Future Events

Chair: Professor J.N.B. Bell - Imperial College London

Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Date: 25-27 April 2001
Cost: 320 USD comprising Workshop fee and full board.

Introduction:

Flora and fauna exhibit a wide range of responses to air pollution. These effects may alter biological processes, changing the physiology, morphology and behavior of exposed organisms. Sustained impacts can lead to changes in population and community structure, and thus ultimately contribute to changes in eco-system bio-diversity.

There are two distinct research areas. The first aims to protect sensitive species and ecosystems from harmful pollutants, the second to use the responses to monitor the impact of air pollution. To address these issues we need to further our understanding of the fundamental sciences, particularly the cell chemistry, to establish how and why air pollution causes these effects, the severity and at what levels of exposure.

This workshop aims to establish current practice in Europe in this area influencing both the development of standards to protect sensitive flora and fauna from the effects of air pollution, and in the application of spatial and temporal biological monitoring programmes.

• How are plants affected by exposure to air pollution?
• What are the most commonly applied biological monitoring systems in use today.
• What are the protocols?
• What is their value locally and internationally?
• What are their strengths and limitations?
• Should they be incorporated into air quality management alongside physico-chemical monitoring and modeling?

Abstracts: 300 word abstracts by 21^st December 2000.