Air pollution and climate change impact on forest ecosystems in Asian region – a review

Abstract

Forests are complex ecosystems comprising various trophic levels responsible for carrying out various biogeochemical processes and providing ecosystem services. However, forests in Asia are doubly challenged by climate change and air pollution. The rapidly changing air quality, with increasing concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs), trace gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ozone (O 3 ) also causes global warming leading to climate change, thus jointly creating a challenging condition for the forest ecosystem. The impact on forest ecosystems of the two anthropogenic stressors, viz., climate change and air pollution, requires global attention. These two stressors have been widely studied separately but their combined impact on the forest ecosystem has not been studied extensively, particularly in the Asian region. In this review article, we attempt to explore the importance of interlinking air pollution and climate change impact on Asian forests, by studying the decline of different forest types as a background and markers of forest ecosystem degradation. Our main aim is to understand and summarise the past and ongoing research in this area and to facilitate researchers and policymakers to upgrade their research, policies, and management strategies in the area of integration of air pollution and climate change impact on forest ecosystems in the Asian region.

Adsorption of particulate matter and uptake of metal and non-metal elements from PM in leaves of Pinus densiflora and Quercus acutissima: a comparative study

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Environmental, energy security, and energy equity (3E) benefits of net-zero emission strategy in a developing country: A case study of Nepal

“…This study considers the seven major air pollutants emission which are responsible for the negative effects on the public health, crops yield, forest and other socio-economic and environmental effects (Karlsson et al, 2020;Nakarmi et al, 2020;Sonwani et al, 2022). The air pollutants considered in this study are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compound, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, black carbon, and organic carbon.…”

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“…The county has severe air pollution that triggers climate change and vice-versa. Air pollution and climate change, are closely intertwined (Singh and Yadav, 2021;Sonwani et al, 2022b). Matyssek et al (2012), described air pollution as a component of climate change.…”

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