Abstract: Given the key role of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to
tropospheric chemistry and regional air quality, it is important to generate
accurate VOCs emission inventories. However, only a less fraction of plant
species, in temperate grassland of Inner Mongolia, has been characterized by
quantitative measurements. A taxonomic methodology, which assigns VOCs
measurements to unmeasured species, is an applicable and inexpensive
alternation for extensive VOCs emission survey, although data are needed for
additional plant families and genera to further validate the taxonomic approach
in grassland vegetation. In this experiment, VOCs emission rates of 178 plant
species were measured with a portable photoionization detector (PID). The
results showed the most of genera and some families have consistent feature of
their VOCs emission, especially for isoprene, and provide the basic premise of
taxonomic methodology to develop VOCs emission inventories for temperate
grassland. Then, the taxonomic methodology was introduced into assigning
emission rate to other 96 species, which no measured emission rates available
here. A systematical emission inventory of temperate grassland vegetation in
Inner Mongolia was provided and further evidence that taxonomy relationship can
serve as a useful guide for generalizing the emissions behavior of many, but
not all, plant families and genera to grassland vegetation.
