Quantifying the fine scale (1km × 1km) exposure and effects of ozone. Part 1. Methodology and application for effects on forests

Surface ozone concentrations show very large local variability. This, in rural areas, is largely a consequence of the degree to which the surface air is decoupled from the bulk of the atmosphere by nocturnal and winter stability effects and of the aerodynamic roughness and topography of the countryside. Procedures have been developed to simulate these effects and have been used with O₃ data from a regional monitoring network to quantify exposure of vegetation to mean and peak O₃ concentrations. The index of exposure to potentially phytotoxic O₃ concentrations is the AOT40 (accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb) expressed in ppb.h. The accumulated exposure of crop and forest surfaces to ozone is shown to increase approximately linearly with altitude and along a gradient from 3000 ppb.h in north west Scotland to 7000 ppb.h in the south of England. The area of UK forest which exceeds the critical level for ozone effects (10⁴ ppb.h above 40 ppb) totals 2.0 × 10⁴ km² and represents 47% of afforested land. The areas affected include most of southern and central England and Wales and large plantation forests of Northumberland and the Scottish borders.     

Ozone measurements in Europe

Ozone measurements have been apart of EMEP since its third phase in 1984–1986 and since 1988 data have been collected systematically. By 1992 data for 76 sites were being collected by the Chemical Co-ordinating Centre in NILU. The mean ozone concentration increases from 20–25ppb in the western and northern fringes to 30–35 in central areas of Europe. There is also evidence from the last decade of an upward trend of up to 0.5ppb y^?1 at rural sites in the UK. The data have been analysed to estimate the spatial patterns in AOT 40 for ozone effects on crops and forests. The data show that the critical level for cereal crops of 5300 ppb.h above a threshold of 40 ppb is exceeded over almost all of continental Europe south of 65°N and over most of S.Britain. A similar exercise for the AOT 40 for the forest again shows exceedances of the critical load of 10⁴ ppb.h across all the mapped area of Continental Europe south of 65°N including S.Britian. As land use for forestry and ozone dose both increase with altitude, and these effects have not so far been incorporated in the AOT 40 assessment for forests, the degree of exceedence for forests may have been significantly under-estimated.     

Effects of tropospheric ozone on the yield and grain protein content of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Nordic countries

Eight Nordic open‐top chamber experiments with field‐grown spring wheat were combined to obtain relationships between ozone exposure and yield loss. Two exposure indices, AOT30 and AOT40 (AOT = accumulated exposure over threshold), were tested. Strongly significant linear regressions between relative yield and exposure were obtained with both indices. The coefficient of determination (r²) was higher and the model assumptions of linear regression were satisfied to a larger extent with AOT30 than with AOT40. The exclusion of charcoal‐filtered treatments from the analysis made little difference to the regressions. The AOT30 regression model predicted larger yield loss than the AOT40 regression model, especially for the range of exposures, which is likely to occur in the Nordic countries. The protein content of the grain increased with increasing ozone exposure in all eight experiments, but to a varying degree.     

Quantifying the fine scale (1km × 1km) exposure,dose and effects of ozone: Part 2 estimating yield losses for agricultural crops

In Britain wheat is an important crop accounting for 41% of the total cereal production. In this study ozone concentrations for 1989 estimated as described in Part 1 of the paper are integrated with the estimated wheat distribution to derive a detailed estimate of the impact of ozone on wheat yields at a fine spatial scale (1km × 1km). These data provide estimates for calculating regional and national yield losses. The methodology can be applied to other crop species. Recent research on a range of crops has established relationships between the economic yield loss for certain crops, including wheat, and ozone exposure. Exposure is described as the accumulated exposure above a threshold experienced during the daylight hours (AOT). Critical AOT values are derived from yield exposure relationships which show linear reductions of yield loss with increasing ozone concentrations. This study has made use of land cover data from remotely sensed imagery at 25m resolution and nationally collected agricultural statistics for counties. These data were combined using an areal interpolation technique to provide more spatially articulate estimates of the location and intensity of wheat production. The results demonstrate the economic importance of ozone as a pollutant. Wheat yield losses attributed to ozone vary between different parts of the country but, for years when ozone levels are high, yield losses are likely to be significant in some areas.     

