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Atmospheric chemistry

Are plant emissions green?

Nature volume 452, pages 701–702 (2008)Cite this article

Hydrocarbon emissions from living vegetation are thought to be harmful to the atmosphere. But the latest study suggests that the negative impact of these emissions in pristine environments is less than expected.

Some VOCs are known to attract pollinators and repel pests, but the function of isoprene remains a mystery, despite its prevalence in biogenic emissions. What was thought to be known was the dramatic negative impact of isoprene on chemical reactions in the troposphere — the lowest part of Earth's atmosphere. The first speculation that abundant hydrocarbon emissions could modify atmospheric composition appeared almost 50 years ago2. Modern atmospheric-chemistry model (ACM) simulations now suggest that, in unpolluted air, isoprene depletes the levels of hydroxyl radicals (˙OH). Although these radicals are present in the atmosphere in minuscule amounts (less than 1 part per trillion), they are extremely reactive and serve as the primary cleansing agent for the atmosphere. In an atmosphere depleted of ˙OH, many trace gases would build up to dangerous levels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alex Guenther is at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA. guenther@ucar.edu,

    Alex Guenther

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  1. Alex Guenther
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Guenther, A. Are plant emissions green?. Nature 452, 701–702 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/452701a

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