The impacts of air pollution and climate change on plant ecosystems have been demonstrated by numerous studies over the last decades, and interact in two ways: i) climate change can modify the effects of exposure of plant ecosystems to air pollution, and vice-versa; ii) air pollution can affect the sensitivity of plant ecosystems to specific impacts of climate change, and vice-versa.
Currently, tropospheric ozone is the most damaging air pollutant for plant ecosystems and continues to be a serious issue for plant health. Progress has been achieved by controlling the emission of precursors in some areas of the world; however, much remains to be done. To this end, the international conference "Ozone & Plants" is back for the third time to allow all experts in the interactions between ozone and plant ecosystems to meet and discuss the state-of-the-art and strategies for continuous improvements.
Air pollution and climate change remain a persistent threat to plant ecosystems, urging for international cooperation and unified research efforts. Many air pollutants contribute to the Earth's radiative forcing. Tropospheric ozone is particularly relevant for the linkages between climate change and air pollution. The 30th IUFRO Research Group 8.04.00 "Air Pollution and Climate Change" meeting is also back to address complex effects of air pollution and climate change on forest ecosystems.
The Mediterranean region is a key for addressing global goals on plant ecosystems due to the unique biodiversity, e.g. it hosts 20% of the world's total floristic richness and is one of the air pollution and climate change hotspots in the world. Cyprus is projected to face the most adverse climate change effects by 2100. The biannual meeting of the Committee on Air Pollution Effects Research on Mediterranean Ecosystems, CAPERmed, is also back to provide a successful platform to discuss how Mediterranean's ecosystems respond to threats from air pollution and climate change.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement coordinated research. The three events will take place under the umbrella of "Air Pollution threats to Plant Ecosystems" to allow all experts in the interactions between atmosphere and plant ecosystems to meet, address complex effects of air pollution and climate change on forest ecosystems, and discuss future strategies and priorities for the coming decade to improve health, sustainability and productivity of plant ecosystems worldwide.
We have the ambition to allow crop, forest and grassland experts as well as experimentalists, monitoring experts and modelers from all over the world to dialogue and share their most updated knowledge for the protection of plant ecosystems from air pollution in a changing climate.
The main subjects of the conference are:
- 1. Environmental status and health of plant ecosystems
- 2. From cell to ecosystem: monitoring, biomonitoring, mechanisms and modelling of air pollution and climate change effects on plants