Measurement of monoterpene hydrocarbon levels in vapor phase surrounding single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem.: Pinaceae) understory litter.

A headspace air-sampling experiment was performed in the laboratory to determine the identity and concentrations of monoterpene hydrocarbons that could be attained in the vapor phase surrounding single-leaf pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem.) understory litter using controlled air collection conditions at a simulated field temperature of 37.8°C. The total monoterpene hydrocarbon content in 21 sequential samples of air collected from a sealed glass carboy packed with 1.44 kg of single-leaf pinyon litter equivalent to a bulk density of 0.15 g/cm(3) averaged 3.56 ± 1.04 mg/liter. The monoterpenesα-pinene and camphene were present in the vapor phase at the highest concentrations, averaging 2.40±0.64 and 0.68±0.22 mg/ liter, respectively. Myrcene,β-pinene, 3-carene,β-phellandrene, andγ-terpinene were all present at average concentrations below 0.30 mg/liter. The first two traps of the sequential air samples yielded the highest concentrations for the monoterpene hydrocarbons; however, the average total levels were relatively stable throughout the remaining 19 traps. Therefore, the data indicate that these hydrocarbons volatilize from the source pinyon litter and maintain an equilibrium in the vapor phase. Although this analysis was conducted using an artificial system, combined with results from our previous studies, mounting evidence indicates that monoterpene hydrocarbons present in the vapor phase of the single-leaf pinyon understory may be toxic to a variety of native plant species and thus further implicates allelopathy as a significant contributor to the observed patterning of associated vegetation in these forests.