Annual changes in some physiological properties of Cryptomeria japonica leaves from Kanto, Japan

C. japonica leaves were sampled monthly in a heavily damaged area (a-I: Sai tama), a slightly damaged area (a-II: plains in Ibaraki), and a healthy are a (a-III: mountainous areas in Ibaraki) in Kanto. The leaves were analyzed for apparent cuticular transpiration rates, amounts of epicuticular wax, an d contact angles. Sb in aerosols deposited on the leaves was also analyzed. The transpiration rates and the increase in transpiration with leaf aging were higher in a-I than in a-II and a-III. Erosion rates of the wax were hi gher in a-I and a-II than in a-III. The decrease of contact angles with agi ng tended to be higher in a-I and a-II than in a-III. Rates of aerosol-Sb d eposition on the leaves were in the order a-I much greater than a-II > a-II I. The transpiration rates correlated with the values obtained from a linea r binomial function that included the amounts of wax and aerosol-Sb as vari ables (r = 0.855, P < 0.01). In a-I, the large quantity of aerosols on the leaves (and probably gaseous air pollutants) may have increased the transpi ration rates by ca. 50% owing to erosion of the wax and stomatal malfunctio n, placing C. japonica under chronic water stress.