This book focuses upon air pollution, types of air pollutants and their impact on plant physiological and biochemical systems. The book begins with a brief background on air pollution and continues with a discussion on different types, effects, and solutions to the pollution. The chapters that follow, explore the different effects of pollution on chloroplasts, respiration, biochemistry and physiology of plant cells. Moreover, it covers the basic concepts of atmospheric transport and transformations of pollutants, and issues of global change and the use of science in air pollution policy formulation. It also emphasises about the effects of air pollutants in altering plant response to common stresses, both abiotic and biotic - fields by giving the focus on the physiology of plant. This book act as a valuable tool for students in Environmental Science, Biological Science and Agriculture. It will be unique to environmental consultants, researchers and other professionals involved in air quality and plant related research. During past few decades, air pollution and poor air quality have been the issues of common concerns. Degraded air has adverse effects on various system of plants by creating a stress which develops biochemical and physiological disorder in plants. Chronic diseases and/or lower yield have reported consequences of air pollution effect. A large number of biochemical and physiological parameters have been used to assess impact of air pollution on plant health. Photosynthetic machinery and respiratory system are the most affected domain of plants. However, the survival of plants depend on various internal and external factors such as plant community, types of air pollutants, geographical region, meteorological conditions and soil moisture etc. Plants respond to both biotic and abiotic stresses accordingly. Many tolerant plants survive easily even in higher air pollution region. Certain plant species absorbs selected gaseous air pollutants and hence plants are effective tool for air pollution remediation.

One of the most problematic issues confronting societies today is the massive transformations of the environment throughout the world. The challenge of maintaining a sustainable environment is the most pressing issue of our time.

This book reviews current topics on plant metabolism of air pollutants and elevated CO2, responses of whole plants and plant ecosystems, genetics and molecular biology for functioning improvement, experimental ecosystems and climate change research, global carbon-cycle monitoring in plant ecosystems, and other important issues. The authors, conducting research in Europe, the United States, Australia, and East Asia, present a wealth of information on their work in the field.

Responses of Plants to Air Pollution examines the effects of air pollutants, individually and synergistically, on both higher and lower plants. The subject matter overlaps into a wide range of disciplines including agronomy, plant anatomy, biochemistry, cryptogamic botany, ecology, entomology, forestry, horticulture, landscape architecture, meteorology, microscopy, plant pathology, plant physiology, and soil science. The opening chapter presents an overview of sources of air pollution, costs of air pollution, and mechanisms of pollution injury to plants. Separate chapters on sulfur dioxide, ozone, fluorides, peroxyacyl nitrates, oxides of nitrogen, and particulates follow. Subsequent chapters are devoted to plant responses to combinations of pollutants; to effects of pollutants on plant ultrastructure, on forests, and on lichens and bryophytes; to interactions of pollutants with canopies of vegetation; to interactions of pollutants and plant diseases; and to interactions of pollutants with agricultural practices. This book will be useful to scientists in many disciplines as well as those who share the concern that clean air can no longer be expected to be the normal environment for plants or animals. The book will also be a valuable a reference work or text for upper level undergraduate students, graduate students, researchers, and growers of plants.

Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management presents the latest insights, reflecting the significant progress that has been made in understanding plant responses to various changing environmental impacts, as well as strategies for alleviating their adverse effects, including abiotic stresses. Growing from a focus on plants and their ability to respond, adapt, and survive, Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management addresses options for mitigating those responses to ensure maximum health and growth. Researchers and advanced students in environmental sciences, plant ecophysiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, nano-pollution climate change, and soil pollution will find this an important foundational resource. - Covers both responses and adaptation of plants to altered environmental states - Illustrates the current impact of climate change on plant productivity, along with mitigation strategies - Includes transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and ionomic approaches

Climate Change: Evidence and Causes is a jointly produced publication of The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society. Written by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists and reviewed by climate scientists and others, the publication is intended as a brief, readable reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and other individuals seeking authoritative information on the some of the questions that continue to be asked. Climate Change makes clear what is well-established and where understanding is still developing. It echoes and builds upon the long history of climate-related work from both national academies, as well as on the newest climate-change assessment from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It touches on current areas of active debate and ongoing research, such as the link between ocean heat content and the rate of warming.

This book provides a unique overview of research methods over the past 25 years assessing critical loads and temporal effects of the deposition of air pollutants. It includes critical load methods and applications addressing acidification, eutrophication and heavy metal pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Applications include examples for each air pollution threat, both at local and regional scale, including Europe, Asia, Canada and the US. The book starts with background information on the effects of the deposition of sulphur, nitrogen and heavy metals and geochemical and biological indicators for risk assessments. The use of those indicators is then illustrated in the assessment of critical loads and their exceedances and in the temporal assessment of air pollution risks. It also includes the most recent developments of assessing critical loads and current and future risks of soil and water chemistry and biodiversity under climate change, with a special focus on nitrogen. The book thus provides a complete overview of the knowledge that is currently used for the scientific support of policies in the field of air pollution control to protect ecosystem services.