Long-term effects of ozone on Fagus sylvatica L. — An open-top chamber exposure study

The Landesumweltamt North-Rhine Westfalia is operating eight open-top chambers as well as six reference plots at a site on a westerly exposed slope (540 m a.s.) in the Egge mountains, 130 km northeast of the Ruhr area. Since 1991 eighteen 6 yr old beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) per plot/chamber were exposed either to ambient air (AA), non-filtered air (NF) or charcoal-filtered air. Ambient air pollutants (O3. SO2, NOx) as well as meteorological parameters were monitored continuously inside chambers as well as in the ambient. Growth parameters (bud development, stem diameter, shoot length, shoot diameter, leaf area, leaf colouration, leaf abscission) were assessed over the years 1992–1994.Even in the first year a marked earlier colouration of the leaves was observed in the NF (AOT 40=16.2 ppm·hr) versus the CF treatment (AOT 40=0.2 ppm·hr) and leaf abscission was two weeks earlier on NF-trees, indicating the common ozone effect of early senescence. Effects became more pronounced with increasing time of exposure. While hardly any effects on growth could be seen during the first and second year, shoot length and shoot diameter were reduced significantly by about 15 % in NF versus CF treatments in 1994. Similar effects were seen for the leaf area. No effects could be shown for bud development or stem diameter. Ozone specific symptoms were observed on individual trees in the NF and AA treatments and especially pronounced in 1994 (AOT 40=24.1 ppm·hr), but also to a much lesser extent in the CF-treatment. AOT40 value of 10 ppm·h, proposed as provisional standard for the protection of trees by UN-ECE seems to be stringent enough according to the results of this exposure study.     

Effects of ambient gaseous pollutants on photosynthesis,growth, yield and grain quality of selected crops grown at different sites varying in pollution levels

In recent decades, ambient gaseous pollution has increased due to anthropogenic activities worldwide. The studies to evaluate the adverse effects of ambient pollutants on commonly grown food crops are still limited, especially in Asian countries like Pakistan. The present study was conducted to measure the ambient pollutants in different sites of Faisalabad and their impact on growth and yield of wheat, mung bean and peas. Plants were grown in pots and placed at three sites named as control (Wire house of Government College University, Faisalabad), low pollution (LP) (Farm Area of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute) and high pollution (HP) (GT Chowk, Faisalabad) sites. Results showed that ambient ozone (O₃) concentration was highest at HP site followed by LP site and was below AOT40 in control site. Ambient pollutants caused foliar injury in crops and decreased plant height, leaf area, biomass and grain yield. Pollutants caused a reduction in photosynthetic pigments, stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate and grain protein contents in all three crops. In conclusion, the ambient O₃ level was highest at HP site, this current O₃ level and other pollutants decreased the growth and yield of important food crops.     

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 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.     

Bioindication of ozone in Estonia by using the tobacco variety Bel W3

The presence of tropospheric ozone was monitored by estimating necrotic flecks on the leaves of the ozone-sensitive tobacco variety Bel W3 in Estonia in 1990 and 1991. The indicator and control plants (variety Samsun) were planted in four localities (Käsmu, northern Estonia; Tartu, central Estonia, with two sites and Kooraste, southern Estonia). The percentage of the leaf area covered with necrotic flecks (necrotic index of the leaf) was determined individually for each leaf from mid-June until the end of September. The mean daily increment of the necrotic index for the period between two observations (typically 6–14 days) was calculated for each plant (NII_plant) and for the site (NII_site). The latter parameter indicates the variability of ozone episodes during the vegatation period. Ozone damage to leaves displayed an irregular pattern throughout the vegetation period, the values of NII_site ranging from 0 to 0.3 (Kooraste, 1990) and 0.9 to 2.8 (Käsmu, 1991). The average NII_site for the vegetation period was highest in northern Estonia (0.77 in 1990 and 1.47 in 1991) and lowest in southern Estonia (0.07 in 1990). High ozone damage in Käsmu can be explained by the close location (70–80 km) of the experimental site to major thermal power plants of Estonia and cities (Tallinn and Helsinki). Higher ozone damage in all the observed sites in 1991 as compared to 1990 can be accounted for different conditions for ozone formation.The number of sunny hours was 27% higher in 1991. In July the difference in sunny hours was almost twofold. It is concluded that ozone damage to plants is likely to occur in sunny summers in Estonia.     

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.     

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.     

