Impacts of tropospheric ozone and airborne nitrogenous pollutants on natural and semi-natural ecosystems: a commentary

Man's activities pose a number of threats to the functioning, structure and diversity of natural and semi-natural ecosystems. One of the main threats is the increase in concentrations in air pollutants in this century (Wellburn, 1988; Tamm, 1991). This paper is a commentary on the effects of tropospheric ozone (O₃) and airborne nitrogen deposition (both oxidized (NO_x) and reduced (NH_y) compounds) on natural and semi-natural ecosystems, based upon the oral presentations and the discussions during the Symposium, extended with a personal overview and some suggestions about future challenges for research. The most important effects of these air pollutants on natural and semi-natural vegetation are summarized and evaluated in ecological terms, with respect to the functioning and structure of unaffected systems. Air pollutants are transported over both short and long distances (as far as a few thousand km) before being deposited on surface water, vegetation or soil. In this way, vegetation over a large area or in remote regions can be influenced by airborne pollutants (see Fowler et al . (1998); Asman, Sutton & Schjørring (1998)).