Next generation model for plant ozone damage a big step towards smaller uncertainties and more robust climate predictions

Ozone holds centre stage in the chemical composition of the troposphere. Ozone is a secondary pollutant formed through photochemical reactions of nitrogen oxides with volatile organic compounds VOC from both natural and manmade sources. It is an important greenhouse gas and harmful to human health and ecosystem integrity and welfare. Once ozone has entered the plants via the leaf stomata it interferes strongly with the leafs biochemistry leading to reduced photosynthetic productivity early leaf senescence and even to partial or total leaf necrosis Ainsworth et al 2012. The consequences of reduced productivity include reduced plant growth and reduced carbon drawdown from the atmosphere thus acting as a large but uncertain indirect effect on climate.