protecting natural resources in the west ellen porter air resources division – national park...
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Protecting Natural Resources in the West
Ellen Porter
Air Resources Division – National Park Service
WRAP IOC Meeting, Denver, CO
July 28-29, 2003
NPS areas and resources in the West
NPS role in protecting air quality and air quality related values in the West
NPS mandates and policies for resource protection
Ozone concentrations and trends
Ozone effects
NPS monitoring and research
NPS administers over 130 national parks, national monuments, and other units in the WRAP states. Of these, 36 are Class I air quality areas.
NPS units in the West encompass a wide variety of resources and ecosystems, from high alpine tundra to deserts.
“…conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wild life therein…as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” (NPS Organic Act)
“Wilderness areas…shall be administered for the use of the American people in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness…” (Wilderness Act of 1964)
“…preserve, protect and enhance the air quality in national parks, national wilderness areas, national monuments, national seashores, and other areas of special national or regional natural, recreational, scenic, or historic value.” (Clean Air Act as amended in 1977)
“…declares as a national goal the prevention of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment of visibility in mandatory class I Federal areas which impairment results from manmade air pollution.” (Clean Air Act as amended in 1977)
“…the Federal Land Manager should assume an aggressive role in protecting the air quality related values of land areas under their jurisdiction. In cases of doubt the land manager should err on the side of protecting the air quality-related values for future generations.” (Senate Report No. 95-127, 95th Congress, 1977)
Natural resources affected by NOx emissions include:Visibility
Vegetation (ozone toxicity)
Lakes, streams, soils (acidification, fertilization, or eutrophication by deposition of nitrogen compounds)
Ozone and ozone effects in western national parks:Are certain western plant species sensitive to ozone?
Do sensitive plant species occur in western parks?
Are ozone concentrations high enough in the West to induce injury in sensitive vegetation? Are ozone concentrations increasing/decreasing?
Has ozone injury been documented to vegetation in national parks in the West?
Are western plant species sensitive to ozone?
Yes - sensitivity is determined by chamber studies, where plants are exposed to ozone at or near ambient concentrations and evaluated for symptoms. Plant sensitivity is species-specific; some species have defense mechanisms that protect against ozone injury, while others are very sensitive.
Ninebark Scouler’s willow
Quaking aspen
Do sensitive plant species occur in parks?
Yes - nearly all western parks contain one or more ozone sensitive species.
Chamber studies have found several dozen western species to be sensitive to ozone.
How does ozone affect sensitive species?
- Visible symptoms•Stipple (small red, purple, dark spots)
•Fleck (many small yellow spots)
•Chlorosis, bleaching (loss of green color)
•Necrosis (dead tissue)
•Premature leaf fall (senescence)
- Physiological symptoms•Reduced photosynthesis
•Reduced growth
- Acute vs. chronic injury•Acute - induced by high concentrations of ozone
•Chronic - induced by long-term cumulative doses of ozone
Ozone-injured leaf
Normal leaf
Aspen
Ponderosa pine
Are ozone concentrations in the West high enough to induce injury in sensitive vegetation?
63
46
56
N ational Park Service O zone M onitoring N etw ork2002 2nd H ighest D aily M axim um 1-H our O zone C oncentrations
(parts per b illion)
<= 79 ppb
80 - 125 ppb
>= 126 ppb
Voyageurs
OlympicNorth Cascades
Mt. Rainier
Glacier
Theo. Roosevelt
Yellowstone
Rocky Mountain
Hawaii Volcanoes
Denali
Virgin Islands
MammothCave Shenandoah
Acadia
Cape Cod
