The Leaf Acyl Lipid Composition of Plants Exposed to Moderately Enhanced Levels of Ozone: Species, Age and Dose Dependence

Moderately enhanced levels of ozone have adverse effects on the yield of many crop plants as well as on the growth of conifers [1,2]. Although knowledge about yield and growth are necessary to assess the overall impact of ozone in the environment, these parameters are not suitable when trying to establish casual relationships.

For this purpose the direct effects of ozone on plant metabolism and on/or interactions between plants and their environment need to be identified. Several reports have shown that in many plant species, short exposures (< 24 h) to high concentrations of ozone, 150–600 ppb, cause large decreases in the content of galactolipids and in the level of unsaturation of galactolipid fatty acids [3–6].

However, reports concerning the effects of more moderate levels of ozone on plant lipids are scarce.