Ecosystems

Clair, Thomas A.; Burns, Douglas A.; Pérez, Isaac Enríquez; Blais, Jules M.; Percy, Kevin E.

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-0304-9_6

Cited by 5 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 406 publications

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“…The impact of such constraints is difficult to measure in the Earth system. There is little evidence of substantial influence of anthropogenic S emissions on the global S cycle; however, local or regional ecological elements of this cycle are modified (e.g., Clair et al, 2011). Epidemiological studies of direct human health response to SO x reductions are rare; two examples of population health improvement with reduced SO 4 have appeared in the recent literature (e.g., Pope et al, 2007Pope et al, , 2009.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These studies document improvement in population health with reduction in SO 4 , but are controversial, particularly in relation to the air quality data used by the authors. Aqueous ecosystems have shown a response in eastern North America (Clair et al, 2011), but terrestrial ecosystem response to SO x deposition appears to be slow and weakly documented relative to atmospheric change. Both the human and ecosystem responses are likely to be slow to emerge and difficult to establish in proportion to SO x reductions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The loadings provide a basis for reducing SO x and other pollutant levels, including nitrogen species, to conditions that would have no "significant" effect on the exposed systems (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority -NYSERDA, 2014). In North America, most of the initial research on this concept derived from European and Canadian investigators and emerged in regulatory discussions in the 1980s (e.g., Clair et al, 2011). Later, many US ecologists embraced the idea of critical loads.…”

Section: Historical Context Of Sulfur Oxide Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In affected regions, SO x contributes to S mass fluxes and modifies the S cycle (e.g., Friend, 1973;Lens, 2009). Exposure to anthropogenic SO x adversely affects some terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (e.g., Clair et al, 2011) and human health (e.g., Krewski et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The changing face of lower tropospheric sulfur oxides in the United States

Hidy¹,

Blanchard²

2016

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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Sulfur oxides, sulfur dioxide and airborne sulfate, SO x , are short-lived species in the troposphere whose concentrations in air and precipitation have changed dramatically in association with fossil fuel combustion. The historic rise in concentration is coincident with the era of the so-called "Anthropocene." Unlike concentrations of long-lived species such as carbon dioxide, atmospheric SO x in the United States (US) peaked between 1970 and 2005 then declined. The rise and fall of SO x is traced by comparing national data on emission changes, ambient concentrations, and precipitation sulfate from prior to World War II to the present. Surface SO x concentrations and precipitation sulfate have decreased with emissions in most parts of the US after the late 1970s. Continued reduction toward a natural "background" condition has depended on aggressive management of anthropogenic emission sources. Annual average ambient concentrations of SO 2 and SO 4 have become more uniform across the US at levels of 1-3 ppbv and 0.3-3 µg/m 3 , respectively. Precipitation SO 4 has a nominal concentration generally less than 0.5 mg/L. The effective lifetime of SO x in the troposphere is a few days. This duration limits the spatial extent of emission source influence of SO x to regional scales, wherein spatial gradients in species concentrations lead to variations in human exposure and impacts on vulnerable terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The effects of domestic emission reductions on SO x levels are moderated by intra-and intercontinental transport of SO x from Canada, Mexico, Asia and elsewhere. The trends in tropospheric SO x concentrations illustrate the results of more than a century of rising public awareness and action to progressively reduce a US environmental risk, accomplished with advances in energy production technology that have maintained economic well-being.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Historical Context Of Sulfur Oxide Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The changing face of lower tropospheric sulfur oxides in the United States

Hidy¹,

Blanchard²

2016

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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“…Ambient air is a major pathway for delivery of inorganic and organic pollutants to the AOS terrestrial and aquatic systems (~10% of AOS surface area). Clair et al (2011) and Chow and Watson (2011) provided recent reviews of multi-pollutant air quality management including ecosystems. Until 2008, the core mandate of WBEA was air quality monitoring for compliance, attribution and community health purposes.…”