Congaree Swamp
Cowpens
Great SmokyMountains
Big Bend
Mesa Verde
Everglades
LassenVolcanic
Joshua Tree
Craters of theMoon
Saguaro
Great BasinCanyon-
lands
Grand Canyon
Chiricahua
DeathValley
Sequoia
Yosemite
Pinnacles
ChannelIslands
Chamizal
127
68
118
77
12781
76
115
111
75
96
68
59
85
85123
127
84
9975
65
5638
106
101
91
124
102
70
71
73
105
Decreasing Trend, p<=0.15
Decreasing Trend, p>0.15
Increasing Trend, p<=0.15
Increasing Trend, p>0.15
No Trend
Trends in May-Sep Average Daily Maximum 1-Hour Ozone Average, 1993-2002
Acadia
Big Bend
Cape Cod
Canyonlands
Chamizal
Chiricahua
Channel Islands Congaree Swamp
Cowpens
Craters of the Moon
Death Valley
Everglades
Glacier
Great Basin
Grand Canyon
Great Smoky Mtns
Joshua Tree
Lassen Volcanic
Mammoth CaveMesa Verde
Mount Rainier
North CascadesOlympic
Pinnacles
Rocky Mountain
Saguaro
Sequoia
Shenandoah
Theodore Roosevelt
Voyageurs
Yellowstone
Yosemite
DenaliNPS gaseous monitoring program: http://www2.nature.nps.gov/ard/gas/
55
42
48
N ational Park Service O zone M onitoring N etw ork2002 4th H ighest Daily M axim um 8-Hour O zone Concentrations
(parts per b illion)
<= 84 ppb
85 - 95 ppb
>= 96 ppb
Voyageurs
OlympicNorth Cascades
Mt. Rainier
Glacier
Theo. Roosevelt
Yellowstone
Rocky Mountain
Hawaii Volcanoes
Denali
Virgin Islands
MammothCave Shenandoah
Acadia
Cape Cod
Congaree Swamp
Cowpens
Great SmokyMountains
Big Bend
Chamizal
Mesa Verde
Everglades
LassenVolcanic
Yosemite
Pinnacles
Joshua Tree
Sequoia
Craters of theMoon
Saguaro
Great BasinCanyon-
lands
Grand Canyon
Chiricahua
DeathValley
ChannelIslands
100
62
93
72
8969
66
82
93
69
83
55
52
74
79103
107
75
8570
52
4427
86
87
77
109
86
62
65
66
93
Decreasing Trend, p<=0.15
Decreasing Trend, p>0.15
Increasing Trend, p<=0.15
Increasing Trend, p>0.15
No Trend
Trends in Annual 4th-Highest 8 Hour Ozone Concentration, 1993-2002
Acadia
Big Bend
Cape Cod
Canyonlands
ChamizalChiricahua
Channel Islands Congaree Swamp
Cowpens
Craters of the Moon
Death Valley
Everglades
Glacier
Great Basin
Grand Canyon
Great Smoky Mtns
Joshua Tree
Lassen Volcanic
Mammoth CaveMesa Verde
Mount Rainier
North CascadesOlympic
Pinnacles
Rocky Mountain
Saguaro
Sequoia
Shenandoah
Theodore Roosevelt
Voyageurs
Yellowstone
Yosemite
Denali
Representative SUM06 ozone injury thresholds:
Natural ecosystems 8-12 ppm-hr (foliar injury)Tree seedlings 10-16 ppm-hr (reduction in growth)
1
0
0
M axim um 3-m onth O zone SU M 06U .S . N ational Parks, 1998 - 2002, in ppm -hour
0 to 7 ppm-hour
8 to 10 ppm-hour
> 10 ppm-hour
Voyageurs
OlympicNorth Cascades
Mt. RainierGlacier
Theo. Roosevelt
Yellowstone
Rocky Mountain
Hawaii Volcanoes
Denali
Virgin Islands
MammothCave Shenandoah
Acadia
Cape Cod
Congaree Swamp
CowpensGreat SmokyMountains
Big Bend
Mesa Verde
Everglades
LassenVolcanic
Joshua Tree
Craters of theMoon
Saguaro
Great BasinCanyon-
lands
Grand Canyon
Chiricahua
DeathValley
Pinnacles
ChannelIslands
Chamizal
Yosemite
Sequoia
18
16
25
35
2825
6
24
42
19
50
13
0
37
4357
66
25
5234
3
00
32
49
27
91
57
3
8
16
70
Decreasing Trend, p<=0.15
Decreasing Trend, p>0.15
Increasing Trend, p<=0.15
Increasing Trend, p>0.15
No Trend
Trends in Annual Maximum 3 Month Cumulative Ozone SUM06, 1993-2002
Acadia
Big Bend
Cape Cod
Canyonlands
Chamizal
Chiricahua
Channel Islands Congaree Swamp
Cowpens
Craters of the Moon
Death Valley
Everglades
Glacier
Great Basin
Grand Canyon
Great Smoky Mtns
Joshua Tree
Lassen Volcanic
Mammoth CaveMesa Verde
Mount Rainier
North CascadesOlympic
Pinnacles
Rocky Mountain
Saguaro
Sequoia
Shenandoah
Theodore Roosevelt
Voyageurs
Yellowstone
Yosemite
Denali
SUM06 = sum of all hourly concentrations greater than
60 ppb
Ozone injury surveys have been very limited in western national parks (to a few California parks and others).- California parks:Extensive injury to ponderosa pine and Jeffrey pine documented at Lassen Volcanic, Sequoia/Kings Canyon, and Yosemite NPs. Injury documented to understory species (mugwort, Mexican elder) at Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP.
