Abstract

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is among the most damaging air pollutant to plants. Plants alter the atmospheric O₃ concentration in two distinct ways: (i) by the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are precursors of O₃; and (ii) by dry deposition, which includes diffusion of O₃ into vegetation through stomata and destruction by nonstomatal pathways. Isoprene, monoterpenes, and higher terpenoids are emitted by plants in quantities that alter tropospheric O₃. Deposition of O₃ into vegetation is related to stomatal conductance, leaf structural traits, and the detoxification capacity of the apoplast. The biochemical fate of O₃ once it enters leaves and reacts with aqueous surfaces is largely unknown, but new techniques for the tracking and identification of initial products have the potential to open the black box.