The Importance of Nitrogen Oxides for the Exceedance of Critical Thresholds in the Nordic Countries

Impacts of air pollutants and especially acidification in ecosystems have been of serious concern in the Nordic countries since the 1970s. The current approach to assess several pollutants (sulfur and nitrogen oxides, ammonia, volatile organic compounds) and their effects (acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone) simultaneously is extremely complex. This study explored the relative role of nitrogen oxides in environmental impacts in the Nordic countries. The share of NO_x in the exceedances of critical loads, the long-term ecosystem protection targets, was found to be roughly 25% in acidification and 50% in eutrophication. The contribution of NO_x emissions to ground-level ozone formation was considered important, as NO_x is the limiting precursor in ozone formation in the Nordic countries. The comparison of observed and modeled accumulated ozone concentrations (AOT40) for the early 1990s shows noticeable differences in the Nordic area, partly due to the sensitivity of the AOT40 indicator to the 40 ppb threshold value.     

On the Different Sensitivity of White Clover Clones to Ozone: Physiological and Biochemical Parameters in a Multivariate Approach

This study analyses the physiological and biochemical basis of chronic ozone exposure (60 ppb for 56 days, 5 h day^?1) on NC-S (sensitive) and NC-R (resistant) white clover clones. Analyses were performed after 0, 14, 28 and 56 days of fumigation which corresponded to AOT40 s of 0, 1400, 2800 and 5600 ppb.h, respectively. NC-S exhibited foliar injury and had a decreased content of photosynthetic pigments, while peroxidized lipids and solute leakage increased, indicating that the plants were subjected to membrane damage. The multivariate approach identified five groups. The NC-R group, with the exception of samples at 0 days of exposure and treated for the longest time period (and thus at the highest dose), and NC-S controls after 28 and 56 days were associated with photosynthetic pigments variables. Ascorbate peroxidase was twinned with NC-R treated at the highest dose. Guaiacol peroxidase and solute leakage was mildly linked with NC-S following ozone treatment for 56 days (AOT40 = 5600 ppb.h).     

Towards unravelling the complex interactions between microclimate,ozone dose,and ozone injury in clover

This paper describes the results of a series of experiments designed to identify the relative importance of various factors which modify the responses of a sensitive species to ozone. The experiments were conducted in a closed chamber exposure system, enabling clover plants (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv Geraldton) to be exposed to ozone doses ranging from 0 to 1800 ppb.h, accumulated over 40 ppb (AOT40), for 7 h d^?1, over 1 to 3 days. Microclimatic conditions during exposure ranged from 80 to 460 μmol m^?2 s^?1 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), 26 to 61 percent relative humidity (%RJH) and 16 to 36 °C temperature. No clear dose response relationships were established for 1, 2 or 3 day exposures due to the influence of microclimatic and other factors during exposure. Artificial Neural Networks were used as a tool to identify patterns within the dose response data set and to clarify the effects of various microclimatic and dose topography responses, during multiple day exposures. Analysis of the trained neural network revealed that AOT40 on individual exposure days was the most important influences PAR on the first and third days of exposure, the mean relative humidity and the mean temperature for all days also had strong influences. Leaf age also had an influence but this was weaker. This paper describes these results in relation to the influences acting upon the plant and how these affect ozone uptake and resulting ozone injury.     

Gradients of ozone at a forest site and over a field cropconsequences for the AOT40 concept of critical level

