Crop loss due to air pollution in The Netherlands

The extent of yield reduction and economic loss caused by air pollution has been estimated for The Netherlands. Based on available data on direct effects only, each species was designated as sensitive, moderately sensitive or tolerant. On a nationwide scale, only ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and hydrogen fluoride (HF) exceeded effect thresholds. Effects from pollutant combinations were assumed to be additive. Yield reductions were calculated, using 10 exposure-response relationships and concentration data from the Dutch air pollution monitoring network. Changes in air pollution levels result in changes in supply. By multiplying the supply with the current price, the so-called crop volume was calculated. Subsequently, changes in crop volume were converted into economic terms, taking into account demand elasticity. On the basis of these calculations, air pollution in The Netherlands reduces total crop volume by 5%:3.4% by O3, 1.2% by SO2, and 0.4% by HF. The slope of the nonlinear relationship between crop volume reduction and exposure level increases at higher concentrations. In general, air pollution causes relatively little loss to producers, since yield reductions are largely compensated by higher prices. If air pollution in The Netherlands would be reduced to background concentrations, consumers would experience a net gain of Dfl 640 million (US 320 million dollars). Although large amounts of data were attained through literature and our own experience for this study, many assumptions still had to be made to arrive at these conclusions. With the current available knowledge, validation of our results in the field is not yet possible.     

Economic Assessment of the Effects of Air Pollution on Agricultural Crops in the San Joaquin Valley

Physical and economic impacts of 1978 ambient levels of ozone and sulfur dioxide on 33 crops In the San Joaquin Valley are estimated. The field data regression approach Is used and evaluated for estimating yield losses. The effects of alternative air pollution measures and regression functional forms are evaluated. An economic model is employed that accounts for both farm and market responses to yield improvements from reduced air pollution. Economic damages were estimated to exceed $100 million in 1978 with the biggest losers being the producers of cotton and producers and consumers of grapes, a crop that has heretofore been Ignored in agricultural assessments of pollution damage.     

Economic impacts of regional ozone standards on agricultural crops

Implementing ozone (O3) standards on regional air sheds on the basis of crop losses requires more precise analysis than statewide or even national assessments. An economic model that measures crop losses by air basins in California is described. The ability of the model to respond to subtle regional changes in O3 standards is tested. Substantial differences in economic benefits between different standards and regions result from the model simulations. Regional standards are shown to capture a large proportion of the benefits at a lower cost.     

Effect of air pollution on peri-urban agriculture: a case study

Peri-urban agriculture is vital for the urban populations of many developing countries. Increases in both industrialization and urbanization, and associated air pollution threaten urban food production and its quality. Six hour mean concentrations were monitored for SO(2), NO(2) and O(3) and plant responses were measured in terms of physiological characteristics, pigment, biomass and yield. Parameter reductions in mung bean (Vigna radiata), palak (Beta vulgaris), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and mustard (Brassica compestris) grown within the urban fringes of Varanasi, India correlated directly with the gaseous pollutants levels. The magnitude of response involved all three gaseous pollutants at peri-urban sites; O(3) had more influence at a rural site. The study concluded that air pollution in Varanasi could negatively influence crop yield.     

An assessment of the impact of ambient ozone on field-grown crops in New Jersey using the EDU method: part 2-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

The yields of eleven commercially grown soybean cultivars were compared in ethylenediurea (EDU)-treated and non-treated field plots in New Brunswick, New Jersey, over a 4 year period. No statistically significant difference between treatments was found for any cultivar; the inference being ambient ozone did not adversely affect soybean yield. Succeeding field experiments supported this interpretation of the data. 'Sanilac' white bean, a legume known to be more sensitive to O(3) than soybean, was found to produce a significantly greater yield in EDU-treated than non-treated plots, unlike a companion planting of 'Williams 82' soybean which did not exhibit the differential response. The results indicated that the specific EDU protocol used in the soybean experiments is capable of detecting an ozone effect in a legume. Moreover, in a concurrent greenhouse experiment the yield of EDU-treated Sanilac white bean was not significantly different from non-treated plants in the absence of ozone pollution. In a dose-response field experiment during a year of unusually high O(3) pollution, yield of 'Williams 82' increased slightly with each EDU increment up to 500 ppm and decreased at 1000 ppm. The difference between non-treated and EDU-treated plants, however, was not statistically significant. There was no evidence to suggest that the EDU concentration (500 ppm) used in previous soybean experiments reduced seed yield. Fortuitously, the tolerance of commercially-grown soybean to ambient ozone is at least partially conditioned by the practce of not irrigating the crop. The New Jersey results are in agreement with reports from Maryland, Georgia and Tennessee in which an adverse impact of ambient O(3) was not found in soybean, but contrary to a current predictive model.     