Section: Linking Air Emissions With Ecosystem Receptorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geoscience of Climate and Energy 11. Ambient Air Quality and Linkage to Ecosystems in the Athabasca Oil Sands, Alberta

Percy

2013

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In 2010, there were 91 active oil sands projects in the Athabasca Oil Sands, Alberta where the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association monitors air quality and related environmental impacts. In 2012, ambient air concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ammonia did not exceed the Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives. There was one exceedance of these objectives for ground-level ozone, and 62 exceedances for fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 microns. There were 170 exceedances of the 1-hour hydrogen sulphide / total reduced sulphur odour threshold. The number of hourly exceedances has decreased since 2009, yet odours remain a serious concern in some communities. Based on the Air Quality Health Index (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter), the risk from ambient air quality to human health from some pollutants was calculated to be low 96% to 98% of the time depending upon monitoring location, moderate 1% to 3.4%, high ≤ 0.4%, and very high ≤ 0.2% of the year. In a highly regulated setting like the Alberta oil sands, it is critical for stakeholders to quantify the spatial influences of emission source types to explain any consequential environmental effects. Source apportionment studies successfully matched source chemical fingerprints with those measured in terrestrial lichens throughout the region. Forensic receptor modeling showed source types contributing to elemental concentrations in the lichens included combustion processes (~23%), tailing sand (~19%), haul roads and limestone (~15%), oil sand and processed materials (~15%), and a general anthropogenic urban source (~15%). Re-suspended fugitive dust from operations, tailings dikes, quarrying, on-road transportation, and land clearing was found to contribute enrichment to a much greater degree than the hitherto assumed combustion source type.SOMMAIREEn 2010, il y avait 91 projets d’extraction en cours dans les sables bitumineux de l’Athabasca en Alberta, soit dans le secteur où la Wood Buffalo Environmental Association mesure la qualité de l'air et les répercussions sur les milieux de vie. En 2012, les concentrations dans l'air ambiant de dioxyde de soufre, le dioxyde d'azote et d'ammoniac n’ont pas dépassé les niveaux fixés par l’Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives. Il y a eu 1 dépassement de ces objectifs pour la concentration de l'ozone au niveau du sol, et 62 dépassements pour la concentration des particules fines d'un diamètre aérodynamique ≤ 2,5 micromètres. Il y a eu 170 dépassements pour la concentration du sulfure d’hydrogène pendant 1 heure / du seuil de l’odeur total de soufre réduit. Le nombre des dépassements horaires a diminué depuis 2009, mais les odeurs demeurent un grave problème dans certaines communautés. En fonction de la Cote air santé (ozone, dioxyde d'azote, particules fines), le risque de la qualité de l'air ambiant pour la santé humaine de certains polluants a été qualifiée de faible pour 96 % à 98 % des cas selon lieu de la mesure, de modérée dans 1 % à 3,4 %, plus élevé dans ≤ 0,4% des cas, et de très élevé dans ≤ 0,2% de l’année. Dans un cadre très réglementé comme celui des sables bitumineux de l'Alberta, il est essentiel pour les parties prenantes de quantifier spatialement les répercussions des divers types de sources d'émissions dans le but d’expliquer les conséquences sur les milieux de vie. Les études d’attribution des sources ont très bien recoupé celles des empreintes chimiques des sources mesurées dans les lichens terrestres dans toute la région. La modélisation par récepteurs forensiques a montré que les types de sources qui contribuent aux concentrations élémentaires dans les lichens proviennent des procédés de combustion (~ 23%), des sables résiduels (~ 19%), des routes de transport et du calcaire (~ 15%), des sables bitumineux et des matériaux transformés (~ 15%) et d’une source urbaine anthropique générale (~ 15%). On a établi que les poussières diffuses remises en suspension provenant de l'exploitation, les digues de résidus, les carrières, le transport routier et le défrichement contribuent à l’augmentation de la concentration à un degré beaucoup plus élevé que la combustion, qu’on ne l’avait estimé jusqu’à présent.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12789/geocanj.2013.40.014

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