Abstract
One-year-old yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) seedlings were exposed to 0.10 ${\mu}l/l\;O_3$and simulated acid rain at pH 3.0 for ten consecutive weeks. Shoot height growth (SHG), fresh weight (FWT), dry weight (DWT), apparent plastochron duration (APD) and foliar nutrient concentrations were measured. None of growth measurements, except the apparent plastochron duration (APD), were significantly affected by any treatment in yellow-poplar seedlings. APD was approximately 30% higher in seedlings exposed to $0.1{\mu}l/l\;O_3$ ＋ pH 5.6 solution than any other treatment. Ozone significantly reduced SHG of sweetgum seedlings by 24% at the end of the ten-week fumigation. There were also significant effects of single and combined effects of ozone and simulated acid rain on APD in sweetgum. APD was significantly increased by 19.8% and 25.7% in seedlings exposed to $0.1{\mu}l/l\;O_3$ and pH 5.6 solution, respectively, and resulted in 46.1% higher APD in seedlings exposed to $0.1{\mu}l/l\;O_3$ + pH 5.6 solution compared with seedlings exposed to $0.0{\mu}l/l\;O_3$ ＋ pH 3.0 solution. Phosphorus and sulphur were significantly greater in seedlings exposed to simulated rain at pH 3.0 compared with pH 5.6 for both species. Foliar S concentration was higher in seedlings exposed to $0.0{\mu}l/l\;O_3$ ＋ pH 3.0 than in seedlings exposed to any other treatment in sweetgum. Ozone significantly increased Ca in sweetgum seedlings, however, ozone reduced Ca in yellow-poplar. Ozone also reduced S and Mg in sweetgum seedlings.