Modeling the impact of ozone x drought interactions on regional crop yields

The influence of soil moisture stress on crop sensitivity to O3 was evaluated for corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in the United States. This assessment was accomplished by using yield forecasting models to estimate the influence of soil moisture deficits on regional yield and a previously developed model to predict moisture stress x O3 interactions. Reduced crop sensitivity to O3 was predicted for those regions and years for which soil moisture stress reduced yield. The models predicted a drought-induced reduction in crop sensitivity to O3 of approximately 20% for the 1979 to 1983 period; i.e. a hypothetical O3-induced yield reduction of 5% for adequately watered crops would have been reduced to a 4% effect by the 1979 to 1983 distribution of soil moisture deficits. However, predicted drought effects varied between crops, regions, and years. Uncertainties in the model predictions are also discussed.     

Air quality and its possible impacts on the terrestrial ecosystems of the North American Great Plains: an overview

Over the past several decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the impacts of air pollutants (air quality) on terrestrial ecosystems (crops and forests). Although ambient air is always composed of pollutant mixtures, in determining the relative air quality and its ecosystem impacts at a given geographic location and time, a predominant number of studies have shown that at the present time surface-level O(3) is the most important phytotoxic air pollutant. Within the North American Great Plains, the precursors for surface-level O(3) are mainly anthropogenic NO(x) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Texas and Alberta are the top regions of such emissions in the United States and Canada, respectively. This appears to be due mainly to the prevalence of natural gas and/or oil industry in the two regions and the consequent urbanization. Nevertheless, the total emissions of NO(x) and VOCs within the North American Great Plains represent only about 25-36% of the corresponding total emissions within the contiguous United States and the whole of Canada. Within the Great Plains many major crop and tree species are known to be sensitive to O(3). This sensitivity assessment, however, is based mainly on our knowledge from univariate (O(3) only) exposure-plant response studies. In the context of global climate change, in almost all similar univariate studies, elevated CO(2) concentrations have produced increases in plant biomass (both crop and tree species). The question remains as to whether this stimulation will offset any adverse effects of elevated surface O(3) concentrations. Future research must address this important issue both for the Great Plains and for all other geographic locations, taking into consideration spatial and temporal variabilities in the ambient concentrations of the two trace gases.     

Long-term storage of sediments: Implications for sediment toxicity testing

A study using open-top chambers ventilated with ambient or charcoal-filtered air in the vicinity of Lahore, Pakistan, has demonstrated a reduction of 46.7% and 34.8% in the grain yield for two cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The 6-h daily mean O(3) concentrations were 25-45 nl litre(-1) and on the basis of experience in North America and Europe, reductions in yield in the present study are substantially greater than might be predicted. The reasons for this discrepancy are discussed, together with implications for the suitability of a simple, relatively cheap, open-top chamber system for developing-country studies on the effects of air pollution on crops.     

Amelioration of Indian urban air pollution phytotoxicity in Beta vulgaris L. by modifying NPK nutrients

Air pollution levels are increasing at an alarming rate in many developing countries, including India and causing a potential threat to crop production. Field experiments were conducted to examine the impact of urban air pollutants on biomass (yield) and some physiological and biochemical parameters of palak (Beta vulgaris L. var. All Green) that grew from germination to maturity at seven periurban sites of Allahabad city having different concentrations of air pollutants under different levels of nutrients. The 6h daily mean NO2, SO2 and O3 concentrations varied from 2.5 to 42.5, 10.6 to 65 and 3.5 to 30.8 microg m(-3), respectively at different locations. Levels of air pollution showed significant negative correlations with photosynthetic pigments, protein, ascorbic acid and starch contents and catalase activity of palak leaves. A significant negative correlation was found for total biomass with SO2 (r=-0.92), NO2 (r=-0.85) and O3 (r=-0.91) concentrations. The increased fertilizer application (N, P and K) over the recommended dose resulted in a positive response by reducing losses in photosynthetic pigments and total biomass. This study proved that ambient air pollution of Allahabad city is influencing negatively to the growth and yield of palak plants.     

