Air Monitoring Helps Anticipate Possible Ecosystem Changes
Sunday, June 29, 2008 - 16:28
in Earth & Climate
When rain settles the atmosphere and brings air pollutants to the ground, it can have a lasting effect on ecosystems, sometimes hundreds of miles away. All ecosystems receive some atmospheric inputs, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. The plant and animal life dominant to that region thrives because it has adapted to a particular rate of those nutrients. When the nutrient load changes, it can change the competitive ability of a species and allow different ones to thrive where they once were not competitive. The effects extend from major animal life such as deer down to the smallest bacteria.