Estimation of the uncertainty in crop loss predictions through statistical modelling of the AOT40 levels for ozone

Ozone critical levels in Europe are defined in terms of an accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb, AOT40. For agricultural crops, for example, the critical level is an AOT40 of 5300 ppb.h during daylight in May to July in the year with the highest cumulative exposure in the last five years. In a region of the size of the UK, however, the worst case year is not the same over the whole region and maps become difficult to interpret. Prediction of crop losses on the basis of a single year out of five also wastes potentially valuable information. An alternative approach estimates the distribution of aggregate exceedances over a threshold by means of a compound Poisson model for episodes of raised ozone concentration with linear modelling techniques used to allow direct incorporation of covariate information. The use of spatial and environmental covariates, along with temporal and spatially correlated random effects, is explored using data from the UK ozone monitoring network. The model produces results similar to those from other mapping methods. By combining this model with a crop loss relationship, crop losses of 5–15% for the UK are predicted but the errors range between 2% and 6% indicating that fine detail in crop loss mapping is unlikely to be very accurate.     

Variation in ozone concentration in relation to local climate in south-west Sweden

Ozone (O₃) concentration and air temperature/relative humidity were monitored using diffusive samplers (weekly, 3 m above ground) and Tinytag loggers (10 min sampling, 1 m above ground, self-ventilating radiation shields), respectively, in the forested landscape of south-west Sweden, 40 km north-east of Gothenburg. Two forest sites were included, one at a hilltop (175 m a.s.l.), and one in a nearby (～1 km) valley (110 m a.s.l.). In addition, a valley site (～3 km from the forest sites, 60 m a.s.l.) in an agricultural landscape was included, where ozone was measured using both a UV-based monitor and diffusive sampling. At the agricultural site measurements of temperature and relative humidity were made using a radiation shield with forced ventilation and with Tinytags, as on the forest sites, in addition to observations of wind speed and the vertical temperature gradient. Furthermore, comparison with O₃ concentrations at urban and coastal sites in the region was made. The temperature dependent, systematic error of using a self-ventilating radiation shield was estimated and corrected for. It was found that the elevated forested site experienced higher O₃ concentrations and lower evening cooling rates in calm situations as compared to the forest site in the valley and in particular as compared to the agricultural site. This can be explained by a stronger coupling with the planetary boundary layer at the elevated site and more pronounced night-inversions at the valley sites. The difference in weekly O₃ concentration between the two forested sites was correlated with the difference in average minimum night-time temperature. The coastal site had the highest ozone concentrations, related largely, but not fully, to higher night-time O₃ concentrations. The urban site showed a depression in O₃ concentration associated with the combination of large NO emissions and slow air mixing during the morning traffic rush hours.     

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。     

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.     

A Suggestion of a Simple Transfer Function for the Use of Ozone Monitoring Data in Dose-response Relationships Obtained Using Open-Top Chambers

A simple relationship for transforming ozone monitoring data from different measurement heights to the level relevant to response functions obtained using open-top chambers is suggested. The transfer function was tested using measurements at different heights above the ground (1.1, 2 and 10 m) over a field crop of oat. Only daytime conditions with ozone concentrations above 30 ppb at 10 m height were considered. The agreement between the measured and the calculated ozone concentration at plant height was good, with the exception of situations with very low wind speeds. Thus, the transfer function offers an opportunity to make corrections for the vertical ozone concentration gradient in estimations of yield loss due to ozone. Required input data are monitoring height, stand height of the crop and wind speed. The canopy resistance to ozone uptake, r_c, for cereals was set to 75 s m-¹ based on published data. Using the present data set, a typical daytime value of r_c was found to be 80 s m-¹. Considering only situations with Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) >700 mole m-² s-¹, a typical value was around 60 s m-¹.     

