2016

Shenandoah

Research

John Skelly

540 854-7099

5316 Wyndemere Circle
Mineral, VA 23117
USA

same

jms34@psu.edu

Common and Tall Milkweed as bioindicators of ozone air pollution: NASA/GLOBE educational program "Surface Ozone Measurements and Using Sensitive Plants as Bioindicators of Ozone Air Pollution"

SHEN-00319

SHEN-2016-SCI-0024

Aug 01, 2016

Dec 31, 2016

Aug 12, 2016

Sep 07, 2016

Completed

_X_ A final report has been provided to the park or will be provided to the park within the next two years

___ Copies of field notes, data files, photos, or other study records, as agreed, have been provided to the park

___ All collected and retained specimens and retained material originating from such specimens have been cataloged into the NPS catalog system and NPS has processed loan agreements as needed.

Research

Air Quality

Plant Communities (Vegetation)

Tropospheric ozone air pollution has been well-documented for its excessive concentrations at the higher elevations within the SHEN on an every summer season basis. Since the 1970's many foliar symptoms have been reported to occur on sensitive plant species including both tall (Asclepias exaltata) and common (Asclepias syriaca) milkweed. Several clonal populations of these two bioindicator species appear to be very sensitive to ozone exposures within the Big Meadows area of the SHEN. The consistently high ozone exposures at Big Meadows continues to reveal the presence of known sensitive (as observed by J.M. Skelly in August, 2005) ozone-induced symptomatic clones of both milkweed species.

The purpose of the Permit Application is to simply collect viable seeds and rhizomes of known ozone-sensitive tall and common milkweed specimens within the high elevation Big Meadows area of the SHEN. Seeds and clonal propagation from rhizomes will take place outside of the Park with emerging plantlets and new rhizomes being grown for use within a NASA sponsored project (GLOBE)-Global Learning and Observations that Benefit the Environment: "Surface Ozone Measurements and Using Sensitive Plants as Bioindicators of Ozone Air Pollution". This is a national and international project offering education for elementary and high school teachers and their students to learn of the effects of ozone air pollution on ozone-sensitive plant life. A similar collection for the NASA/GLOBE project involving cut-leaf coneflower (Rudbeckia lacinata) is taking place within the GSMNP, Ms. Susan Sachs cooperator, NPS.

Seed pod collections will be made from no more than 5 symptomatic plants of each species; 5 robust rhizomes are requested to be collected from the soils within the center of no more than 5 selected spreading clones of each symptomatic species. Propagation will take place within a bioindicator garden with plant distributions made to participating schools through the NASA/GLOBE program.

This "study" was pa collection of seeds and rhizomes of common and tall milkweed for purposes of having future propagative resources of ozone-sensitive plants for use within a series of planned gardens within the NASA/Globe educational program "Surface ozone measurements and using plants as bioindicators of ozone air pollution. Common and tall milkweed plants were examined within previously known populations in the Big Meadows area of the Park for symptoms of ozone-induced foliar injury on 08/12/16 with symptoms observed but pods not yet completely mature for collection. During a second trip on 9/17/16 collections of rhizomes and seed pods were made from 5 common milkweed and 1 tall milkweed showing excellent symptoms of ozone-induced injury. Collected seeds have been stored under refrigeration and the rhizomes were planted in a propagation garden at the principal investigator's home at 5316 Wyndmere Circle, Mineral Va 23117. Seeds have been sent to cooperators for germination trials at Penn State University and Saint Louis University

Yes

Pods and rhizomes of 5 common milkweed and one tall milkweed