For over 30 years, Lancaster University has been a centre of research directed at the effects of air pollutants, UV-B radiation and elevated CO2 concentrations on plants. Much of this work has been carried out at the site of the APCCU, at the southern end of the university campus.
A prominent feature of the facility is the suite of 20 specially designed
glasshouses ("Solardomes"). These
have been particularly important in enabling larger scale experiments to
be carried out on trees and other perennial species, 
which
are grown under natural light and ambient temperatures, and can be exposed
to closely controlled pollution regimes for several consecutive seasons.
In addition, a range of indoor plant growth chambers has been developed,
in which temperature, light, humidity, and air pollution can be closely
regulated.
The Solardomes provide an excellent facility for studying the long-term effects of climate change on vegetation, under realistic conditions. Within these chambers we can manipulate the temperature, CO2 concentration, and availability of water and nutrients. Much of our work is carried out on native British trees and species from local upland ecosystems. Detailed physiological measurements, providing important information on the response mechanisms of individual species to climate change, are integrated with broader studies of plant communities and ecosystem processes. We are also interested in the complex changes which increased CO2 brings about in the food quality for herbivorous insects and the consequences for plant performance.
Researchers at the APCCU have provided a major contribution to the understanding of air pollution effects on plants. Until the mid 1980's much of this work was concerned with the effects of SO2 and NOx on crops and grasses. Since then the major focus of our research has been on the effects of ground-level ozone on vegetation, particularly tree species, and on interactions between this pollutant and other stresses such as drought, frost and damage by insect pests. A multidisciplinary approach involving plant physiologists, biochemists and entomologists has greatly advanced our understanding of these and other important interactions. Significant findings attributed to summer ozone exposure include a reduction in the ability of trees to control their water status during drought and the increased sensitivity of trees to early winter frosts. Work has also shown that the pest potential of insect species, particularly aphids, is enhanced in polluted conditions.
UV-B research at APCCU started in 1990 and expanded to become one of
the premier facilities in Europe. Much UV-B research has used simple methods
that can lead to unnatural plant responses. We have developed one of the
very few "modulated" field irradiation systems in which UV-B additions
are constantly adjusted to maintain a fixed percentage above ambient sunlight,
regardless of cloud, time of day, etc. Such sophisticated systems are considered
to be "state-of-the-art" in terms of simulating natural environments and
determining realistic responses.
Some current projects at the APCCU:
Seasonal variability in sensitivity of beech to ozone (T.
A. Mansfield)
Cucumber growth and damage under elevated CO2 (W.
J. Davies)
Quantification
of soil carbon inputs under elevated CO2 (G.
Kerstiens)
Impacts
of rising CO2 on soil biological diversity (R.
G. Bardgett)
Partial root drying: a sustainable irrigation system for efficient
water use without reducing fruit yield (W.
J. Davies)
Tel: +44 (0)1524 594496
Fax: +44 (0)1524 594379