Effects of ozone on birch (Betula pendula Roth.) clones

Saplings of five birch clones (Betula pendula Roth.) were exposed to ozone doses 1.2–1.7 × higher than the ambient under field conditions during growing seasons 1991–1993. The clones were also fumigated with 40 ppb – 150 ppb ozone in three chamber experiments.The effects of nitrogen supply on ozone responses were studied using field fumigation system and three levels of nitrogen supply (low, medium, high). The ozone-sensitivity was clone-spesific. Even low ozone exposure decreased the biomass production of the most sensitive clone, whereas the most tolerant clone showed unaffected growth rate. In all clones, ozone fumigation accelerated autumn senescence of leaves, increased ultrastructural injuries, especially in chloroplasts, and increased diffusion resistance and stomatal density of leaves. Ozone-induced changes in the tissue and fine structure of leaves were interpreted as enhanced senescence. The plants receiving high nitrogen supply were more resistant to ozone than the plants under lower nitrogen availability. Significant interactions between ozone and nitrogen supply were found in growth and leaf anatomical parameters. The ozone sensitivity and the growth rate of birch clones seem to be related to biochemical and ultrastructural changes of chloroplasts, as reduced growth rate of the most sensitive clone was accompanied by lower contents of Rubisco small subunit and chlorophyll, and lower net photosynthesis. Fast enlarging and young mature leaves without acclimation were more sensitive to ozone fumigation than the leaves emerging under ozone stress.     

Surface ozone concentrations and exposures during growing season at the Lithuanian rural site

The surface ozone (O₃) data show an increase by 2.6 % per year during the period 1982–1994 at the rural site of Lithuania. WHO (World Health Organization), UN-ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), CES (Commission of the European Communities) guideline values for the protection of vegetation from adverse effects are exceeded during the growing season at the Preila coastal station. Ozone exposures for different concentration threshold are estimated during daylight hours in April-September. These values above 60 g/m³ varied between 10 000 and 43 000 (g/m³) ·h, above 80 g/m³ — between 1700 and 15 000 (g/m³) ·h, above 100 g/m³ — between 130 and 3700 (g/m³) ·h during separate years. Maximum hourly ozone values were observed from 116 to 228 g/m³ during this period.     

High rates of forest clearance and fragmentation pre- and post-National Park establishment: The case of a Jamaican montane rainforest

The principal defense of tropical forests has been to designate them as protected areas, but few of these protected areas have been studied to determine their effectiveness at preventing forest clearance within their boundaries. We used remote sensing techniques to quantify three fundamental forest cover change processes: forest clearance, re-growth and fragmentation over a 19-year time period, in a National Park of Jamaica. Results show that forest clearance occurred at similar high levels prior and subsequent to the establishment of the area as a National Park in 1993: 1.50% yr⁻¹ (1983–1992) and 1.42% yr⁻¹ (1992–2002), respectively. Fragmentation continued post-establishment, and manifested itself in an increasing number of smaller more vulnerable fragments; the number of fragments increased by 60%, and the mean fragment size decreased by 40%. Core areas decreased with ensuing increases in edge lengths, and fragments became more isolated from one another. After designation as a National Park however, increased forest re-growth occurred, resulting in a 63% decline in the net deforestation rate from 0.80% yr⁻¹ (1983–1992) to 0.26% yr⁻¹ (1992–2002). Image classifications gave accuracies of 90–97% (Kappa 0.80–0.93). Although the decrease in net deforestation may indicate some level of success of this National Park, forest clearance and fragmentation, leading to species shifts and biodiversity loss were still present at pre-National Park levels. We then examined the preponderance of successful protected areas, and found that success may be an artifact of the most widely used method of assessment, which compares deforestation rates inside versus outside protected areas.     

遮荫条件下O_3胁迫对冬小麦气孔导度影响的模拟

为了探究在遮荫条件下地表O3浓度增加对冬小麦气孔导度的影响,开展了两种不同强度遮荫与开顶式气室（OTC）相结合的大田试验,设置3个处理组：O3浓度为（100±9）nL.L-1结合（60±5）%遮荫的处理组（T1）;O3浓度为（100±9）nL.L-1结合（20±5）%遮荫的处理组（T2）;O3浓度为（100±9）nL.L-1不作遮荫的处理组（CK）。利用SC-1型气孔导度仪测定了3个处理组冬小麦不同生育期的气孔导度值。综合分析了生育期和O3胁迫,以及水汽压差（VPD）、温度（T）、光照（PAR）环境因子的变化对冬小麦气孔导度的影响,采用修正后的Jarvis非线性气孔导度模型模拟了3个处理组的气孔导度值。结果表明：遮荫对大田环境因子均产生了影响,其中,T1、T2处理组8：00—16：00点的平均温度和水汽压差较CK相比分别下降了5.6℃、4.1℃和0.84kPa、0.74kPa;用该模型得到的气孔导度模拟值与观测值进行了比较,R2=0.88,表明模型模拟效果良好;同时,根据O3吸收通量模型计算出T1、T2和CK处理组在整个O3熏蒸时期,冬小麦O3累积吸收通量分别为14.92、15.52、16.23mmolO3.m-2,并由此建立了O3吸收通量（x）与干物质损失（y）的关系分别为：y=1.0-0.038x和y=1.0-0.022x,表明在相同O3胁迫条件下,遮荫导致了冬小麦O3累积吸收通量的差异,在60%和20%遮荫条件下,O3吸收通量增加10mmol.m-2,与CK相比,其干物质累积损失分别为38.0%和22.0%。     

