Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2020, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 526-542.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2019.0144

Special Issue: 全球变化与生态系统

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Progress in the effects of elevated ground-level ozone on terrestrial ecosystems

FENG Zhao-Zhong1,*(), YUAN Xiang-Yang2, LI Pin2, SHANG Bo2, PING Qin2, HU Ting-Jian2, LIU Shuo2   

  1. 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
    2State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
  • Received:2019-06-13 Accepted:2019-08-03 Online:2020-05-20 Published:2019-09-30
  • Contact: FENG Zhao-Zhong
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(41771034)

Abstract:

Rising ground-level ozone (O3) is currently an essential environmental issue in the world, especially in China. While research on the effects of O3 on leaf photosynthetic gas exchange, plant growth and biomass has received a lot of attention, ecosystem-scale studies are however scarce and subject to great uncertainties. This article combs trends and hotpots of ground-level O3 concentration and its effects on plants and ecosystems over the past 40 years. Research techniques and assessment methods for studying the ecological effects of ozone pollution are covered. The most important advances on the impacts of elevated ozone on terrestrial ecosystem are reviewed: plant response mechanisms, effects on grain yield, crop quality, carbon sequestration capacity, community structure and below-ground processes of different terrestrial ecosystems. Finally, regional risk assessment of the O3 pollution is discussed. Considering the main knowledge gaps, future research should focus on belowground ecosystem response to elevated O3 and should also incorporate O3 and multi-factor experiments using Free-Air Ozone Concentration Elevation (FACE) system. More attention should also be paid on food security, establishment of Asian ozone network, standardization of risk assessment approach, and exploration of ecological measures to reduce the negative effects of O3 pollution. This review can help to promote more studies on the ecological effects of ground-level O3 pollution.

Key words: elevated ground-level ozone concentration, terrestrial ecosystem, effect, response, carbon sequestration, risk assessment