Estimation of economic costs of particulate air pollution from road transport in China

Valuation of health effects of air pollution is becoming a critical component of the performance of cost–benefit analysis of pollution control measures, which provides a basis for setting priorities for action. Beijing has focused on control of transport emission as vehicular emissions have recently become an important source of air pollution, particularly during Olympic games and Post-games. In this paper, we conducted an estimation of health effects and economic cost caused by road transport-related air pollution using an integrated assessment approach which utilizes air quality model, engineering, epidemiology, and economics. The results show that the total economic cost of health impacts due to air pollution contributed from transport in Beijing during 2004–2008 was 272, 297, 310, 323, 298 million US$ (mean value), respectively. The economic costs of road transport accounted for 0.52, 0.57, 0.60, 0.62, and 0.58% of annual Beijing GDP from 2004 to 2008. Average cost per vehicle and per ton of PM₁₀ emission from road transport can also be estimated as 106 US $/number and 3584 US $ t^?1, respectively. These findings illustrate that the impact of road transport contributed particulate air pollution on human health could be substantial in Beijing, whether in physical and economic terms. Therefore, some control measures to reduce transport emissions could lead to considerable economic benefit.     

A risk assessment of potential agricultural losses due to ambient SO2 in the central regions of Chile

A risk assessment of the potential impacts of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) on the agriculture of central Chile was carried out, using Critical Levels (threshold values above which chronic effects may occur) set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE, 1993; Sanders et al., 1995), crop sensitivity studies, agricultural land-use data, and air quality data for several years. Ambient SO₂ concentrations around three copper smelters in this region were found to pose a significant risk to crops (such as cereals, staples and legumes) on both local and regional scales. Adverse effects on yield, growth and fruit production were considered possible. Frequent high exposure periods during winter months may also give rise to acute injury in sensitive species and/or crops maintained under optimum water conditions. This study identified high-risk areas, where additional monitoring as well as field studies would be beneficial, and has important policy implications, given the secondary SO₂ air quality standard currently in force in Chile.     

Economic damages of ozone air pollution to crops using combined air quality and GIS modelling

This study aims at presenting a combined air quality and GIS modelling methodological approach in order to estimate crop damages from photochemical air pollution, depict their spatial resolution and assess the order of magnitude regarding the corresponding economic damages. The analysis is conducted within the Greater Thessaloniki Area, Greece, a Mediterranean territory which is characterised by high levels of photochemical air pollution and considerable agricultural activity. Ozone concentration fields for 2002 and for specific emission reduction scenarios for the year 2010 were estimated with the Ozone Fine Structure model in the area under consideration. Total economic damage to crops turns out to be significant and estimated to be approximately 43 M€ for the reference year. Production of cotton presents the highest economic loss, which is over 16 M€, followed by table tomato (9 M€), rice (4.2 M€), wheat (4 M€) and oilseed rape (2.8 M€) cultivations. Losses are not spread uniformly among farmers and the major losses occur in areas with valuable ozone-sensitive crops. The results are very useful for highlighting the magnitude of the total economic impacts of photochemical air pollution to the area’s agricultural sector and can potentially be used for comparison with studies worldwide. Furthermore, spatial analysis of the economic damage could be of importance for governmental authorities and decision makers since it provides an indicative insight, especially if the economic instruments such as financial incentives or state subsidies to farmers are considered.     

Crop loss assessment for California: modeling losses with different ozone standard scenarios

Crop yield losses were estimated for ambient O3 concentrations and for a series of potential O3 air quality standards for California, including the current statewide 1-h oxidant (O3) standard of 0.10 ppm (196 microg m(-3)), 12-h growing season averages, and other models. A model for statewide losses was developed using hourly O3 data for all sites in the State, county crop productivity data, and available O3 concentration-yield loss equations to determine potential yield losses for each crop in each county in California for 1984. Losses were based on comparison to an estimated background filtered air concentration of 0.025 or 0.027 ppm, for 12 or 7 h, respectively. Potential losses due to ambient air in 1984 were estimated at 19% to 25% for dry beans, cotton, grapes, lemons, onions, and oranges. Losses of 5% to 9% were estimated for alfalfa and sweet corn. Losses of 4% or less were estimated for barley, field corn, lettuce, grain sorghum, rice, corn silage, spinach, strawberries, sugar beets, fresh tomatoes, processing tomatoes, and wheat. Implementation of either a modified rollback to meet the current 1 h California O3 standard (0.10 ppm) or a three-month, 12-h growing season average of 0.045 ppm was necessary to produce large reductions in potential crop losses.     