- Other Western parks:Injury to ponderosa pine documented at Saguaro NP.Injury to understory species at Bryce Canyon NP, Cedar Breaks NM, and Zion NP (UT).
ponderosa pine
healthy ozone-injured
Has ozone injury been documented to vegetation in national parks?
Ozone Injury of Jeffery Pine/ Ponderosa Pine
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Maximum 3-Month 8am-8pm SUM06 (ppm-hr)
Per
cen
t of
Tre
es I
nju
red
Lassen
Sequoia- Lower Kaweah
Yosemite- Wawona Valley
Sequoia- Grant Grove
Yosemite- Camp Mather
Lassen Volcanic, Sequoia/Kings Canyon, and Yosemite NPs: foliar injury to 15-50% of ponderosa pines and Jeffrey pines at SUM06 = 25-30 ppm-hr. Some areas of Lassen Volcanic NP had foliar injury to 20% of pines at SUM06 < 10 ppm-hr
Ozone and ozone effects in western national parksAre certain western plant species sensitive to ozone? YES
Do sensitive plant species occur in western parks? YES
Are ozone concentrations high enough in the West to induce injury in sensitive vegetation? YES
Has ozone injury been documented to vegetation in national parks in the West? YES
How do ozone concentrations in national parks compare with nearby urban areas?
Ozone Trends at Rocky Mountain NP and Front Range Cities, 1993 - 2002
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
An
nu
al 4
th H
igh
est
Dai
ly M
axim
um
8-h
ou
r O
zon
e, p
pb
Rocky Mountain Rocky Flats (08-059-0006) Arvada (08-059-0002) Denver (08-031-0014)
Boulder (08-013-0011) Colorado Springs (08-041-0013) Ft Collins (08-069-1004)
Rocky Flats
Boulder
Denver
Arvada
Rocky Mt NP
Colorado Springs
Ft Collins
85 ppb
Note: Arvada, Colorado Springs, Denver show a statistically significant increase in 4th highest daily maximum 8-hour ozone (p<0.10)
Ozone Trends at Grand Canyon NP, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, 1993 - 2002
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
An
nu
al 4
th H
igh
est
Dai
ly M
axim
um
8-h
ou
r O
zon
e, p
pb
Grand Canyon Phoenix North (04-013-1004) Phoenix Central (04-013-3002) Las Vegas (32-003--0072) Las Vegas (32-003-0016)
Phoenix
Phoenix Las Vegas
Las VegasGrand Canyon
85 ppb
Note: Grand Canyon NP shows a statistically significant increase in 4th highest daily maximum 8-hour ozone (p<0.05)
Ozone Trends at Saguaro NP, Phoenix, and Tucson, 1993 - 2002
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
An
nu
al 4
th H
igh
est
Dai
ly M
axim
um
8-h
ou
r O
zon
e, p
pb
Saguaro Phoenix North (04-013-1004) Phoenix Central (04-013-3002) Tucson (04-019-1011) Tucson (04-019-1018)
Phoenix
Phoenix
Tucson
Tucson
Saguaro
85 ppb
Note: Saguaro NP shows a statistically significant decrease in 4th highest daily maximum 8-hour ozone (p<0.05) Tucson (04-019-1011) also shows a statistically significant decrease (p<0.15)
Do diurnal patterns of ozone differ from parks to nearby urban areas?
1993-2002 Jan-Dec Diurnal Ozone PatternsAt Grand Canyon NP, Saguaro NP, and Selected Urban Monitoring Sites
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Hour of the Day
Ozo
ne
Co
nce
ntr
atio
n, p
pb
Phoenix (04-013-1004)
Las Vegas (32-003-0016)Tucson (04-019-1011)
Saguaro NP
Grand Canyon NP
1993-2002 Mar-Sep Diurnal Ozone PatternsRocky Mountain National Park and Selected Urban Monitoring Sites
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Hour of the Day
Ozo
ne
Co
nce
ntr
atio
n, p
pb
Rocky Mountain NP
Arvada (08-059-0002)
Ft. Collins (08-069-1004)
Denver (08-031-0014)
Rocky Flats (08-0006-1004)
What has NPS done to better understand ozone and its effects?Extensive monitoring network in parks
Inventory of ozone-sensitive plant species for all parks
Limited identification of ozone injury in field
Risk assessment for potential ozone injury in parks
NPS information needs:Better ozone monitoring coverage
Ozone sensitivity of additional western plant species
Injury threshold information for western species
Comprehensive field survey information