Impacts of Air Pollutants on Forest Ecosystem and Role in Ecological Imbalance

It is a matter of concern that air pollutants such as oxides of sulfur, carbon, nitrogen, and ozone can alter the physiological functioning and metabolism of plants, which in turn affects the patterns of growth. The uptake of air pollutants mainly occurs through leaves which damages the leaf cuticles and creates disturbance in stomatal conductance. They also affect the rate of photosynthesis, respiration, allocation of carbon within the plant, and leaf longevity. Plant responses are the result of interactions among air pollutants, pathogens, and abiotic factors. Fine biotic interactions within the forest have more effect on species composition and competitions in the forest than the direct effects of air pollution. Air pollutants stimulate the change in climate, and it may weaken plant defense and make them more susceptible for the pathogens, herbivores, or insect pests. These interactions can also change the gene pool of the tree population, alter the composition of species, increase the species competition, and impair the balance of ecosystem. Soil quality of the forest is progressively deteriorated by air pollution due to nutrient leaching which results in a decline in forest health. Nitrogen saturation of terrestrial ecosystems causes nutrient imbalances and change in nitrogen cycle which in turn reduce the forest health. The present chapter focuses on the various types of common air pollutants and their sources and impact on the forest ecosystem.

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1. Department of Botany, Hindu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India Savita

1. Savita

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Editors and Affiliations

1. Geological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India Shani Tiwari
2. Department of Environmental Sciences, Hindu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India Pallavi Saxena

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Savita (2021). Impacts of Air Pollutants on Forest Ecosystem and Role in Ecological Imbalance. In: Tiwari, S., Saxena, P. (eds) Air Pollution and Its Complications. Springer Atmospheric Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70509-1_8

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