2008/2009 Forest WatchData Book Review & Discussion:

Ozone summary for 2008, Spectral & Biometric Data Analysis

Forest Watch offers students and teachers authentic opportunities in science by participating in on-going research to assess the health of forests in New England.

several ecological and biophysical measurements in white pine stands, looking for signs of ground-level ozone damage and other forest health concerns.

Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus

Selected Because:Selected Because:

•It is a Bioindicator of GroundlevelOzone (SMOG) Exposure

•Common in New England

•Retains foliage year-round, can be studied throughout the school year

•Often occurs outside the classroom (a local fieldtrip)

MagnificationTree

Branch

Needle

Needle Cross Section4 m

25 mm

0.5 mm

1.5 mm

From The Macroscope to the Microscope

•Landsat ETM Image

•false color composite

• bands 4/3/2

•Infared Mimic

•10-11-99

Durham NH

College Woods

Each Pixel or PSSP = 30meters X 30 meters

8-hour Average Peak Concentration

                      0-50 ppb

                      51-100 ppb

                      101-150 ppb

                      151-200 ppb

                      201-300 ppb

                     

                     

2008 Ozone Summary

Figure 6: Number of 8-hr exceedances, compared to the number of days with temperatures greater than 90ºF, as measured at Bradley Airport outside Hartford, CT. 1983-2009. Source: http://www.epa.gov/region01/airquality/graph.html

1-hour 120ppb (parts per billion): the average of the 4 highest values must be < 120ppb over any 1 hour period each day.

8-Hour (1997) 80ppb (parts per billion): the average of the 4 highest values must be 80 ppb over any 8 hour period each day.

8-Hour (2008) 75ppb (parts per billion): the average of the 4 highest values must be < 75 ppb over any 8 hour period each day.

NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

NAAQS

1971:  EPA established a 1-hour ozone standard of 80 ppb.1979: EPA revised the 1-hour standard to 120 ppb.1997: 1-hr 120ppb revised to 8-hr 80ppb2003: States and Tribes Submitted to the EPA their designations for non-attainment.2004: Official non-attainment designations based on data from 2000-2002.

(avg. annual 4th highest max daily 8-hr values from 55+ stations)2005: 8-hr 80ppb NAAQS made official. 2007: State Tribal and Local Governments submit State Implementation Plans (SIP’s). detailing how they will meet attainment by deadlines determined by their non-attainment

status. 89 of 126 areas nationally listed in non-attainment met standard between 2004 and 2006 (13% ozone decline 02-06!)

2008: March 12th 2008 , new 8-hr 75ppb NAAQS made official2009: States and Tribes Submitted to the EPA their designations for non-attainment.

2010: March, official designations based on 2007-2009 monitor data, followed by revised SIP’s

2013-30: Attainment dates depending on severity of problem

OZONE POLICY IN TRANSITION:

US Counties currently in non-attainment to the 75ppb NAAQS, established on March 12, 2008. Source: http://www.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/actions.html#mar07

Figure 5: US Counties that would be in violation to the 60-70ppb NAAQS, proposed by the EPA on January19, 2010. Source:(http://www.epa.gov/groundlevelozone/fr/20100119.pdf)

Figure 7: Graph of the Number of Exceedance Days by State in Region 1: New England based on the 1997 8-hour (80ppb) NAAQS, 1983-2009. Source : http://www.epa.gov/region1/airquality/standard.html

Figure 8: June-August, ranked precipitation and temperature from 1991-2008 for New England plotted against 8-hr ozone exceedance events for Region 1. Climate Data: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/nt.html Ozone Data: http://www.epa.gov/region1/airquality/standard.html

Relationship Between 8-hr ozone Exceedance Days to Precipitation and Temperature

June-August, 1991-2008Temperature and Precipitation Data based Rankings 1991-2008

0

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1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Tem

p F

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ank

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-200

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ance

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Avg Precip RankAvg Temp Rank8-hr exceednaces

Source: http://www.epa.gov/NE/airquality/omssites.html

Long Term Spectral & Biometric Analysis of Forest Watch Data

VIRISVIRISVVisible/IInfrarred IIntelligent SSpectrometer

UNH Spectral Data Student Biometric Data

Monitoring the Photosynthetic Capacity of our Forests

1 432 5 7

Red Edge Inflection Point (REIP)

Relationship Between Chlorophyll and Spectral Index (REIP)

2008 White Pine REIP Distribution

In 2008, high REIP values corresponded to low ozone values as they have in most years since Forest Watch began.2004 through 2007 are our highest REIP values. REIP is rising over time, Our white pines are getting healthier!

Figure 25: Spring precipitation trends 1990-2008Source: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/nh.html

Figure 8: June-August, ranked precipitation and temperature from 1991-2008 for New England plotted against 8-hr ozone exceedance events for Region 1.

Relationship Between 8-hr ozone Exceedance Days to Precipitation and Temperature

June-August, 1991-2008Temperature and Precipitation Data based Rankings 1991-2008

0

2

4

6

8

10

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14

16

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1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Tem

p F

& P

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k 19

91-2

008

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(199

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xcee

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ays

Avg Precip RankAvg Temp Rank8-hr exceednaces

Figure 15: Average Red Edge Inflection Point (REIP) values for all New Hampshire schools compared to the number of 8-hour (80ppb) ground-level ozone exceedance events each year from 1991-2008.

Figure 18: Red Edge Inflection Point (REIP) values for New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Vermont 1991-2007.

0.45

0.5

0.55

0.6

TM

5/T

M4

2006 2007

YEAR

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

%H

2O

2006 2007YEAR

Figure 23A: TM54 vs. Needle Age Class Figure 23B: Percent Water Content vs. Needle Age Class

P = 0.0431P = <0.0001

TM5/TM4 % WATER CONTENT

0.8

0.85

0.9

0.95

NIR

31

2006 2007YEAR

Figure 24: NIR 3/1 vs. Needle Age Class

P = <0.0001

NIR 3/1 Values By State: 1993-2007

0.7

0.75

0.8

0.85

0.9

0.95

1

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007Year

NIR

3/1

NHMAMECTVTAll StatesLinear (All States)

Figure 21: NIR 3/1 foliar development index for New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Vermont 1993-2007.

NIR3/NIR1

VIRIS Comaprison of White Pine Health

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400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400

Wavelength (nm)

% R

efle

ctan

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© 2003 University of New Hampshire

1 3

Figure 26: Average Yearly Needle Retention 1992-2008.

Figure 25: Spring precipitation trends 1990-2008Source: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/nh.html

Percent Water Content1992-2007

505152535455565758

1992

1993

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1996

1997

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1999

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2007

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ate

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Figure 29: Percent needle water content 1992-2007.

2007 White Pine Needle Water Content UNH vs. Student

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ate

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Student

Figure 30: Percent water content: UNH Lab vs. Students Measurements

Percent Water Content vs. Needle Year

41.0000

42.0000

43.0000

44.0000

45.0000

46.0000

47.0000

48.0000

2007 2006

Needle Year

% W

ater

Figure 31: Percent water content vs. Needle Age Class

WATER CONTENT

Figure 24: Average white pine needle length 1992-2008.

Figure 25: Spring precipitation trends 1990-2008Source: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/nh.html

Figure 29: Percent of white pine needles with presence of both symptoms, (chlorotic mottle & tip necrosis) 1996-2008.

• Dr. Barrett Rock, & Michael GagnonComplex Systems Research CenterUniversity of New HampshireDurham, NH 03824

• Phone: 603-862- 4113• Fax: 603-862-0188• mgagnon@garnet.sr.unh.edu• barry.rock@unh.edu