By Lauren Eskin
Article By Dr Richard Payne & Professor Nancy Dise
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/45580
Summary: A
recent study conducted in various locations all over Europe has shown that high
levels of nitrogen are greatly decreasing the quantity of many species of
plants. This especially applies to wildflowers, such as the harebell shown
above. Although this is not particularly common knowledge, it is even less
likely for people to know about the discovery that in certain places, lower
levels of air pollution are actually decreasing the amount of plants in some
species. Even levels “below
the legally-recognized 'safe' level,” as stated in the article. This is assumed
to be because ecosystems have already been exposed to higher levels of
pollution for so long that they are accustomed to it, therefore are being
negatively affected by the drop in air pollution as people are taking action
against it. This, along with the nitrogen issue are not widely recognized, but
they still need to be dealt with. Nitrogen pollution had caused big problems
for countries in Europe, costing them billions a year, although the amount has
been reduced by the decrease in the burning of fossil fuels.
Opinion/Reflection: I thought it was strange to see a
new side of the general air pollution problems I hear about often. I never
thought that the decrease in pollution could actually be killing some species
of plants and flowers. However I feel that the high nitrogen levels are even
more important, and more action needs to be taken to bring them down. We can
really try to limit our burning of fossil fuels, because it is a major contributor
to this issue. Keeping these plants alive will do more than just make the world
look prettier- it will keep the ecosystem in check. Every living thing has a
place in the ecosystem, and these different pollution issues could really be
upsetting the natural balance of things. It is so important to be
environmentally conscious, and this is just one example why.
Questions:
1 – What are the two factors contributing to the decrease in plant
species across Europe?
2 – What is one way to decrease the amount of nitrogen pollution in
the air?
3 – Explain why losing these plants has an impact on the environment
in general.
4 – Are there any other factors you think might be contributing to
this problem?
5 – Explain why the decrease of air pollution may actually be killing
species of plants and flowers.
Professional Invited: Professor Nancy Dise
ReplyDeleteNancy Dise has a Bachelor's degree in biology, a Master's degree in Environmental Science, and a PhD. In 2005, she became the Professor and Chair of Environmental Science at Manchestor Metropolitian University's Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences. I chose to invite her because she is well studied in what we are learning now. She has researched many topics we are learning like greenhouse gases, atmospheric pollution, and the nitrogen cycle. I felt that if she did comment it would be a well researched opinion and that it would be valued.
Dear Professor Nancy Dise,
My name is Sarah Moore and I am a 9th grader. Currently I am in an Environmental Science class and one of our assignments is to create a blog with a small group of people in our class. One girl in my class posted an article you wrote called "Wildflowers at risk from ’safe’ levels of pollutions". I researched your name a little and found you are very successful in the environmental science field. In our class we are learning about global warming and greenhouse gases and these, i noticed, are some of the things you research. I understand that you are probably very busy, but it would be extremely beneficially to my class if you would comment in our blog. Saying you opinion or really anything would be greatly appreciated. I will leave the link to the blog below. Thank you so much and I hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely, Sarah Moore
http://greenisthenewblack11.blogspot.com/2013/02/wildflowers-at-risk-from-safe-levels-of.html
This article was very interesting to me i never knew that trying to help the environment can kill plants that are accustomed to it. This proves how the pollution in other countries can effect the whole entire environment, and in this case the decrease in pollution was supposedly a good thing but now because of the plants dying it has become a very debatable topic. If the populations levels from the past can make such an impact in the atmosphere, i wonder how China's environment will be like if they decrease there populations. This is both fascinating and frightening to me because the world is trying to help the environment and that is causing deaths of flowers and plants.
ReplyDeleteQuestions.
1.Will this effect carry on even more when the pollution gets better and better every year?
2.What will be the scientists initial response?
3.Will Europe do anything differently when they hear about this news?
4.Do you think that anything else could have killed there plants and flowers?
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1046/j.1365-2745.1998.8650717.x/asset/j.1365-2745.1998.8650717.x.pdf?v=1&t=hdcg7czb&s=ef931009a58c74e632c90919b2e241a36d6bdc86&systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+on+23+February+from+10%3A00-12%3A00+BST+%2805%3A00-07%3A00+EDT%29+for+essential+maintenance
ReplyDeleteThe article I found was an entry from The Journal of Ecology. This entry was all about some of the different ways nitrogen effects ecosystems in semi-natural and natural environments. I thought that it was really cool to see these effects, some of them being through vegetation, soil, and water freshness from different types of water ecosystems including bogs and wetlands.
1 - What are the two factors contributing to the decrease in plant species across Europe?
ReplyDeleteThe two main factors that could be contributing to the decrease in plant species across Europe are high levels of nitrogen and air pollution. High levels of nitrogen in areas like central Britain, the Netherlands, and northern Germany, could cause wildflower species to become less abundant in those areas. Air pollution caused by these high levels of nitrogen are thought to be free by areas long way from high levels of pollution, however, these areas may have been affected as a result.
2 – What is one way to decrease the amount of nitrogen pollution in the air?
A possible plan to decrease the huge amount of nitrogen pollution in the air is to reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned by humans. Fossil fuels burned by humans produce more CO2 in the air and might have released tons of nitrogen in the process. This causes air pollution that could have caused wildflower species to suddenly vanish, and by reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned, there is a better chance that the wildflower species can survive and recover from the possibility of extinction.
1.Will this effect carry on even more when the pollution gets better and better every year?
As the amount of pollution increases every year, it is most likely possible that the decrease of wildflower species will carry on and eventually cause the extinction of the wildflower species in Europe, but maybe in North America and other areas where wildflower species exist. Air pollution is a main contributor to this decrease, and there is a possibility that it will cause the extinction of the wildflower species as time passes, and for each day we remain silent, more pollution levels increase rapidly over time, and eventually will cause the wildflowers to vanish from existence and eventually cause most likely every species of flower to die. If us humans cannot do anything about this situation, then it is most likely that wildflower species will be helpless as pollution levels start to reach the extremely danger zones of extinction.