No tillage and crop rotation effects on soil aggregation and organic carbon in a Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil

In Brazil, no tillage (NT) is a soil conservation practice now widely adopted by farmers, including smallholders. The effect of NT and conventional tillage (disc ploughing followed by two light disc harrowings, CT) was investigated on the aggregation properties of a clayey Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil under different crop rotations. The same soil type under secondary forest was used as reference. Macro- and microaggregate classes were separated by wet sieving using a series of eight sieves (8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.053 mm) at four sampling layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm). The soil in general had high structural stability. At 0–5 cm, meanweight diameter (MWD, 11.1 mm) and total organic C in macroaggregates (TOC, 39 g kg⁻¹ soil) were highest for the forest soil. Soil under NT had a more similar distribution of aggregate size classes and TOC to the forest soil than CT. The most pronounced difference between tillage systems was observed in the surface soil layer (0–5 cm). In this layer, NT had higher aggregate stability (AS_NT: 96%; AS_CT: 89%), had higher values of aggregate size distribution (MWD_NT: 7.9 mm, MWD_CT: 4.3 mm), and had on average 28% greater TOC in all aggregate size classes than CT. Soil under NT had greater TOC in macroaggregates (NT: 22 g kg⁻¹; CT: 13 g kg⁻¹). Crop rotation did not have a significant effect on soil aggregate distribution and TOC. By increasing macroaggregation NT increased organic carbon accumulation in soil.     

臭氧对水稻生长的影响及外源抗坏血酸的防护作用

利用开顶式气室研究了臭氧浓度升高对水稻（Oraza sativa L.）生长的影响及外源抗坏血酸（Exogenous Ascorbic Acid）的防护作用。臭氧处理共设4个水平：空气NF（No-Filter,臭氧浓度约20-50 nL·L^-1）、过滤CF（Charcoal-Filter,臭氧浓度约为5-15 nL·L^-1）、臭氧Ⅰ（8 h平均100 nL·L^-1）、臭氧Ⅱ（8 h平均200 nL·L^-1）,外源抗坏血酸浓度设置为0.1％（m/V）。结果表明,与NF处理相比,高浓度O3（200 nL·L^-1）处理会造成水稻叶片的叶绿素a、水稻的株高、叶面积、穗粒数及粒重,分别下降了47.9％、17. 8％、31.6％、45.7％和42.9％;喷施外源抗坏血酸后,与各自的对照相比,以上各生长指标分别上升了11.6％、7.7％、17.4％、5.6%、11.1%。可见外源抗坏血酸能有效缓解O3对水稻的胁迫作用,提高了水稻对O3的抗性,促进水稻的生长。     

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.     

Spatial distribution of isopods in an oak–beech forest

Soil macroinvertebrates were studied in a Mediterranean-type forest on brown-pebble forest soils in southern Russia. At the site, 144 intact soil cores (76 cm² each) forming a grid of 24 × 6 units were taken in order to determine animal spatial distribution. Abundance of isopods was 166.3 ± 16.0 indiv. m^–2 and they constituted about 12% of the total macrofaunal abundance. Biomass of isopods was 3.5 g m^–2, or about 21% of the total biomass of macrofauna. Three woodlice genera (Armadillidium, Cylisticus, and Trachelipus) were found at the site. The two latter genera formed almost all (93%) of the isopod population. We found that spatial distribution of woodlice was heterogeneous: areas with 4–5 individuals per sample were neighboring those without animals. In order to study soil factors influencing isopod distribution in the brown-pebble forest soil, the size of a sample was artificially increased by combining adjacent sample units. Litter mass (r = 0.41) and loss on ignition (LOI) (r = –0.55) significantly influenced isopod distribution. Soil pH was near neutral (6.79), LOI was 8.39, and the water holding capacity was 70.9%. Pebbles comprised up to 84% of the sample's mass. Ca. 40 samples are recommended for estimation of isopod abundance in brown forest soil.