Ozone Bio-monitoring Gardens for Students - Protecting Plants, Health, and Environment

1. Ozone Bio-monitoring Gardens Using students to monitor the effects of ground level ozone on select plant species

4. What is Ozone? • Ozone occurs naturally in the atmosphere where it protects our planet from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and us from cancer. • Ground level or “bad” ozone is an invisible gas and a poisonous form of oxygen. • In the Southern Appalachian mountains, 85% of the VOC’s come from natural sources.

5. Sources of Ground Level Ozone Mobile sources are: • 33% Diesel • 30% SUV • 21% cars • 13% LD trucks • 3% HD trucks Area 2% Nonroad 23% Point 44% Mobile 32%

6. Threshold of adequate lung function • Irritates and damages lung tissue • Decreases lung function

7. IMPACT OF OZONE ON HEALTH • Worsens existing asthma • Causes new asthma • Worsens allergy symptoms • Increases respiratory infection rates • Increases overall death rates

8. Green:No health warning Yellow:Very sensitive people may be affected Orange:Limit afternoon exertion if you are a member of a sensitive group Red:Avoid afternoon exertion if you are in a sensitive group; EVERYONE ELSE should limit afternoon exertion Purple:Reduce time and level of exertion even more then red category Source: North Carolina Division of Air Quality (July 2001)

9. Changing Ozone Concentrations http://www.epa.gov/airnow/

10. Clean Air Act • 1997 version reduced ambient (outside) ozone from 0.12 to 0.8 ppm. • On the color chart, greater than 0.80 ppm is code orange-- “Ozone Action Day” a day when people should limit outdoor activity, esp. in afternoon

11. The Issue • Great Smoky Mountains NP receives more NOx and SOx then any other monitored site in North America. • Average acidity (pH) of rainfall in the park is 4.5, worse in higher elevations. • Average visibility in summer months is just 9 miles.

12. Some Research in the Smokies • 1988 chamber study • 2001 to present: ground-level ozone effects study looking at how symptoms effect: • photosynthesis • respiration • growth • Effects on nutritional value for grazers

13. The discoloration is between the veins Visible Ozone Effects • Discoloration • In early stages, symptoms are confined to the upper leaf surface. • Symptoms begin with older leaves. Uninjured Milkweed Injured Milkweed

14. Ozone Bio-monitoring Gardens • Two sensitive species may be used to establish gardens • Genetic clones • Comparisons made between gardens regarding rate of symptoms Crown-beard Verbesina Occidentalis Cut-leaf Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata

15. Garden Data Collection • Measure the plant • Record total number of leaves. • Record whether in bud or flower. • Estimate the % of visible symptoms on the bottom 8 leaves. • Note any other observations such as insect damage, leaf mold... Stippling Necrosis Chlorosis

17. Garden Locations North Carolina Education Centers • Appalachian Highlands Science LC in GRSM • Cradle of Forestry in America, Brevard • Pisgah Wildlife Center, Brevard • WNC Arboretum, Asheville • WNC Nature Center, Asheville • Bullington Center, Hendersonville • Office of Environmental Education, Raleigh Schools • High Schools – Asheville, TC Roberson, Page (Charlotte), Tuscola, Robbinsville, Hiwasee Dam • Elementary/Middle Schools – Clyde, Fairview, Jonathan Valley, Andrews, E. McDowell Jr. Tennessee • Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont • Twin Creeks in GRSM • Central MS &HS in Monroe County in partnership with Obed Wild & Scenic River • South Park Elem., Jackson Christian, Sevier Co. HS • Upcoming: Oneida HS in conjunction with Big South Fork NRRA