Ozone concentrations were measured at a wind-exposed edge of a 60 year-old 15–20 m tall Norway spruce forest in south-west Sweden and simultaneously over a barley field 5 km away for 27 days, At the forest site, measurements were performed at 3 and 13 m height 15 m in front of the forest edge, at 3 m height 15 m into the forest, and at 3 and 13 m height 45 m into the forest. Measurements at 3 m were made with three replicate tubes separated by 10 m. Differences between replicates were small. At 13 m height, the concentration (24-hr-average) 45 m into the forest was 95% of that in front of the forest edge. The average concentration at 3 m height did not vary strongly with the distance into the forest, but was 86% of that at 13 m in front of the forest edge. For AOT40 (Accumulated Exposure Over Threshold 40 ppb ozone), the differences between different positions were larger. At the 13 m level the AOT40 (day and night) was 88% of that in front of the forest 45 m into the forest. The AOT40 at 3 m was 71% of that at 13 m outside the forest. At the crop site, the ozone concentration at 1.1 m (0.1 m above the canopy), was 78% of that at 9 m (06.00–22.00). The AOT40 at 1.1 m above the ground, however, was only 50% of that at 9 m, indicating that serious errors can arise if ozone monitoring data are used uncorrnected in dose-response relationships based on measurements performed at plant height. The ozone concentration for the whole period differed very little between 9 m height at the crop site and 13 m height at the forest site outside the forest during daytime conditions (06.00–22.00). Night-time (22.00–06.00) values were only 21% at the crop site of those at the forest site due to the stronger night inversion development in the agricultural environment compared to the wind exposed forest edge. The results suggest that variations in topography and vegetation are important to consider when combining ozone monitoring data with dose-response functions.     

Carbon Isotope Composition, Macronutrient Concentrations, and Carboxylating Enzymes in Relation to the Growth of Pinus halepensis Mill. When Subject to Ozone Stress

We present here the effects of ambient ozone (O₃)-induced decline in carbon availability, accelerated foliar senescence, and a decrease in aboveground biomass accumulation in the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.). Aleppo pine seedlings were continuously exposed in open-top chambers for 39 months to three different types of O₃ treatments, which are as follows: charcoal-filtered air, nonfiltered air (NFA), and nonfiltered air supplemented with 40 ppb O₃ (NFA+). Stable carbon isotope discrimination (??) and derived time-integrated c _i/c _a ratios were reduced after an accumulated ozone exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb (AOT40) value from April to September of around 20,000 ppb·h. An AOT40 of above 67,000 ppb·h induced reductions in ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activity, aboveground C and needle N and K concentrations, the C/N ratio, Ca concentrations in twigs under 3 mm, and the aerial biomass, as well as increases in needle P concentrations and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity and the N and K concentrations in twigs under 3 mm. Macronutrients losses, the limitations placed on carbon uptake, and increases in catabolic processes may be the causes of carbon gain diminution in leaves which was reflected as a reduction in aboveground biomass at tree level. Stimulation of PEPC activity, the consequent decreased ??, and compensation processes in nutrient distribution may increase O₃ tolerance and might be interpreted as part of Aleppo pine acclimation response to O₃.     

The 2003 European Heat Wave: Which Role for Ozone? Some Data from Tuscany, Central Italy

A unique, record-breaking, killer heat wave occurred across several European countries during the first two weeks of August 2003. As weather conditions which characterize heat waves are highly conductive to tropospheric ozone formation and persistence, this is a contributing factor which should be regarded as a major stressor for biota. Hourly ozone means were captured between 1 and 15 August 2003 with automatic analysers in nine stations in Tuscany, distributed into six Districts. Compared to historical ozone reference climatology, daily maxima of 2003 were systematically higher by a factor of about 1.5, with differences which approached three times standard deviation. At the end of the period, cumulated ozone exposure over the threshold of 40 ppb (AOT40) was 4,750 ppb h in 2003, vs 2,200 ppb h of the historical series; such a difference was four times the standard deviation of the long-term series. Biological data are also enclosed in the present study, in the form of analysis of the ratio between above ground biomass produced by NC-S and NC-R clones of white clover when exposed to ambient air. Standardised samplings were performed on a monthly basis, and a significant difference between the two data sets was observed between summer 2003 and the historical series. The close correlation of high-ozone episode with increased temperature (as a consequence of increased solar radiation) suggests that, if climate change were to result in warmer summers in Europe, more frequent exceedances of dangerous ozone thresholds would be expected at the current emission levels.     

