Impacts of air pollution and climate change on floral VOC signals

空气污染和气候变化对花卉 VOC 信号的影响

• 批准号: NE/T004819/1
• 负责人: Felicity Hayes
• 金额: $ 11.65万
• 依托单位: UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGY
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FT004819%2F1
• 关键词: Impacts; air; pollution; climate; change

This project aims to assess the threat to pollinating and foraging insects as a consequence of altered floral Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) signalling in response to air pollution and climate change. Insects pollinate over 80% of flowering plants and a reduction in the distance of detectable floral scents in air pollution conditions may be adding to the stresses that are contributing to declines in pollinator numbers. We need to know by how much floral VOC emissions are reduced by air pollution and to what extent the emitted floral VOC signal is subsequently degraded by air pollution. We need to identify the locations where the largest risks of air pollution to floral VOC signals occur. Our project integrates floral VOC emission and degradation in response to air pollution by bringing together the unique and complementing expertise of partners in the UK and USA. We will have a series of exchange visits to share skills and expertise. We will measure floral VOC emissions in response to ozone (O3) pollution in order to calculate the reduction in signal strength and the modification of the integrity of the signal. We will develop and apply numerical models to determine the reaction of floral VOCs with the air pollutants ozone and nitrate radical in order to quantify floral VOC signal degradation in polluted areas. Models will also consider the future influences of regional environmental changes in response to climate change. We will combine existing data of pollutant concentrations and grassland distribution in the UK and USA in order to identify the locations of largest risk to pollinating and foraging insects. Finally, we will develop a conceptual model that will improve our understanding of the contribution of air pollution and climate change to floral VOC signalling and the corresponding reduction in the distance of detectable floral scents by insects. This collaborative project will identify key knowledge gaps and develop strategies to address these beyond the lifetime of this grant.

该项目旨在评估为应对空气污染和气候变化而改变的植物挥发性有机化合物（VOC）信号对授粉和觅食昆虫的威胁。昆虫为80%以上的开花植物授粉，在空气污染的条件下，可探测到的花香距离的减少可能会增加压力，导致传粉者数量下降。我们需要知道空气污染会减少多少花香挥发性有机化合物的排放量，以及花香挥发性有机化合物的信号随后会在多大程度上被空气污染降解。我们需要找出空气污染对植物挥发性有机化合物的危害最大的地方。我们的项目整合了植物挥发性有机化合物的排放和降解，以应对空气污染，汇集了英国和美国合作伙伴的独特和互补的专业知识。我们将进行一系列互访，分享技能和专业知识。我们将测量植物VOC排放量对臭氧（O3）污染的响应，以计算信号强度的降低和信号完整性的改变。我们将开发并应用数值模型来确定植物VOC与空气污染物臭氧和硝酸盐自由基的反应，以量化污染地区植物VOC信号的降解。模式还将考虑响应气候变化的区域环境变化的未来影响。我们将结合英国和美国现有的污染物浓度和草地分布数据，以确定授粉和觅食昆虫面临最大风险的地点。最后，我们将开发一个概念模型，以提高我们对空气污染和气候变化对植物挥发性有机化合物信号的贡献的理解，以及昆虫可探测到的花香距离的相应减少。该合作项目将确定关键的知识差距，并制定策略来解决这些问题。