Wheat-kernel growth characteristics during exposure to chronic ozone pollution

Chronic exposure to ozone (O(3)) air pollution can reduce yield in wheat; however, little is known concerning the effects of O(3) stress on kernel development. A field study was conducted to investigate the effects of chronic O(3) exposure on kernel-growth components of two soft red winter-wheat genotypes (Seven and MD5518308). Five air-quality treatments, including charcoal-filtered air (CF), non-filtered air (NF), NF + 20, and NF + 40 and NF + 80 nl O(3) liter(-1) air were applied 4 h d(-1), 5 d wk(-1) through maturity. In the case of the NF + treatments, O(3) was added to existing ambient O(3) levels. Spike samples were collected 16, 20, 24, 28, and 32 days after anthesis (DAA). Linear and quadratic equations were fitted to kernel-weight data to estimate kernel-growth rate (KGR) and kernel-fill duration (KFD). Effective filling period (EFP) and assimilate utilization (AU) were also determined. Rates of growth for individual kernels were 0.74 mg d(-1) and 1.07 mg d(-1) for the NF + 80 and CF treatments, respectively. The NF + 80 nL litter(-1) O(3) treatment significantly reduced KGR and AU compared with the CF treatment. Severn had a significantly loger KFD than MD5518308, but O(3) had no significant effect on KFD of either genotype. Each genotype had similar EFP values, and O(3) had no significant effect on EFP. Linear relationships between O(3) exposure and kernel weight suggests that O(3) effects on kernel weight begin soon after anthesis in MD5518308, but, in Severn, O(3) has a greater effect on kernel weight during the later stages of kernel development. These data suggest that decreased economic yield associated with chronic O(3) exposure is primarily the result of decreased KGR.     

Effects of enhanced O3 and CO2 enrichment on plant characteristics in wheat and corn

The effects of CO(2) enrichment and O(3) induced stress on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) were studied in field experiments using open-top chambers to simulate the atmospheric concentrations of these two gases that are predicted to occur during the coming century. The experiments were conducted at Beltsville, MD, during 1991 (wheat and corn) and 1992 (wheat). Crops were grown under charcoal filtered (CF) air or ambient air + 40 nl liter(-1) O(3) (7 h per day, 5 days per week) having ambient CO(2) concentration (350 microl liter(-1) CO(2)) or + 150 microl liter(-1) CO(2) (12 h per day.). Averaged over O(3) treatments, the CO(2)-enriched environment had a positive effect on wheat grain yield (26% in 1991 and 15% in 1992) and dry biomass (15% in 1991 and 9% in 1992). Averaged over CO(2) treatments, high O(3) exposure had a negative impact on wheat grain yield (-15% in 1991 and -11% in 1992) and dry biomass (-11% in 1991 and -9% in 1992). Averaged over CO(2) treatments, high O(3) exposure decreased corn grain yield by 9%. No significant interactive effects were observed for either crop. The results indicated that CO(2) enrichment had a beneficial effect in wheat (C(3) crop) but not in corn (C(4) crop). It is likely that the O(3)-induced stress will be diminished under increased atmospheric CO(2) concentrations; however, maximal benefits in crop production in wheat in response to CO(2) enrichment will not be materialized under concomitant increases in tropospheric O(3) concentration.     

Crop loss due to ambient ozone in the Tennessee Valley

Rural and urban ozone (O3) monitoring data for the Tennessee Valley and crop loss models developed under the National Crop Loss Assessment Network (NCLAN) were used to estimate potential yield reductions for winter wheat, corn, soybean, cotton, and tobacco during the 1982 to 1984 growing seasons. Reductions from 0 to 20% of potential crop yields were estimated due to ambient O3. Rural O3 exposures measured in the Tennessee Valley were significantly higher than the measured urban exposures, suggesting that spatial interpolation from urban O3 records may underestimate rural O3 and thereby potential crop loss. Seasonal mean O3 exposures were highest in summer 1983, and similar in 1982 and 1984. Although a consistent inverse relationship was found between measured crop yields in the Tennessee Valley and seasonal O3 exposures, annual variation in yields was much greater than attributable to the annual variation in O3. Moisture stress, as indicated by the Palmer Drought Severity Indices, is likely the major determinant for yields of nonirrigated crops. This is consistent with field studies that demonstrate that ambient O3 levels can reduce crop yields under ideal soil moisture conditions, but cause little to no detectable yield reduction for nonirrigated crops. These models could be improved if crop response to O3 were allowed to vary as a function of environmental factors such as moisture stress.     

