scholarly journals Biogenic volatile organic compounds in the ambient air and plant emissions of a Tasmanian native forest, and the relationship between emission rates and essential oil content

Author(s):  
JP Hutchinson ◽  
AJ Blackman
2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 3359-3378 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Yáñez-Serrano ◽  
A. C. Nölscher ◽  
J. Williams ◽  
S. Wolff ◽  
E. Alves ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Amazonian rainforest is a large tropical ecosystem, which is one of the last pristine continental terrains. This ecosystem is ideally located for the study of diel and seasonal behaviour of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the absence of local human interference. In this study, we report the first atmospheric BVOC measurements at the Amazonian Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) site, located in central Amazonia. A quadrupole proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS), with seven ambient air inlets, positioned from near ground to about 80 m (0.05, 0.5, 4, 24, 38, 53 and 79 m above the forest floor), was deployed for BVOC monitoring. We report diel and seasonal (February–March 2013 as wet season and September 2013 as dry season) ambient mixing ratios for isoprene, monoterpenes, isoprene oxidation products, acetaldehyde, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methanol and acetonitrile. Clear diel and seasonal patterns were observed for all compounds. In general, lower mixing ratios were observed during night, while maximum mixing ratios were observed during the wet season (February–March 2013), with the peak in solar irradiation at 12:00 LT (local time) and during the dry season (September 2013) with the peak in temperature at 16:00 LT. Isoprene and monoterpene mixing ratios were the highest within the canopy with a median of 7.6 and 1 ppb, respectively (interquartile range (IQR) of 6.1 and 0.38 ppb) during the dry season (at 24 m, from 12:00 to 15:00 LT). The increased contribution of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) above the canopy indicated a transition from dominating forest emissions during the wet season (when mixing ratios were higher than within the canopy), to a blend of biogenic emission, photochemical production and advection during the dry season when mixing ratios were higher above the canopy. Our observations suggest strong seasonal interactions between environmental (insolation, temperature) and biological (phenology) drivers of leaf BVOC emissions and atmospheric chemistry. Considerable differences in the magnitude of BVOC mixing ratios, as compared to other reports of Amazonian BVOC, demonstrate the need for long-term observations at different sites and more standardized measurement procedures, in order to better characterize the natural exchange of BVOCs between the Amazonian rainforest and the atmosphere.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Jackson Vieira Borges ◽  
Rafael Aparecido Carvalho Souza ◽  
Alberto de Oliveira ◽  
Raquel Maria Ferreira de Sousa ◽  
Jean Carlos Santos

Abstract The evaluation of the direct effects of the relationship between plants and predators without considering the participation of herbivores can provide vital information for the study of ecological interactions and integrated pest management. In this context, the present work studied the behavioral responses of Chrysoperla externa (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) larvae to the volatile organic compounds of young and mature, undamaged and damaged leaves of Eucalyptus urograndis (Myrtaceae), and investigate the chemical composition of leaf essential oils and their effects on the green lacewing. The responses of the C. externa larvae to the odors emitted by leaves were evaluated by an experimental behavior test using a Y-tube olfactometer. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation of the young and mature leaves with and without damage. The larvae respond attractively to the volatiles emitted without the participation of herbivores, and it selected preferentially odors emitted by young leaves with simulated herbivory. The chemical composition was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. This research identified 32 compounds; some of them had not been identified in other studies. Young leaves had a higher content of essential oil compared to mature leaves. Among the compounds identified, eucalyptol, α-Terpineol, Aromadendrene, and α-Terpinyl acetate are the major compounds. An inversion in the content of eucalyptol (which decreases) and α-terpinyl acetate (which increases) is observed when young and mature leaves are damage. Thus, this work contributed with basic data on the potential use of eucalyptus forests as maintainers of natural chrysopids populations.


2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 28565-28633
Author(s):  
K. A. McKinney ◽  
B. H. Lee ◽  
A. Vasta ◽  
T. V. Pho ◽  
J. W. Munger

Abstract. Fluxes of biogenic volatile organic compounds, including isoprene, monoterpenes, and oxygenated VOCs measured above a mixed forest canopy in western Massachusetts during the 2005 and 2007 growing seasons are reported. Measurements were made using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and converted to fluxes using the disjunct eddy covariance technique. Isoprene was by far the predominant BVOC emitted at this site, with summer mid-day average fluxes of 5.3 and 4.4 mg m−2 h−1 in 2005 and 2007, respectively. In comparison, mid-day average fluxes of monoterpenes were 0.21 and 0.15 mg m−2 h−1 in each of these years. On short times scales (days), the diel pattern in emission rate compared well with a standard emission algorithm for isoprene. The general shape of the seasonal cycle and the observed decrease in isoprene emission rate in early September was, however, not well captured by the model. Monoterpene emission rates exhibited dependence on light as well as temperature, as determined from the improved fit to the observations obtained by including a light-dependent term in the model. The mid-day average flux of methanol from the canopy was 0.14 mg m−2 h−1 in 2005 and 0.19 mg m−2 h−1 in 2007, but the maximum flux was observed in spring (29 May 2007), when the flux reached 1.0 mg m−2 h−1. This observation is consistent with enhanced methanol production during leaf expansion. Summer mid-day fluxes of acetone were 0.15 mg m−2 h−1 during a short period in 2005, but only 0.03 mg m−2 h−1 averaged over 2007. Episodes of negative fluxes of oxygenated VOCs, particularly acetone, were observed periodically, especially in 2007. Thus, deposition within the canopy could help explain the low season-averaged flux of acetone in 2007. Fluxes of species of biogenic origin at mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios of 73 (0.05 mg m−2 h−1 in 2005; 0.03 mg m−2 h−1 in 2007) and 153 (5 μg m−2 h−1 in 2007), possibly corresponding to methyl ethyl ketone and an oxygenated terpene, respectively, were also observed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4807-4831 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. McKinney ◽  
B. H. Lee ◽  
A. Vasta ◽  
T. V. Pho ◽  
J. W. Munger

