Seasonal and spatial BVOC emission variability from native Atlantic Forest trees under contrasting anthropogenic influences in Southeast Brazil
Abstract
Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions from vegetation are major precursors of ozone (O₃) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), yet their behavior in tropical megacities remains poorly understood. We quantified BVOC emissions from four native Atlantic Forest tree species: Alchornea sidifolia (AS), Casearia sylvestris (CS), Guarea macrophylla (GM), and Machaerium nyctitans (MN), sampled during dry and rainy seasons in two forest remnants of the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo with contrasting anthropogenic influence: Matão-IAG (higher) and RMG (lower). Using dynamic enclosure sampling and TD-GC-MS analysis, we measured emission rates (ERs) and estimated O₃ formation potential (OFP) and SOA potential (SOAP). Species identity was the main factor shaping emission patterns, with sesquiterpenes (SQTs) dominating under all conditions. Four emission strategies emerged. CS showed a high and seasonally variable profile, with the highest ERs, OFP, and SOAP, peaking at RMG during the dry season (11.85, 23.24, and 213.30 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). AS exhibited moderate and compositionally stable emissions (ER 0.81 to 0.98 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). GM had moderate and compositionally variable emissions (ER 0.98 to 1.66 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). MN presented low and compositionally heterogeneous emissions, with a dry-season spike at RMG (ER 2.91 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). Compound-level analysis revealed potential biomarkers: ledene was associated with the dry season, while 2-ethylhexyl salicylate and β-linalool were linked to urban stress. These findings improve the spatiotemporal characterization of BVOCs in the Atlantic Forest and offer an evidence-based framework for sustainable urban forestry in tropical megacities.
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BibTeX
@misc{costa2026seasonal,
title = {{Seasonal and spatial BVOC emission variability from native Atlantic Forest trees under contrasting anthropogenic influences in Southeast Brazil}},
author = {Bruno Ruiz Brandão da Costa and Fernanda Anselmo-Moreira and Alex Nascimento and Eduardo Luís Martins Catharino and Carlos Eduardo Madureira Trufen and Tarcisio Ferreira Martins and Fernanda Mendes de Rezende and Marcos Silveira Buckeridge and Michael Staudt and Maciel Piñero Sánchez and Georgia Codato and Amauri Pereira de Oliveira and Cláudia Maria Furlan and Agnès Borbon and Adalgiza Fornaro and Silvia Ribeiro de Souza},
howpublished = {HAL},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15004940/v1},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05853317v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Seasonal and spatial BVOC emission variability from native Atlantic Forest trees under contrasting anthropogenic influences in Southeast Brazil
AU - Bruno Ruiz Brandão da Costa
AU - Fernanda Anselmo-Moreira
AU - Alex Nascimento
AU - Eduardo Luís Martins Catharino
AU - Carlos Eduardo Madureira Trufen
AU - Tarcisio Ferreira Martins
AU - Fernanda Mendes de Rezende
AU - Marcos Silveira Buckeridge
AU - Michael Staudt
AU - Maciel Piñero Sánchez
AU - Georgia Codato
AU - Amauri Pereira de Oliveira
AU - Cláudia Maria Furlan
AU - Agnès Borbon
AU - Adalgiza Fornaro
AU - Silvia Ribeiro de Souza
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/18
PB - HAL
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15004940/v1
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05853317v1
AB - Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions from vegetation are major precursors of ozone (O₃) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), yet their behavior in tropical megacities remains poorly understood. We quantified BVOC emissions from four native Atlantic Forest tree species: Alchornea sidifolia (AS), Casearia sylvestris (CS), Guarea macrophylla (GM), and Machaerium nyctitans (MN), sampled during dry and rainy seasons in two forest remnants of the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo with contrasting anthropogenic influence: Matão-IAG (higher) and RMG (lower). Using dynamic enclosure sampling and TD-GC-MS analysis, we measured emission rates (ERs) and estimated O₃ formation potential (OFP) and SOA potential (SOAP). Species identity was the main factor shaping emission patterns, with sesquiterpenes (SQTs) dominating under all conditions. Four emission strategies emerged. CS showed a high and seasonally variable profile, with the highest ERs, OFP, and SOAP, peaking at RMG during the dry season (11.85, 23.24, and 213.30 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). AS exhibited moderate and compositionally stable emissions (ER 0.81 to 0.98 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). GM had moderate and compositionally variable emissions (ER 0.98 to 1.66 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). MN presented low and compositionally heterogeneous emissions, with a dry-season spike at RMG (ER 2.91 µg gDM⁻¹ h⁻¹). Compound-level analysis revealed potential biomarkers: ledene was associated with the dry season, while 2-ethylhexyl salicylate and β-linalool were linked to urban stress. These findings improve the spatiotemporal characterization of BVOCs in the Atlantic Forest and offer an evidence-based framework for sustainable urban forestry in tropical megacities.
ER -