Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Ozone Stunting Tree Growth


Tree growth is about seven percent less now than in the 1800s, and will decrease by another ten percent by the end of the century. The ground level ozone pollution is decreasing the growth of trees in the temperate mid-latitudes.

Ozone pollution is greater now than before the Industrial Revolution. If this dependence on fossil fuels keeps going at the rate it is now then future ozone concentrations will be at least double current levels by the end of this century which could decrease the growth of trees even more.

The study is the first shown summary of experiments and measurement that show how ozone will damage the growth of trees.

Ozone is one of the strongest greenhouse gas, which gives to global warming, and pollutes the air which is one of the most damaging to plants. But it has the potential to leave more carbon dioxide, which is the strongest greenhouse gas of all, in the atmosphere by decreasing carbon assimilation in trees. Ozone pollution happens when nitrogen oxides have a photochemical reaction with volatile organic compounds.

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