A study investigates the emissions of volatile compounds from boreal forest trees

Researchers found that emissions from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from boreal forest trees vary in amount and composition from spring to autumn, but the chemical composition of those emissions is not yet fully understood.

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The results stem from measurements performed on tree seedlings planted in pots outside a container at the SMEAR II boreal forest research station in Hyytiälä, Finland, in 2017. By measuring total hydroxyl radical (OH) reactivity of the emissions, the researchers found that especially when the trees are under stress, there is an unexplained fraction of the reactivity, meaning that compounds which were not analysed are likely to be released. More experiments need to be conducted in order to investigate the validity of these results for older trees that are part of a forest, as well as to fully understand the complexity of biogenic reactive emissions and their effects.

Further information:

Researcher Arnaud P. Praplan, Finnish Meteorological Institute, arnaud.praplan@fmi.fi Air Quality Group Leader Heidi Hellén, Finnish Meteorological Institute, heidi.hellén@fmi.fi

Praplan, A. P., Tykkä, T., Schallhart, S., Tarvainen, V., Bäck, J., and Hellén, H.: OH reactivity from the emissions of different tree species: investigating the missing reactivity in a boreal forest, Biogeosciences, 17, 4681–4705, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4681-2020, 2020.