Current and future ozone risks to global terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem processes

Fuhrer, Jürg; Martin, Maria Val; Mills, Gina; Heald, Colette L.; Harmens, Harry; Hayes, Felicity ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1037-5725; Sharps, Katrina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3265-1505; Bender, Jürgen; Ashmore, Mike R.. 2016 Current and future ozone risks to global terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Ecology and Evolution, 6 (24). 8785-8799. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2568

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Abstract/Summary

Risks associated with exposure of individual plant species to ozone (O3) are well documented, but implications for terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem processes have received insufficient attention. This is an important gap because feedbacks to the atmosphere may change as future O3 levels increase or decrease, depending on air quality and climate policies. Global simulation of O3 using the Community Earth System Model (CESM) revealed that in 2000, about 40% of the Global 200 terrestrial ecoregions (ER) were exposed to O3 above thresh-olds for ecological risks, with highest exposures in N America and S Europe, where there is field evidence of adverse effects of O3, and in central Asia. Experimental studies show that O3 can adversely affect the growth and flowering of plants, and alter species composition and richness, although some communities can be resilient. Additional effects include changes in water flux regulation, pollination efficiency, and plant pathogen development. Recent research is unravelling a range of effects belowground, including changes in soil invertebrates, plant litter quantity and quality, decomposition, and nutrient cycling and carbon pools. Changes are likely slow and may take decades to become detectable. CESM simulations for 2050 show that O3 exposure under emission scenario RCP8.5 increases in all major biomes, and that policies represented in scenario RCP4.5 do not lead to a general reduction in O3 risks; rather, 50% of ERs still show an increase in exposure. Although a conceptual model is lacking to extrapolate documented effects to ERs with limited or no local information, and there is uncertainty about interactions with nitrogen input and climate change, the analysis suggests that in many ERs O3 risks will persist for biodiversity at different trophic levels, and for a range of ecosystem processes and feedbacks, which deserves more attention when assessing ecological implications of future atmospheric pollution and climate change.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2568
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Emmett
ISSN:	2045-7758
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	air pollution, atmospheric feedback, Community Earth System Model, G200 ecoregions, global climate change, species diversity
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Atmospheric Sciences Botany
Related URLs:	Project Website
Date made live:	09 Dec 2016 12:20 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/515461

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