title: Atmospheric pollutants in peri-urban forests of Quercus ilex: evidence of pollution abatement and threats for vegetation.
abstract: Peri-urban vegetation is generally accepted as a significant remover of atmospheric pollutants, but it could also be threatened by these compounds, with origin in both urban and non-urban areas. To characterize the seasonal and geographical variation of pollutant concentrations and to improve the empirical understanding of the influence of Mediterranean broadleaf evergreen forests on air quality, four forests of Quercus ilex (three peri-urban and one remote) were monitored in different areas in Spain. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ammonia (NH3), nitric acid (HNO3) and ozone (O3) were measured during 2 years in open areas and inside the forests and aerosols (PM10) were monitored in open areas during 1 year. Ozone was the only air pollutant expected to have direct phytotoxic effects on vegetation according to current thresholds for the protection of vegetation. The concentrations of N compounds were not high enough to directly affect vegetation but could be contributing through atmospheric N deposition to the eutrophization of these ecosystems. Peri-urban forests of Q. ilex showed a significant below-canopy reduction of gaseous concentrations (particularly NH3, with a mean reduction of 29-38%), which indicated the feasibility of these forests to provide an ecosystem service of air quality improvement. Well-designed monitoring programs are needed to further investigate air quality improvement by peri-urban ecosystems while assessing the threat that air pollution can pose to vegetation.
authors.affiliation: Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, Ed.70, 28040, Madrid, Spain. hector.garcia@ciemat.es.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: García-Gómez
authors.affiliation: CREAF, Campus de Bellaterra (UAB), Edifici C, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguillaume
authors.affiliation: LICA, Universidad de Navarra, C. Irunlarrea 1, 31009, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izquieta-Rojano
authors.affiliation: Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, Ed.70, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valiño
authors.affiliation: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Campus de Bellaterra, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Àvila
authors.affiliation: LICA, Universidad de Navarra, C. Irunlarrea 1, 31009, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elustondo
authors.affiliation: LICA, Universidad de Navarra, C. Irunlarrea 1, 31009, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), C. Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alastuey
authors.affiliation: Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, Ed.70, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Calvete-Sogo
authors.affiliation: Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, Ed.70, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: González-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, CIEMAT, Av. Complutense 40, Ed.70, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis*; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D065928:Forests; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D029963:Quercus / Q000254:growth & development; D013030:Spain; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D017942:Nitric Acid; D010126:Ozone; D000641:Ammonia; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide
keywords: Aerosols; Atmospheric pollution; Ecosystem services; Mediterranean vegetation; Nitrogen; Ozone