Abstract. Fluxes of biogenic volatile organic compounds, including isoprene, monoterpenes, and oxygenated VOCs measured above a mixed forest canopy in central Massachusetts during the 2005 and 2007 growing seasons are reported. Mixing ratios were measured using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and fluxes computed by the disjunct eddy covariance technique. Isoprene was by far the predominant BVOC emitted at this site, with summer mid-day average fluxes of 5.3 and 4.4 mg m−2 hr−1 in 2005 and 2007, respectively. In comparison, mid-day average fluxes of monoterpenes were 0.21 and 0.15 mg m−2 hr−1 in each of these years. On short times scales (days), the diel pattern in emission rate compared well with a standard emission algorithm for isoprene. The general shape of the seasonal cycle and the observed decrease in isoprene emission rate in early September was, however, not well captured by the model. Monoterpene emission rates exhibited dependence on light as well as temperature, as determined from the improved fit to the observations obtained by including a light-dependent term in the model. The mid-day average flux of methanol from the canopy was 0.14 mg m−2 hr−1 in 2005 and 0.19 mg m−2 hr−1 in 2007, but the maximum flux was observed in spring (29 May 2007), when the flux reached 1.0 mg m−2 hr−1. This observation is consistent with enhanced methanol production during leaf expansion. Summer mid-day fluxes of acetone were 0.15 mg m−2 hr−1 during a short period in 2005, but only 0.03 mg m−2 h−1 averaged over 2007. Episodes of negative fluxes of oxygenated VOCs, particularly acetone, were observed periodically, especially in 2007. Thus, deposition within the canopy could help explain the low season-averaged flux of acetone in 2007. Fluxes of species of biogenic origin at mass-to-charge ($m/z$) ratios of 73 (0.05 mg m−2 hr−1 in 2005; 0.03 mg m−2 hr−1 in 2007) and 153 (5 μg m−2 hr−1 in 2007), possibly corresponding to methyl ethyl ketone and an oxygenated terpene or methyl salicylate, respectively, were also observed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 29159-29208 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Yañez-Serrano ◽  
A. C. Nölscher ◽  
J. Williams ◽  
S. Wolff ◽  
E. Alves ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Amazonian rainforest is a large tropical ecosystem, and is one of the last pristine continental terrains. This ecosystem is ideally located for the study of diel and seasonal behaviour of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOC) in the absence of local human interference. In this study, we report the first atmospheric BVOC measurements at the Amazonian Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) site, located in Central Amazonia. A quadrupole Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) with 7 ambient air inlets, positioned from near the ground to about 80 m (0.05, 0.5, 4, 24, 38, 53 and 79 m above the forest floor), was deployed for BVOC monitoring. We report diel and seasonal (February/March 2013 and September 2013) ambient mixing ratios for isoprene, monoterpenes, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) + methacrolein (MACR), acetaldehyde, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methanol and acetonitrile. Clear diel and seasonal patterns were observed for all compounds during the study. In general, lower mixing ratios were observed during night, while maximum mixing ratios were observed with the peak in solar irradiation at 12:00 LT during the wet season (February/March 2013), and with the peak in temperature at 16:00 LT during the dry season (September 2013). Isoprene mixing ratios were highest within the canopy with a median of 7.6 ppb and interquartile range (IQR) of 6.1 ppb (dry season at 24 m, from 12:00–15:00). Monoterpene mixing ratios were higher than previously reported for any Amazonian rainforest ecosystem (median 1 ppb, IQR 0.38 ppb during the dry season at 24 m from 15:00–18:00). Oxygenated Volatile Organic Compound (OVOC) patterns indicated a transition from dominating forest emissions during the wet season to a blend of biogenic emission, photochemical production, and advection during the dry season. This was inferred from the high mixing ratios found within the canopy, and those obtained above the canopy for the wet and dry season, respectively. Our observations reveal strong seasonal BVOC patterns and oxidation capacity, reflected in the different vertical profiles obtained between the dry and wet season, most likely driven by insolation, temperature and phenology. In addition, significant differences to other reports of Amazonian BVOC demonstrate the need for long-term observations and more standardized measurement procedures in order to better understand the natural exchange of BVOC between the Amazonian rainforest and the atmosphere.


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