How Air Pollution Affects Plants
Air pollution caused primarily by automobile exhaust and fossil fuel combustion has many adverse effects on trees and plant life. It can disrupt respiration, photosynthesis and reproduction, as well as injure leaves and roots, degrade soil leaving plants vulnerable to pests, diseases and harsh weather conditions. Does this Spark an idea?
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Ozone
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Tropospheric ozone, or ground level ozone, is caused by chemicals from automobile exhaust interacting with sunlight. Ozone causes brown spots on the leaf and clogs its stomata, the microscopic openings that allow for respiration. This also leads to premature leaf drop.
Sulfur Dioxide
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Sulfur dioxide from cars and coal-burning power plants disrupts cell metabolism and causes membrane damage to the leaves, appearing as large bleached spots. It blocks stomata, slowing respiration and photosynthesis and causes leaf loss, stunts growth and reproduction leaving plants more vulnerable to herbivores.
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Acid Rain
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Acid rain is highly destructive to tree and plant life According to Windows to the Universe, sulfur dioxide pollution causes acid rain causing damage to plants in many ways including damaging roots, stunting growth or killing plants, destroying nutrients in the soil and damaging the waxy protective layer on leaves making plants vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Nitrogen Dioxide
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Nitrogen Dioxide from car exhaust, thermal power stations and pulp mills can cause brown or white lesions on the leaf and hinder photosynthesis, says Tropical-Rainforest-Animals.com.
Particulate Air Pollution
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Excessive dirt and dust in the air can also block the stomata of plants and slow respiration and photosynthesis as well as lead to park peeling and leaf necrosis (dead tissue).
Ammonia
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Ammonia emissions from livestock farms and fertilizer can dry out and discolor leaf tissue.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit exhaust fulmes image by bilderbox from Fotolia.com tree image by kuhar from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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