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According to a new study by the University of Sheffield, the high levels of pollution found in many major cities around the world have negative effects on plants and insects.
The study, published in Nature Communications reveals that plants exposed to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) – similar to those recorded in large urban centers – can better defend against herbivorous insects.
Led by Dr. Stuart Campbell of the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University, research has revealed that plants exposed to increased pollution produce more defensive chemicals in their leaves.
Results The results of the study show that the insects feeding on these leaves have low growth, suggesting that high levels of air pollution could have negative cascading effects on herbivore creature communities. .
Dr. Campbell, who is also part of the P3 Center – a center of excellence in translational plant science at the University of Sheffield, said: "Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant that causes serious health problems in humans, but our research has shown that it can also have a significant impact on plants and insects
"Insects are a crucial part of the nature and world in which we live. Insects are essential for the proper functioning of ecosystems.
"Many people may know that pollinating insects, such as the thousands of species of bees, as well as flies, butterflies and butterflies, are essential for food production – but they also ensure long-term survival of wildflowers, shrubs and trees. "
Dr. Campbell added: "Insects that feed on plants (herbivorous insects) help restore nutrients to the soil, and are themselves a food for wild birds, reptiles, mammals and many others. insects are also extremely important for the decomposition of decaying organic matter and the scientists warn of the mbadive decline in the number of insects, which should be extremely alarming for anyone who appreciates the natural world and our food sources
"Nitrogen dioxide is a major component of smog and an example of the pollution caused by human activity, particularly our dependence on fossil fuels. Levels of this pollutant in the atmosphere remain particularly high in cities, particularly in the United Kingdom. Our research shows another example of the dangers of pollution for our environment and why we need to make a joint effort to address them. "
The international team of scientists, which includes a researcher based at the US Environmental Protection Agency, also examined whether insects had an effect on plants' ability to absorb NO 2
Plants fed by insects absorbed much less NO 2 According to the authors, this indicates that insects could affect the amount of pollution removed from the air by urban green spaces Urban trees can absorb gaseous pollutants like NO 2 but the effects seem Dr. Campbell pointed out, however, that the main concern would be with the insects themselves and that more research is needed were needed: ch suggests that urban vegetation plays a modest role in the recovery of NO 2 . affect the effect of urban plants on air quality, including herbivores. Plant protection insects, however, face a number of different human threats, including air pollution. "
The study" Plant defenses attenuate interactions between herbivores and the direct foliar uptake of reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere ", is published in the journal Nature Communications .
Explore Further:
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More information:
Stuart A. Campbell et al. Plant defenses mediate interactions between herbivores and direct foliar uptake of atmospheric N reactive nitrogen, Nature Communications (2018). DOI: 10.1038 / s41467-018-07134-9
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