This work reviews the characterization of air quality as it pertains to specific emission sources and their environmental effect. Since emissions from multiple sources impact the same location, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to relate atmospheric processes to terrestrial vegetation. As global industrial expansions continue, air quality is no longer governed by isolated point sources (e.g., a single coal-fired power plant), but by source clusters or complexes. To address these issues, atmospheric receptor models have been developed and are continually being improved. The benefits of any air quality control measures based on receptor modeling must be verified by assessing changes or bettering in environmental impacts. Until now, such an approach has not been well integrated and practiced. This book provides the needed concepts and methods in conducting the studies to establish cause-and-effect relationships under ambient conditions, which is valuable to policy makers both in industrialized and developing nations.
• Offers approaches for identifying the emissions components from specific air pollution sources
• Details methods for using pollutant accumulation in plants for ecological effects assessment
• Establishes cause (air quality) and effect (plant responses) relationships under ambient conditions
