Quality assessment of urban trees: A comparative study of physiological characterisation, airborne imaging and on site fluorescence monitoring by the OJIP-test

doi:10.1078/0176-1617-00917

Journal of Plant Physiology

Volume 160, Issue 1, 2003, Pages 81-90

https://doi.org/10.1078/0176-1617-00917 Get rights and content

Summary

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the complementary utility of chlorophyll fast fluorescence OJIP transient (from 50 μs to 1 s) measurements in the aerial study of rows of trees. We identify limitations in photochemical events induced by urban injuries on Platanus acerfolia L., using the JIP-test procedure. The Performance Index (PI_ABS) showed the largest dynamic range to characterise the vitality of trees. Individual trees were graded into three quality groups based on the individual PI_ABS value compared to the overall average for trees in the alley. These groups are: high performers, with PI_ABS 50 percnt; higher than the alley average; normal trees, with a deviation from the alley average between -50 percnt; and +50 percnt;; and poor performers, whose deviation from the alley average was -50 percnt; or less. Trees also were grouped into five vitality categories on the basis of a stereoscopic and morphologic observation of the symmetry of tree crowns, percentage of defoliation and reflectance property in the visible and infra-red range. Here, we report a remarkable correlation between the airborne remote sensing data and the on-site fluorescence measurements.

References (22)

A.A. Gitelson et al.
Spectral reflectance changes associated with autumn senescence of Aesculus hippocastanum L. and Acer platanoides L. leaves. Spectral features and relation to chlorophyll estimation
J Plant Physiol
(1994)
A.N. Misra et al.
Utilisation of the fast chlorophyll a fluorescence technique in assessing the salt/ion sensitivity of mug bean and Brassica seedlings
J Plant Phys
(2001)
J. Peñuelas et al.
Visible and near-infrared reflectance techniques for diagnosing plant physiological status
Trends Plant Sci
(1998)
M. Tsimilli-Michael et al.
Synergistic and antagonistic effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Azospirillum and Rhizobium nitrogenfixers on the photosynthetic activity of alfalfa, probed by the polyphasic chlorophyll a transient O-J-I-P
Appl Soil Ecol
(2000)
C.V.M. Barton
A theoretical analysis of the influence of heterogeneity in chlorophyll distribution on leaf reflectance
Tree Physiol
(2001)
A.J. Clark et al.
Beech (Fagus sylvatica) response to ozone exposure assessed with a chlorophyll a fluorescence performance index
Environ Pollut
(2000)
A.J. Clark et al.
How wind affects the photosynthetic performance of trees: quantified with chlorophyll a fluorescence and open-top chambers
Photosynthetica
(2000)
S.D. Day et al.
A comparison of root growth dynamics of silver maple and flowering dogwood in compacted soil at differing soil water contents
Tree Physiol
(2000)
C. Lütz et al.
Beech trees exposed to high CO₂ and to simulated summer ozone levels: Effects on photosynthesis, chloroplast components and leaf enzyme activity
Physiol Plant
(2000)
Manoldo Rodriguez R (2002)...

J. Marsal et al.

Effects of water stress cycles on turgor maintenance processes in pear leaves (Pyrus communis)

Tree Physiol

(1997)

Cited by (112)

