High Monoterpenoid Emissions from Scots Pine Litter Controlled by Moisture
James, Sana M. ; Zhang, Zhiyang ; Jiao, Yi ; Roslund, Kajsa ; Lehner, Irene LU ; Biermann, Tobias LU
; Tang, Jing
and Rinnan, Riikka
(2026)
In Environmental Science and Technology
60(12).
p.9427-9437
- Abstract
Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play important roles in atmospheric chemistry, yet most studies have focused on canopy emissions. Decomposition of forest litter, a major below-canopy VOC source, can substantially influence atmospheric oxidation and aerosol formation. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), one of the most widely distributed tree species across the boreal zone, produces terpene-rich litter that may represent a significant but understudied VOC source. Here, we incubated fresh needle litter under controlled temperature and moisture levels to quantify VOC and CO2 fluxes. Monoterpenoids overwhelmingly dominated emissions (91%), with oxygenated species such as camphor ((+)-2-bornanone) and 2,5-bornanedione being the most... (More)
Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play important roles in atmospheric chemistry, yet most studies have focused on canopy emissions. Decomposition of forest litter, a major below-canopy VOC source, can substantially influence atmospheric oxidation and aerosol formation. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), one of the most widely distributed tree species across the boreal zone, produces terpene-rich litter that may represent a significant but understudied VOC source. Here, we incubated fresh needle litter under controlled temperature and moisture levels to quantify VOC and CO2 fluxes. Monoterpenoids overwhelmingly dominated emissions (91%), with oxygenated species such as camphor ((+)-2-bornanone) and 2,5-bornanedione being the most abundant. Moisture was the main control: water addition increased monoterpenoid fluxes by 5- to 7-fold relative to drier treatments, suggesting a potential role of microbial activity. Temperature had a weaker but compound-specific influence, the strongest for sesquiterpenoids. Isoprene emission rates increased, while oxygenated VOC emission rates declined over time, indicating a transition from stored-pool release to microbial processes. Specifically, the strong correlation between monoterpenoid and CO2 fluxes suggests shared microbial processes and highlights the key role of moisture in VOC release from decomposing pine litter. This relationship also offers a practical basis for how CO2 flux data could potentially be used to help constrain monoterpenoid emissions from pine-dominated forest floors.
(Less)
- author
- James, Sana M.
; Zhang, Zhiyang
; Jiao, Yi
; Roslund, Kajsa
; Lehner, Irene
LU
; Biermann, Tobias
LU
; Tang, Jing
and Rinnan, Riikka
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03-31
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- biogenic volatile organic compounds, boreal ecosystems, CO−VOC coupling, microbial activity, moisture sensitivity, monoterpenoids, Scots pine litter
- in
- Environmental Science and Technology
- volume
- 60
- issue
- 12
- pages
- 11 pages
- publisher
- The American Chemical Society (ACS)
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:41840973
- scopus:105034471444
- ISSN
- 0013-936X
- DOI
- 10.1021/acs.est.5c17450
- project
- Resilient Ecosystems of Sweden: Promoting Sustainability through Continuous Cover Forestry and Wetland Rewetting
- Forest management effects on forest resilience and carbon sink strength
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2026 American Chemical Society
- id
- 2f5aee19-2905-49ed-9395-5fd20f452def
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-16 13:29:36
- date last changed
- 2026-05-14 17:08:27
@article{2f5aee19-2905-49ed-9395-5fd20f452def,
abstract = {{<p>Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play important roles in atmospheric chemistry, yet most studies have focused on canopy emissions. Decomposition of forest litter, a major below-canopy VOC source, can substantially influence atmospheric oxidation and aerosol formation. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), one of the most widely distributed tree species across the boreal zone, produces terpene-rich litter that may represent a significant but understudied VOC source. Here, we incubated fresh needle litter under controlled temperature and moisture levels to quantify VOC and CO2 fluxes. Monoterpenoids overwhelmingly dominated emissions (91%), with oxygenated species such as camphor ((+)-2-bornanone) and 2,5-bornanedione being the most abundant. Moisture was the main control: water addition increased monoterpenoid fluxes by 5- to 7-fold relative to drier treatments, suggesting a potential role of microbial activity. Temperature had a weaker but compound-specific influence, the strongest for sesquiterpenoids. Isoprene emission rates increased, while oxygenated VOC emission rates declined over time, indicating a transition from stored-pool release to microbial processes. Specifically, the strong correlation between monoterpenoid and CO2 fluxes suggests shared microbial processes and highlights the key role of moisture in VOC release from decomposing pine litter. This relationship also offers a practical basis for how CO2 flux data could potentially be used to help constrain monoterpenoid emissions from pine-dominated forest floors.</p>}},
author = {{James, Sana M. and Zhang, Zhiyang and Jiao, Yi and Roslund, Kajsa and Lehner, Irene and Biermann, Tobias and Tang, Jing and Rinnan, Riikka}},
issn = {{0013-936X}},
keywords = {{biogenic volatile organic compounds; boreal ecosystems; CO−VOC coupling; microbial activity; moisture sensitivity; monoterpenoids; Scots pine litter}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{03}},
number = {{12}},
pages = {{9427--9437}},
publisher = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
series = {{Environmental Science and Technology}},
title = {{High Monoterpenoid Emissions from Scots Pine Litter Controlled by Moisture}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c17450}},
doi = {{10.1021/acs.est.5c17450}},
volume = {{60}},
year = {{2026}},
}