A U.S. environmental study has revealed what most people had already suspected -- that excessive air pollution along the eastern United States is having a severe impact on the region's ecosystems.
Photo: Cloud Factory. Credit: Abulic Monkey/Flickr
The "Threats From Above: Air Pollution Impacts on Ecosystems and Biological Diversity in the Eastern United States" report has been issued by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and The Nature Conservancy, and is the first of its kind to analyse the effects of four air pollutants across a broad range of habitats.
The report concluded that air pollution is degrading every major ecosystem type in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic United States.
"Everywhere we looked, we found evidence of air pollution harming natural resources," commented Dr. Gary M. Lovett, an ecologist at the Cary Institute and the lead author of the report. "Decisive action is needed if we plan on preserving functioning ecosystems for future generations."
The pollutants which were assessed (sulphur, nitrogen, mercury, and ground-level ozone), though initially expelled in the air having originated from vehicle exhaust pipes, chimneys and agricultural operations, eventually found their way into the environment through the ground.
These toxins then worked their way up into the food chain, resulting in contamination for vulnerable wildlife, forest productivity, soil health, water resources, with ultimately a bad result for people and economies, according to the Cary Institute.
Co-author of the report Dr. Timothy H. Tear of The Nature Conservancy, describes the damage the pollutants cause:
"Deposited pollutants have tangible human impacts. Mercury contamination results in fish that are unsafe to eat. Acidification kills fish and strips nutrients from soils. Excess nitrogen pollutes estuaries, to the detriment of coastal fisheries. And ground-level ozone reduces plant growth, a threat to forestry and agriculture."
The report calls on the U.S. Government to address these concerns. Currently pollutants are measured, and managed, in direct relation to their effect on human health and do not take into account where air pollution damages soil or water resources.
"To safeguard ecosystem health, we need a new way of thinking about air pollution -- one that moves beyond measuring what is put up in the air, and captures actual impacts to natural areas, wildlife, and the services they provide," Lovett noted.
View the report here.
For interactive online content concerning the report (including a Q&A), click here.
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