Physiological and molecular mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of artemisinin on Microcystis aeruginosa and Chlorella pyrenoidosa
2024, Journal of Hazardous Materials
Artemisinin, a novel plant allelochemical, has attracted attention for its potential selective inhibitory effects on algae, yet to be fully explored. This study compares the sensitivity and action targets of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) and Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) to artemisinin algaecide (AMA), highlighting their differences. Results indicate that at high concentrations, AMA displaces the natural PQ at the Q_B binding site within M. aeruginosa photosynthetic system, impairing the D1 protein repair function. Furthermore, AMA disrupts electron transfer from reduced ferredoxin (Fd) to NADP⁺ by interfering with the iron-sulfur clusters in the ferredoxin-NADP⁺ reductases (FNR) domain of Fd. Moreover, significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation triggers oxidative stress and interrupts the tricarboxylic acid cycle, hindering energy acquisition. Notably, AMA suppresses arginine synthesis in M. aeruginosa, leading to reduced microcystins (MCs) release. Conversely, C. pyrenoidosa counters ROS accumulation via photosynthesis protection, antioxidant defenses, and by regulating intracellular osmotic pressure, accelerating damaged protein degradation, and effectively repairing DNA for cellular detoxification. Additionally, AMA stimulates the expression of DNA replication-related genes, facilitating cell proliferation. Our finding offer a unique approach for selectively eradicating cyanobacteria while preserving beneficial algae, and shed new light on employing eco-friendly algicides with high specificity.
Influence of façade orientation, floor height, substrate pH, and microbial inoculation on woody plants’ performance in vegetated façades in Southern Finland
2024, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
Urban densification has led to the adoption of vegetated façades as a nature-based strategy to increase urban green spaces and enhance urban living conditions. However, limited knowledge regarding suitable plants for vegetated façades can impede the process. In this field experiment conducted in Southern Finland, we investigated the performance of 12 potential plant taxa for a vegetated façade by assessing their visual appearance and sizes in relation to façade orientation, floor height, substrate pH, and mycorrhizal inoculation. The 12 plant taxa were categorized into 4 growth forms according to their morphologies: spreading conifers, dwarf conifers, creeping conifers, and climbers. We aimed to evaluate plant performance during the initial two growing seasons, which is critical for the successful establishment of these plants in vegetated façades. Eight of the twelve plant taxa exhibited relatively high performance in terms of visual appearance and size. Notably, creeping conifers outperformed other growth forms in visual appearance, which was most likely due to their close-to-ground morphology. Façade orientation and substrate pH were the most influential predictor variables. Façade orientation affected both plant visual appearance and size, while substrate pH primarily affected plant visual appearance. The east-facing façade (less exposure to sun and wind) and mildly acid substrate (pH 6–6.5) were more conducive to most of the plant taxa. Certain species and cultivars, such as Juniperus communis ‘Lalli’, maintained constant plant visual appearance and size regardless of façade orientation and substrate pH, suggesting their adaptability and stability across various conditions. Floor height and mycorrhizal inoculation only displayed marginal and taxon-specific impacts. Given that some plants in our vegetated façade exhibited optimal performance different from those in their reported natural habitats, we encourage conducting long-term, on-site experiments to identify suitable plants for vegetated façades to ensure successful vegetated façade implementation.
Genotypic diversity of Coffea canephora cv. Conilon identified through leaf morpho- and eco-physiological traits
2024, Scientia Horticulturae
The knowledge about the genetic variability of a population is essential to increase the selection efficiency of promising genotypes to breeding programs. This study evaluated the genetic diversity among nine Coffea canephora genotypes based on leaf morphophysiological traits, e.g., dry mass (DM), leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and the relative water content (RWC%), as well as the performance of the photosynthetic apparatus, through PSII functioning and electron transport, performed in summer and winter in three periods of the day. Three distinct groups were formed based on chlorophyll a fluorescence (ChlaF) parameters, demonstrating the heterogeneity of the genetic constitution of the evaluated population, what is quite relevant for the analysis of genetic divergence and breeding purposes, having the potential to identify superior genotypes. In summer and winter, the initial fluorescence (F₀) tended to increase in the morning and noon, while the quantum yield of the primary photochemistry (ϕP₀) increased in the afternoon. Leaf traits increased in the summer period in all groups. Group 1 showed more significant dissimilarity when compared to the others, with a higher mean of the most variable fluorescence parameters and a lower mean of the design index. The multivariate analyses showed that the leaf traits are correlated with the OJIP-test parameters concerning the variability in the periods and times studied. Our findings showed that the leaf traits can be adequately used to study genetic diversity in coffee. Additionally, ChlaF revealed to some extent some physiological differences among coffee genotypes associated with the two annual periods studied.
Heat tolerance of urban trees − A review
2023, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
