The influence of plants on atmospheric carbon monoxide and dinitrogen oxide

It is shown by laboratory experiments and extensivein-situ measurements that higher plants (Vicia faba, Platanus acerifolia, Fagus silvatica, andPinus silvestris) produce carbon monoxide. The measurements were carried out under natural conditions with respect to the concentrations of O2 and H2O, and temperature. The CO2- and CO-mixing ratios were varied in the ranges 350 to 530 ppm and 3–270 ppb, respectively. The CO-production rates were found to be light dependent with an average value per cm2 of leaf area of 3×10−13 g/sec for a radiation intensity of 5×104 erg/cm2 sec. The production rates are independent of the CO2- and CO-mixing ratios employed in the test atmosphere. Considering the production rate of 3×10−13 g/cm2 sec to be representative for global conditions the total CO-production by plants is estimated to be 0.5–1.0×1014 g/year. In contrast to carbon monoxide atmospheric dinitrogen oxide is not influenced by plants in the same manner.