechanisms, and the development of pollutant injury. Recently, chlorophyll fluorescence has been touted as a useful monitor of injury and so, some discussion on the methods and instrumentation of chlorophyll measurements, including the use of chlorophyll fluorescence as a monitor, will be presented.