The frequency and intensity of heat stress events globally have increased over the past 20 years. Climatic modeling predicts that this trend will continue throughout the 21st century, with the global land area experiencing heat waves doubling by 2020 and quadrupling by 2040. Due to the reflective nature of buildings and infrastructure, heat temperatures tend to be higher within urban landscapes than outlying rural areas. Heat stress influences processes from the molecular level to whole-tree biology. At the leaf level, photosynthesis is reduced, photo-oxidative stress increases, premature leaf abscission occurs, and the growth of leaves decreases. Growth decreases at the whole tree level, and biomass allocation between roots, shoots, leaves, and branches is altered. When drought and heat stress are combined, detrimental effects are considerably enhanced and, without irrigation, can quickly lead to tree death. There have been few studies regarding the heat tolerance of urban tree species. However, there is evidence of genetic variation in heat tolerance between and within species within forestry, which could be essential to exploit for urban trees. Understanding the mechanisms of tree physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to extreme heat events is also necessary for understanding how urban tree species will be affected by climate change.
Restoring the iconic Ulmus americana to urban landscapes: Early tree growth responds to aboveground conditions
2022, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
Native trees provide a range of benefits, from supporting native wildlife to climate regulation, and many urban natural resource managers prioritize native tree planting and restoration. Ulmus americana (American elm) was once widely planted in American cities but has been decimated by Dutch elm disease (DED; Ophiostoma ulmi). Our study evaluated U. americana establishment and growth across urban landscapes. We planted ramets from three DED-tolerant U. americana genotypes (RV16, RV474, and Sunfield) along an urbanization gradient in Newark, DE and Philadelphia, PA, and assessed physiological and morphological responses. We analyzed how U. americana clone growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, and foliar chemistry relate to impervious surface area, ozone (O₃) concentrations, and soil characteristics. The one-year post planting mortality rate was low (4%) demonstrating these elms can withstand urban environmental conditions when provided ample water supply and protection from deer. As expected, the elms differed in growth rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, and foliar chemistry between the cities. Elms planted in Philadelphia had greater photosynthetic capacity in July (F_v/F_m = 0.76) and September (F_v/F_m = 0.75), while Newark elms had greater photosynthetic capacity in August (F_v/F_m = 0.78). Depleted foliar δ¹³C signatures in Philadelphia suggest elms are experiencing greater fossil-fuel derived atmospheric CO₂ than in Newark, possibly contributing to the greater growth rates observed in Philadelphia compared to Newark. Enriched foliar δ¹⁵N and greater foliar %N in Philadelphia clones suggest they are experiencing greater N deposition from NO_x-derived sources compared to Newark clones. Clones growing in Philadelphia had greater foliar nutrient concentrations despite growing in soils with greater heavy metal concentrations. These foliar-soil chemistry patterns suggest that clones growing in Philadelphia respond positively to urban environmental conditions in a large city, whereas clones growing in Newark may be experiencing N limitation in the first year of growth after planting.
Integration of biophysical photosynthetic parameters into one photochemical index for early detection of Tobacco Mosaic Virus infection in pepper plants
2021, Journal of Plant Physiology
Citation Excerpt :
Therefore, it should be accompanied by other methods such as PAM fluorometry (herein imaging fluorometry) and/or evaluation of net photosynthesis (herein gas exchange measurements) when a stress impact on photosynthesis is studied (Mantzoukas et al., 2015; Chondrogiannis and Grammatikopoulos, 2021). However, despite the assumptions and pre-requisites for a detailed study of photosynthesis under abiotic and biotic stresses on the photosynthetic machinery (Stirbet and Govindjee, 2011; Kalaji et al. 2014a, 2017a; Tsimili-Michael, 2020), the value of the JIP-test parameters for screening large populations and for comparing stress impacts and/or plants tolerance is unequivocal (Misra et al., 2001; Hermans et al., 2003;, Van Heerden and Krüger, 2004; Oukarroum, 2007, 2009; Kalaji et al., 2014b, 2018b; Kalaji et al., 2014a,b; Stirbet et al., 2018). Consequently, PINFI could be a reliable tool for the timely detection of viral infections in large populations of samples in the lab or even in the field.
Photosynthesis in host plants is significantly reduced by many virus families. The early detection of viral infection before the onset of visual symptoms in both directly and systemically infected leaves is critical in crop protection. Viral pathogens cause a variety of symptoms through modifications of chloroplast structure and function and the response of the photochemistry process is immediate. Therefore, chlorophyll fluorescence monitoring has been extensively investigated the last two decades as a tool for timely assessment of pathogenic threats. Alternatively, the analysis of Chla fluorescence transients offers several interlinked parameters which describe the fate of excitation energy round and through the photosystems. Additionally, OJIP fluorescence transients and leaf reflectance spectra methodologies serve for rapid screening of large number of samples. The objective of the present study was to achieve early detection of viral infection, integrating the multiparametric information of the Chla fluorescence transients and of the leaf reflectance spectra into one photochemical performance index. Infection decreased the maximum quantum yield of PSII (F_V/F_M), the effective quantum yield of PSII (Φ_PSII), the CO₂ assimilation rate (A) and the stomatal conductance (g_s) in the studied TMV-pepper plant pathosystem, while non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) increased. Some parameters from the OJIP transients and the leaf reflectance spectra were significantly affected 24 h after infection, while others modified three to five days later. Similar results were obtained from systemically infected leaves but with one to three days hysteresis compared to inoculated leaves. Differences between healthy and infected leaves were marginal during the first 24 h post infection. The Integrated Biomarker Response tool was used to create a photochemical infection index (PINFI) which integrates the partial effects of infection on each fluorescence and reflectance index. The PINFI, which to the best of our knowledge is the first photochemical infection index created by the IBR method, discriminated reliably between the infected and healthy leaves of pepper plants from the first 24 h after infection with the TMV.