Growth and nutritive quality of Poa pratensis as influenced by ozone and competition

Interspecific plant competition has been hypothesized to alter effects of early-season ozone (O3) stress. A phytometer-based approach was utilized to investigate O3 effects on growth and nutritive quality of Poa pratensis grown in monoculture and in mixed cultures with four competitor-plant species (Anthoxanthum odoratum, Achillea millefolium, Rumex acetosa and Veronica chamaedrys). Mesocosms were exposed during April/May 2000-2002 to charcoal-filtered air+25 ppb O3 (control) or non-filtered air+50 ppb O3 (elevated O3). Biomass production was not affected by O3, but foliar injury symptoms were observed in May 2002. Early-season O3 exposure decreased relative food value of P. pratensis by an average of 8%, which is sufficient to have nutritional implications for its utilization by herbivores. However, forage quality response to O3 was not changed by interspecific competition. Lack of injury and nutritive quality response in P. pratensis harvested in September may reflect recovery from early-season O3 exposure.     

Analysis of air quality in Dire Dawa,Ethiopia

Ambient air quality was monitored and analyzed to develop air quality index and its implications for livability and climate change in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. Using survey research design, 16 georeferenced locations, representing different land uses, were randomly selected and assessed for sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO),volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and meteorological parameters (temperature and relative humidity). The study found mean concentrations across all land uses for SO₂ of 0.37 ± 0.08 ppm, NO₂ of 0.13 ± 0.17 ppm, CO₂ of 465.65 ± 28.63 ppm, CO of 3.35 ± 2.04 ppm, and VOCs of 1850.67 ± 402 ppm. An air quality index indicated that ambient air quality for SO₂ was very poor, NO₂ ranged from moderate to very poor, whereas CO rating was moderate. Significant positive correlations existed between temperature and NO₂, CO₂, and CO and between humidity and VOCs. Significant relationships were also recorded between CO₂ and NO₂ and between CO and CO₂. Poor urban planning, inadequate pollution control measure, and weak capacity to monitor air quality have implications for energy usage, air quality, and local meteorological parameters, with subsequent feedback into global climate change. Implementation of programs to monitor and control emissions in order to reduce air pollution will provide health, economic, and environmental benefits to the city.

Implications: The need to develop and implement emission control programs to reduce air pollution in Dire Dawa City is urgent. This will provide enormous economic, health, and environmental benefits. It is expected that economic effects of air quality improvement will offset the expenditures for pollution control. Also, strategies that focus on air quality and climate change present a unique opportunity to engage different stakeholders in providing inclusive and sustainable development agenda for Dire Dawa.     

PLATIN (plant-atmosphere interaction) II: Co-occurrence of high ambient ozone concentrations and factors limiting plant absorbed dose

There is an ongoing debate as to which components of the ambient ozone (O3) exposure dynamics best explain adverse crop yield responses. A key issue is regarding the importance of peak versus mid-range hourly ambient O3 concentrations. While in this paper the importance of peak atmospheric O3 concentrations is not discounted, if they occur at a time when plants are conducive for uptake, the corresponding importance of more frequently occurring mid-range O3 concentrations is described. The probability of co-occurrence of high O3 concentrations and O3 uptake limiting factors is provided using coherent data sets of O3 concentration, air temperature, air humidity, mean horizontal wind velocity and global radiation measured at representative US and German air quality monitoring sites. Using the PLant-ATmosphere INteraction (PLATIN) model, the significance of the aforementioned meteorological parameters on ozone uptake is examined. In addition, the limitations of describing the O3 exposure for plants under ambient, chamberless conditions by SUM06, AOT40 or W126 exposure indices are discussed.     

Ozone air quality over north america: part II--an analysis of trend detection and attribution techniques

Assessment of regulatory programs aimed at improving ambient O3 air quality is of considerable interest to the scientific community and to policymakers. Trend detection, the identification of statistically significant long-term changes, and attribution, linking change to specific climatological and anthropogenic forcings, are instrumental to this assessment. Detection and attribution are difficult because changes in pollutant concentrations of interest to policymakers may be much smaller than natural variations due to weather and climate. In addition, there are considerable differences in reported trends seemingly based on similar statistical methods and databases. Differences arise from the variety of techniques used to reduce nontrend variation in time series, including mitigating the effects of meteorology and the variety of metrics used to track changes. In this paper, we review the trend assessment techniques being used in the air pollution field and discuss their strengths and limitations in discerning and attributing changes in O3 to emission control policies.