18 Jan 2013
AUBURN – Discovery Channel’s interview to Dr. Hanqin Tian concerns about the recent urban pollution in China and its impact on plants. In a Discovery news related to China’s increasing air pollution and its effect on rural plants, Dr. Tian said that there has been a 16-fold increase in ozone pollution in Beijing area. Such increase in air pollution has been found to decrease plant productivity and offset carbon uptake by plants.
Dr. Arthur Chappelka, also a plant researcher at the International Center for Climate and Global Change Research, Auburn University said that plants that are living today in long-polluted urban areas would be those that are pollution tolerant.
“Maintaining air quality is critical for human health, plants and ecosystem sustainability” said Dr. Tian. Increasing air pollution would substantially affect the crop production and food security of China. Thus, researchers urge the Chinese government to take action to reduce emission from cars and industries.