Effect of environmental pollution on plants
Effect of Air Pollution on Plants:-
1. Damaging the plants:- Air pollution means the introduction of harmful chemicals into the air, like sulfur, nitrogen oxides and carbons. These chemicals cause damage to plants, with the plants physically showing the damage in a variety of ways, for instance through stunted growth, necrotic lesions, and changes in colors. Change in color could be represented by chlorosis which is when plant leaves turn yellow, reddening, mottling or bronzing.
2. Obstructing a plant’s growth:- Ozone is harmful to the atmosphere as it leads to holes in the upper atmosphere. In doing so, ultraviolet light is able to pass through the atmosphere, causing further damage to plants. Destruction by the ozone in the lower atmosphere restricts respiration, obstructs stomata, prevents photosynthesis and stunts plant growth.
3. Reduced yields and damage to crops:- Plants absorb pollutants from the air, making the air cleaner. With a build-up of too many pollutants, plants may fail to grow as they should, including being unable to perform photosynthesis. This, in turn, will mean plants will fail to have fewer yields than they should. Reduced yields especially in agricultural crops will mean hunger for the people and animals, and will also drive prices of such commodities up, destabilizing the economy.
4. Contributing to global warming:- With air pollution affecting plants and their leaves, it means they will be unable to absorb carbon dioxide as they should. This means more carbon dioxide will escape into the atmosphere, which will further damage the ozone layer, and cause a build-up of more greenhouse gases. This will also contribute to global warming and subsequently climate change.
Effect of Water Pollution on Plants:-
1. Denying plants essential nutrients:- Plants require specific nutrients, which they get from the soil, water and air. Polluted waters might kill some of those nutrients, further denying the plant the ability to get them.
2. Poisoning the soils:- Water pollution will introduce toxins that are harmful to plants. An accumulation of such toxins in the water will poison the soils even for other crops or plants. This will in turn negatively affect the solubility of essential nutrients and ions, like magnesium, calcium and potassium, which are particularly vital for proper plant growth. Water pollution also introduces large amounts of aluminum to the soil, which harms plants.
3. Facilitating the growth of rival plants:- Water pollution gives rise and ample room for other plants to grow. These new plants may not be native to a region and could be detrimental to the existing plants. These weeds will grow well because the nutrients they require for survival are collected in the polluted water.
4. Killing and harming plants:- Water pollution changes the growing conditions of plants, including eroding necessary nutrients and bringing in new and hazardous ones. This means the normal growth of plants will be affected and the plants themselves will be harmed. If the condition is persistent, the plants will eventually die. Water pollution can also alter a plant’s surrounding pH levels, such as acid rain, which also harms and kills plants.
Effect of Soil Pollution on Plants:-
1. Poisoning the soils:- Toxins will enter the soil and poison it, causing a chain reaction. The result will be an alteration in the soil’s biodiversity, reduction in the soil’s organic matter, as well as its capacity to act as a filter. With regards to plants, the soil becomes weak and is not able to sustain plants as compared to previous years. This explains why most farms which rely on fertilizers, have been giving out lower yields year after year. Soil pollution increases the salinity of the soil making it unfit for vegetation, thus making it useless and barren.
2. Poisoning the plants:- As mentioned underwater pollution, toxins poison the soil and in turn, poison the plants themselves. Land pollution through oil spills, pesticides, landfills, illegal dumping and many other sources results in chemicals seeping into the soil and eventually into the plants. These chemicals and metals damage plant cells and hinder them from obtaining the necessary nutrients for growing. This explains why soil pollution also leads to lower yields and poor quality harvests.
3. The effects reach our food chain:- Soil pollution, affects plants, meaning they will absorb the pollutants. If we feed on such plants or crops, like vegetables, we inadvertently end up poisoning ourselves. It also means we do the same by consuming animal products like meat and milk if the animals themselves fed on these compromised plants.
4. Affecting waterways:- When the soil is contaminated, water that is stored in the soil and below it is also affected, causing a lot more issues. This water is used by millions directly and indirectly. The indirect part is that other people will grow crops using the same contaminated water, spreading the problem to more people who may be many miles away.