Ozone sensitivity of Phaseolus vulgaris in relation to cultivar differences,growth stage and growing conditions

Exposure of Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Lit to ambient ozone caused a 14% pod yield reduction in 1994. This yield loss was assessed by comparing plants that were protected against ozone by treatment with EDU (ethylenediurea) with unprotected plants, both cultivated in pots with a continuous water supply. The plants had experienced an AOT40 of 8135 ppb.h during their growth. However, plant response to ozone depends on a large number of environmental and plant-specific conditions. Visible injury increased mainly after flowering and was much less severe on soil-grown bean cultivars (Lit, Stella and Groffy) not receiving additional water. Ozone fumigations in closed chambers before or after flowering proved that the growth stage during which the plants are exposed also plays a very important role with regard to injury development. Plants seem to be more susceptible during the generative growth stage and the relative cultivar sensitivity was related to the developmental stage during fumigation. However with regard to yield effects the timing of the ozone exposure seems to be less important.     

Clover Sweden — A national three-year study of the effects of tropospheric ozone on Trifolium subterraneum,L.

In 1992 a cooperative project, Clover Sweden, was initiated. The aim was to study if subterranean clover could be used as a bioindicator in the different climate zones in Sweden by studying the impact of ambient ozone concentrations on this species in different parts of the country during three consecutive summer seasons. Plants of subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum, L., were exposed to ambient air at 24 sites from north to south Sweden. The project was designed to be compatible with the international programme, ICP Crops within the UNECE and the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution. The results showed that subterranean clover is a useful bioindicator of ozone in all agricultural areas of Sweden, with the exception for very cool and rainy summers resulting in poor growth of the plants. In 1992, and especially in 1994, ozone injury was detected at almost all sites in Sweden, reflecting the higher ozone levels of those summers as compared to 1993, when ozone concentrations were generally low and not much injury was detected. Typical injury was chlorotic and bifacial necrotic lesions on parts of the leaf surface. It is concluded that at mean ozone concentrations of 25 ppb (24 h mean) and 30 ppb (7 h mean) there is a potential risk for injury on 10% of the leaves. When % injured leaves was plotted against AOT (Accumulated exposure Over a Threshold) using different thresholds, it became obvious that a threshold of 20 ppb ozone should be used in order to fully protect from leaf injury under Swedish conditions.     

Simulated Summertime Regional Ground-Level Ozone Concentrations over Greece

Ground-level ozone concentrations were estimated for Greece during a summer period of the year 2000 using the regional air quality model UAM-V off-line coupled with the mesoscale meteorological model MM5. An anthropogenic NOx, NMVOCs and CO emission inventory and biogenic NMVOCs emission data were used to support model simulations. The evaluation analysis indicates a quite satisfactory model performance in reproducing ozone levels. The simulated mean ozone concentrations are above the 32-ppb EU phytotoxicity limit over almost all continental and maritime areas of Greece. Over the greater part of the country, the background mean ozone levels range from 40 to 55 ppb. Ozone values higher than the 55-ppb EU human health protection limit reaching 60 ppb dominate part of the southern Aegean Sea that is influenced by the Athens urban plume. In the areas where anthropogenic emission densities are high, the mean ozone levels vary between 20 and 40 ppb. Over the greater part of Greece, the simulated mean daily maximum ozone concentrations range from 50 to 65 ppb. More enhanced maximum ozone concentrations up to 95 ppb mainly dominate over the greater areas of the two largest Greek urban centres (Athens and Thessaloniki) and over the continental and maritime areas south of Athens which are under the influence of the urban plume.     

The development, calibration and field testing of a soil loss and a runoff model derived from a small-scale physical simulation of the erosion environment on arable land in Zimbabwe

Soil loss and runoff prediction models were developed for a clay soil from a five-factor small-scale physical simulation of the field environment by following a central composite rota table experimental design. The uncalibrated models efficiently ranked observed annual soil losses and runoff over a 4–year period between nine field treatments consisting of two bare fallows, two weed fallows and five plots cropped to soyabeans. When calibrated against the field data, the soil loss model predicted the 4–year mean losses from cropped and bare fallow treatments to within 6% for two of the plots, to within 12% for five of the plots and to within 14% for all seven treatments. Over the same period, the runoff model predicted mean annual runoff for the cropped and bare fallow treatments to within 4% for four of the plots and to within 16% for all seven treatments. Percentage vegetal cover proved to be an adequate parameter for describing the role of the soyabean crop in runoff and soil loss processes for a wide range of planting densities of the crop. However, it did not prove to be an efficient index for weed fallows and it was apparent that factors other than simple above-ground cover became important soon after germination.     

