The Effects of Air Pollution on Biodiversity: A Synopsis

Thousands of chemicals are commonly used throughout the world for industrial, agricultural, and domestic purposes with many new ones being produced yearly (Maugh 1991; Schroeder and Lane 1988). The majority of these chemicals, many of which are toxic or radiatively active, eventually enter into the atmosphere and may pose a risk to the wellbeing of plants, animals, and microorganisms. The consequences of air pollution to biota and the resulting impacts on biodiversity are not clearly known; only fragmentary information is available. The purpose of this book is to evaluate what is known, identify information gaps, explore policy issues, and provide direction for research.