Egyptian plant species as new ozone indicators

摘要

The aim of this study was to test and select one or more highly sensitive, specific and environmentally successful Egyptian bioindicator plants for ozone (O_3). For that purpose more than 30 Egyptian species and cultivars were subjected to extensive screening studies under controlled environmental and pollutant exposure conditions to mimic the Egyptian environmental condi- tions and O_3 levels in urban and rural sites. Four plant species were found to be more sensitive to O_3 than the universally used O_3 bioindicator, tobacco Bel W3, under the Egyptian environmental conditions used.