Trends of AOT40 at three sites in the Catalan Pyrenees over the last 16 years

Ozone mixing ratios were monitored at three stations at different altitudes along the Catalan Pyrenees from 1994 to 2009. The AOT40 greatly exceeded the critical level for the protection of forest and semi-natural vegetation set by the UNECE’s CLRTAP and the target value and long-term objective for the protection of vegetation set by the European Directive 2008/50/EC. The AOT40 showed an overall increasing trend over time with a slight decrease during the last 3 years, although longer-term records of ozone levels are required before affirming with certainty a declining or stabilising trend. These results indicate that plant life in the Pyrenean region can be at risk of ozone damage due to the high ozone mixing ratios detected. Nevertheless, more effort is warranted to determine the uptake of ozone by vegetation in this mountainous range. An ozone flux-based index that takes into account the local environmental conditions, plant phenology, and nocturnal uptake of ozone would provide a more accurate assessment of the risk from ozone for the particular vegetation in each area.