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

Article preview

Journal of Plant Physiology

Summary

References (22)

Spectral reflectance changes associated with autumn senescence of Aesculus hippocastanum L. and Acer platanoides L. leaves. Spectral features and relation to chlorophyll estimation

J Plant Physiol

Utilisation of the fast chlorophyll a fluorescence technique in assessing the salt/ion sensitivity of mug bean and Brassica seedlings

J Plant Phys

Visible and near-infrared reflectance techniques for diagnosing plant physiological status

Trends Plant Sci

Synergistic and antagonistic effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Azospirillum and Rhizobium nitrogenfixers on the photosynthetic activity of alfalfa, probed by the polyphasic chlorophyll a transient O-J-I-P

Appl Soil Ecol

A theoretical analysis of the influence of heterogeneity in chlorophyll distribution on leaf reflectance

Tree Physiol

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) response to ozone exposure assessed with a chlorophyll a fluorescence performance index

Environ Pollut

How wind affects the photosynthetic performance of trees: quantified with chlorophyll a fluorescence and open-top chambers

Photosynthetica

A comparison of root growth dynamics of silver maple and flowering dogwood in compacted soil at differing soil water contents

Tree Physiol

Beech trees exposed to high CO₂ and to simulated summer ozone levels: Effects on photosynthesis, chloroplast components and leaf enzyme activity

Physiol Plant

Effects of water stress cycles on turgor maintenance processes in pear leaves (Pyrus communis)

Tree Physiol

Cited by (112)

Physiological and molecular mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of artemisinin on Microcystis aeruginosa and Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Influence of façade orientation, floor height, substrate pH, and microbial inoculation on woody plants’ performance in vegetated façades in Southern Finland

Genotypic diversity of Coffea canephora cv. Conilon identified through leaf morpho- and eco-physiological traits

Heat tolerance of urban trees − A review

Restoring the iconic Ulmus americana to urban landscapes: Early tree growth responds to aboveground conditions

Integration of biophysical photosynthetic parameters into one photochemical index for early detection of Tobacco Mosaic Virus infection in pepper plants

Quality assessment of urban trees: A comparative study of physiological characterisation, airborne imaging and on site fluorescence monitoring by the OJIP-test

Summary

J Plant Physiol

J Plant Phys

Trends Plant Sci

Appl Soil Ecol

A theoretical analysis of the influence of heterogeneity in chlorophyll distribution on leaf reflectance

Tree Physiol

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) response to ozone exposure assessed with a chlorophyll a fluorescence performance index

Environ Pollut

How wind affects the photosynthetic performance of trees: quantified with chlorophyll a fluorescence and open-top chambers

Photosynthetica

A comparison of root growth dynamics of silver maple and flowering dogwood in compacted soil at differing soil water contents

Tree Physiol

Beech trees exposed to high CO2 and to simulated summer ozone levels: Effects on photosynthesis, chloroplast components and leaf enzyme activity

Physiol Plant

Effects of water stress cycles on turgor maintenance processes in pear leaves (Pyrus communis)

Tree Physiol

Beech trees exposed to high CO₂ and to simulated summer ozone levels: Effects on photosynthesis, chloroplast components and leaf enzyme activity