Ozone slows stomatal response to light and leaf wounding in a Mediterranean evergreen broadleaf, Arbutus unedo

The effect of a 90-d ozone exposure (charcoal-filtered air or 110 nmol mol(-1) O-3) on stomatal conductance (g(s)) was investigated in the Mediterranean evergreen broadleaf Arbutus unedo L. Ozone did not significantly reduce midday steady-state g(s) compared to controls. However, it slowed stomatal response to abrupt reduction of light intensity and to increasing water stress, applied by severing the leaf midrib. Ozone slowed stomatal closure, rather than aperture. Nevertheless, vein-cutting did not allow ozonated leaves to reach the pre-injury g(s) levels, like controls did, suggesting re-opening was still, slowly in progress. The sluggish behaviour was recorded 10 days after cessation of O-3 exposure ("memory effect") and may affect stomatal control in response to sunflecks and leaf wounding. Mediterranean evergreen broadleaves are regarded as tolerant to O-3 exposure. Nevertheless, measurements of steady-state g(s) at midday may not account for altered stomatal responses to stressors. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.