A Preliminary Investigation of Ozone Concentrations on the Lizard Peninsula Cornwall,U.K. using Continuous Monitoring and Diffusion Tubes

The Lizard Peninsula is an isolated area of unique and sensitive ecology and the occurrence of damaging ozone concentrations over the peninsula in spring challenges the successful sustainable management of the area. Ozone concentrations over Goonhilly Downs on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall were measured in spring 2002 using continuous monitoring and spatial mapping (diffusion tubes). Data obtained using a continuous ozone monitor (1/03/02 to 31/03/02) showed that the AOT40 5-day values were in a range from 2 to 800 μg m^-3 hr (AOT40 is the sum of the differences between the measured hourly ozone concentration (μg m^-3) and 80 μg m^-3 (when the concentration exceeds 80 μg m^-3) for the hours when global radiation exceeds 50 Wm^-2). Contour mapping of ozone concentrations measured with diffusion tubes suggested that over a 2 km² sampling area significant microscale variations were occurring with ozone concentrations ranging between 48–129 μg m^-3 for one two-week period and 62–210 μg m^-3 for the other.Unusually high diurnal variations in ozone concentrations were also observed at Goonhilly. It is thought that temperature inversions caused the entrapment of ozone at the surface level.     

臭氧胁迫对水稻光合作用与产量的影响

采用开顶式气室（OTC）,对水稻“3694繁”（Oryza sativa L.3694 Fan）进行田间原位臭氧（O3）熏气实验,研究了不同O3浓度熏气处理下水稻光合色素、气体交换参数以及产量的响应。实验设置分4个水平：过滤大气组（CF,10 nL.L^-1）、自然大气组（NF,40nL.L^-1）和两个不同浓度的O3处理组（O1：100 nL.L^-1;O2：150 nL.L^-1）。结果表明：（1）与CF组相比,两个不同浓度的O3处理均导致水稻叶片光合色素含量大幅度下降,加速水稻的衰老过程;（2）在实验进程中,O3处理导致水稻叶片气体交换参数发生显著变化,饱和CO2浓度的净光合速率（Psa）t、气孔导度（Gs）、水分利用效率（WUE）、气孔限制值（Ls）和羧化效率（CE）均呈现下降趋势,表明O3浓度的升高使水稻光合作用对CO2的利用效率降低,水稻在灌浆期对O3最为敏感;（3）O3处理使水稻产量损失明显,当AOT40值达到2.32μL.L^-1h时,就能导致水稻产量10%的减产。     

Responses of Young Trees (Five Species in a Chamber Exposure) to Near-Ambient Ozone Concentrations

This investigation is intended to add to the quantitative information about the sensitivity of European deciduous tree species to environmentally realistic ozone (O₃) exposure in respect to the established critical level of an AOT40 of 10 ppm.h (6-month growing season, daylight hours). Cuttings (without leaves) of Fagus sylvatica L., Sorbus aucuparia, L., Carpinus betulus L., Fraxinus excelsior L., and cuttings and seedlings of Prunus serotina Ehrh. were exposed during one growing season either to filtered air, to which 50 % of ambient O₃ concentration was added, or to 50 % + 30 ppb O3, resulting in a final AOT40 of 0.3 and 20.7 ppm.h, respectively. The foliage formed per tree varied between and within the species, but was not significantly modified by O₃, whereas the number of symptomatic leaves per tree significantly increased in the 50 % + 30 ppb O₃ regime. By mid July light-green spots appeared in the leaves (except C. betulus), which developed into stippling (F. excelsior), red (P. serotina) or necrotic spots by September. The CO₃-assimilation rate decreased more with increasing visual symptoms (earliest in 20- day-old leaves) than with age-dependent leaf discoloration in F. sylvatica, F. excelsior, and P. serotina (not in C. betulus). The dark-adapted photosystem II quantum yield (Fv/Fm) slightly declined with leaf age, but a considerable reduction became apparent in 107-day-old leaves with O₃-symptoms only. By late morning yield reduction in light-adapted leaves were exaggerated in such leaves from the 50 % + 30 ppb O₃ regime. The above mentioned responses were not reflected in significant changes of the net biomass production during the experiment. The critical level, therefore, is based on visual and functional symptoms rather than on production.     

Bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) leaf injury,photosynthesis and stomatal functions under elevated ozone levels

Three bush bean cultivars (Lit, Groffy and Stella) were grown under four levels of ozone exposure (ambient air+50 ppb O₃ ambient air+25 ppb O₃, ambient air and charcoal filtered air) in open- top chambers. Number and leaf injury statistics showed significant reduction in the number of healthy leaves as the level of O₃ increased. The area based leaf injury percentages of the cvs. Lit, Groffy and Stella were 69.8, 57.9 and 71.1% at the highest O₃ level, 24.1, 19.6 and 30.3% at the 2nd highest O₃ level, and 4.5, 0.7 and 5.6% at the ambient air, respectively. The plants grown in the filtered air revealed no injury symptoms. The stomatal conductances were found to decrease gradually in each cultivar as the O₃ level increased. At the highest O₃ level, Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements on the 2nd leaf from the top on 24th day of exposure resulted in significantly the highest Fv/Fm values, the lowest f₀ and the highest F_m values whereas the 4th leaf showed the smallest Fm and correspondingly the smallest F_v/F_m values. This is an indication of photosystem II damage after accumulation of a high ozone dose in the 4th leaf. The photosynthetic rate of the 2nd leaf measured on 30th day of exposure was comparatively higher at the highest exposure but the data taken from the same leaf on 40th day of exposure showed significantly lower photosynthetic rate than the plants in ambient air. Both chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic measurements indicated that ozone stressed leaves experience a stimulation of photosynthesis (possibly due to increased assimilate demand) prior to irreversible damage. Bush bean leaves need to accumulate a critical ozone dose(an AOT40 of presumably > 18 ppm-h) for reduction of the photosynthetic capacitys.     

The Contribution to Nitrogen Deposition and Ozone Formation in South Norway from Atmospheric Emissions Related to the Petroleum Activity in the North Sea

A photochemical puff-trajectory model (Fotoplume) has been applied to simulate emissions, atmospheric transport and chemical transformations of pollutants from offshore oil and gas production in the North Sea. The above model was used in conjunction with the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) regional Lagrangian oxidant model. The Fotoplume and EMEP models were used to evaluate the effects of the atmospheric emissions from the oil and gas exploration activity in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Deposition of nitrogen and formation of boundary level ozone in Southern Norway due to North Sea emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) have been studied. The petroleum activity in the North Sea is calculated to contribute approximately 20% of the nitrogen deposition in the coastal areas of Norway in 1992. In addition, the models were used to estimate the AOT40 ozone exposure levels. The results indicate that emissions from British and Norwegian oil and gas exploitation sector separately contribute to less than 5% each of the AOT40 values for coniferous forests and meadows. Comparison of model calculations with experimental measurements is quite satisfactory and the models show realistic results for both the nitrogen deposition and AOT40 values.     

Yield Responses of Wheat to Ozone Exposure as Modified by Drought-Induced Differences in Ozone Uptake

Over a period of two years greenhouse experiments were carried out to quantify the interaction ozone exposure × water stress in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Perlo). Assessment of effects carried out on various yield parameters showed that abundant water supply made the plants most sensitive to ozone exposure. In well-watered plants (75%) of soil water capacity, s.w.c.), the AOT40 ozone exposure doses of 26.8 and 24.9 μmol mol^-1 hr^-1 (ppm.h) caused grain yield reductions by 35 and 39%. No reductions of yields were observed at severe water stress (35% of s.w.c.) condition. The decrease in ozone responsiveness under drought can be explained by a distinct reduction in ozone uptake (18 vs. 2 mmol m^-2 in well-watered vs. severely stressed plants at the same ozone exposure). The calculations of ozone uptake were based onrepeated measurements of leaf conductance. Generally curvi-linear regression functions explained the dependence of relative yield on ozone and on water stress better than multiple simple linear regression functions. The consideration of ozone uptake instead of ozone exposure improved the performances of the models further. For explaining grain yield, 96.8% of the variances could be explained by a model resulting from curvi-linear regression fitting. A suggestion for calculating correction factors to modify critical levels in the case of limited water supply is presented.