Source-sink balance and carbon allocation below ground in plants exposed to ozone

Abstract

The role of tropospheric ozone in altering plant growth and development has been the subject of thousands of publications over the last several decades. Still, there is limited understanding regarding the possible effects of ozone on soil processes. In this review, the effects of ozone are discussed using the flow of carbon from the atmosphere, through the plant to soils, and back to the atmosphere as a framework. A conceptual model based on carbohydrate signaling is used to illustrate physiological changes in response to ozone, and to discuss possible feedbacks that may occur. Despite past emphasis on above-ground effects, ozone has the potential to alter below-ground processes and hence ecosystem characteristics in ways that are not currently being considered.