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1 Air Pollution and Impacts on Ecosystems - an Overview Pat Ellsworth & Alissa Dickerson.

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Presentation on theme: "1 Air Pollution and Impacts on Ecosystems - an Overview Pat Ellsworth & Alissa Dickerson."— Presentation transcript:

1 1 Air Pollution and Impacts on Ecosystems - an Overview Pat Ellsworth & Alissa Dickerson

2 2 Introduction Ecosystems Air pollution Interaction Reality Regulation & policy

3 3 Ecosystems Functioning units of nature An ecosystem includes Plants Animals Micro-organisms Non-biological components Climate and weather

4 4 Ecosystems (cont.) Physical & biological relationships Cyclic Complex interactions Spatial boundaries Identifiable Crossing political boundaries Fundamental sustenance Supports life

5 5 Air Pollution Factors that make air pollution a concern Types Emission sources Transport Deposition

6 6 Types: Criteria Pollutants NAAQS for 6 pollutants Particulates Nitrogen oxides Sulfur dioxide Carbon monoxide Ozone Lead

7 7 Types: 187 Air Toxics  Benzene Toluene Perchloroethylene (PERC) Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Radionuclides (including radon) Various pesticides Mercury

8 8 Types: GHGs Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) Methane (CH 4 ) Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) CFCs Water vapor

9 9 Emission Sources Natural Human-made (anthropogenic)

10 10 Receptors Air Land Water Biosphere Plankton Plants Gills and lungs

11 11 Exposure Dose Time Acute Chronic Effect

12 12 Interaction Various scales Local to continental Weather Day to day Temperature driven Climate Weather over long time

13 13 Reality Real life impacts include Pollutants in atmosphere Transport  Reaction  Deposition Accumulation Land, water Allows for re-entrainment in atmosphere Imbalance Natural cycles

14 14 Reality (cont.) Cascading effects Bioaccumulation Acidification Changes in ecosystem composition Extinction Habitat loss Landscape devastation Climate change

15 15 Reality (cont.) Air pollution impacts on tribal ecosystems Traditional Hunting & fishing Harvesting Social & economic Basketweaving Selling goods Environmental & land management

16 16 Regulation & Policy Environmental regulations & policy Clean Air Act (NAAQS, MACT) Clean Water Act Resource Conservation & Recovery Act National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pollution Prevention Act Toxic Substance Control Act

17 17 Summary Many types of ecosystems Air pollution impacts complex Driving force is interaction Utilize regulation & policy as tools Lots to learn


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