Question

How do gaseous pollutants affect vegetation?

Answer 1

1. Gaseous pollutants affect plants’ physiological processes, such as stomatal opening, photosynthesis, water relations, respiration, and enzyme systems.
2. Sulphur dioxide causes chronic injury, necrosis, and chlorosis; it interferes directly with photosynthesis and respiration. Sensitive crops include cotton, wheat, barley, apple, spinach, beets, celery, tobacco, pepper, lettuce, alfalfa, and primrose.
3. Carbon monoxide inhibits cellular respiration in plants.
4. Fluorides can produce acute lesions and interfere with photosynthesis and respiration.
5. Increased ozone concentrations reduce crop yield and cause visible leaf injuries (white or brown flecks and blotches), as well as tip burn in pine seedlings.
6. Nitrogen oxides cause leaf injury and growth retardation and contribute to acid rain, increasing soil acidity and harming land flora and aquatic life.
7. Hydrocarbons induce abnormal growth effects such as epinasty and mutation inhibition in some plants.
8. Air pollution inhibits the growth of lichens and moss, acting as indicators of pollution damage.