| Title: | Effects of drought-induced holm oak dieback on BVOCs emissions in a Mediterranean forest |
| Author(s): | Pasquini D; Gori A; Pollastrini M; Alderotti F; Centritto M; Ferrini F; Brunetti C; |
| Address: | "Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: dalila.pasqini@unifi.it. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: antonella.gori@unifi.it. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: martina.pollastrini@unifi.it. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.alderotti@unifi.it. National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: mauro.centritto@ipsp.cnr.it. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy; VALUE Laboratory on Green, Health & Wellbeing, University of Florence, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.ferrini@unifi.it. National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: cecilia.brunetti@ipsp.cnr.it" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159635 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1026 (Electronic) 0048-9697 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Climate change is impairing tree physiology and growth, causing an increase in tree dieback in many Mediterranean forests. These desiccation phenomena are leading to changes in land cover and plant community composition. Mediterranean plants are capable to emit large amount of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs), whose emission and biosynthesis is strongly affected by environmental conditions. This study evaluates the seasonal changes in understory species composition in two forest stands in Southern Tuscany characterized by different levels of Quercus ilex L. crown defoliation (low and high defoliation, LD and HD) and the relationship with BVOCs emissions over three years. We found significant changes in the understory plant community following Q. ilex crown defoliation and mortality, observing an increment in the number of shrubs both in HD and LD stands. The environmental sampling of BVOCs fully reflected the changes in vegetation cover and composition, with a reduction in the amount of monoterpene emissions due to the increasing rates of defoliation and mortality of Q. ilex trees. Our results suggest that terpene emissions from Mediterranean forests would be modified by an increase of Q. ilex dieback, with important consequences for functioning of this forest ecosystem and its atmospheric chemistry" |
| Keywords: | *Quercus/physiology Droughts *Volatile Organic Compounds Ecosystem Forests Trees Plants BVOCs Climate change Drought stress Mediterranean basin; |
| Notes: | "MedlinePasquini, D Gori, A Pollastrini, M Alderotti, F Centritto, M Ferrini, F Brunetti, C eng Netherlands 2022/10/25 Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jan 20; 857(Pt 3):159635. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159635. Epub 2022 Oct 21" |
