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Tropospheric ozone significantly damages vegetation and reduces net primary productivity (NPP). We developed a stable linear NPP response model based on accumulated ozone exposure over a threshold of 40 parts per billion (ppb) (AOT40). We then estimated the effects of regional ozone damage on NPP for different vegetation types. The study suggests an average decrease in NPP of 24.7% due to ozone pollution in the North China Plain, similar to previous estimates ranging from 10.1% to 24.7%, with a maximum reduction exceeding 200 [g C m‐2 yr‐1] and more than 50%. Vegetation types such as broadleaf forests, needleleaf forest, crops, and grasses showed significant NPP decreases of 47.1%, 37.8%, 36.7%, and 44.6%, respectively. Declining NPP also had negative impacts on several Chinese crop species. Our work highlights the need for urgent and effective action to mitigate ozone pollution's substantial detrimental effects on ecosystem health and productivity. Plain Language Summary: Ozone pollution led to an average 25% decrease in net primary productivity in the North China Plain. This decline is consistent with previous estimates that ranged from 10% to 25%. Productivity of forest trees, crops, and grasses declined significantly, ranging from 36.7% to 47.1%. These results have implications for Chinese crops, as lower crop productivity can negatively affect crop yields. Our study highlights the urgent need for action to mitigate the detrimental effects of ozone pollution on ecosystem health and productivity. Key Points: We developed a stable model to estimate ozone impact on the productivity of plants'Ozone pollution resulted in an average decline in productivity of 25% per year in all ecosystem types in the North China Plain regionOzone pollution led to net primary productivity declines in forest, crops, and grasses, with reductions ranging from 36.7% to 47.1% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop field burning (CFB) has important effects on air pollution in China, but it is seldom quantified and reported in a regional scale, which is of great importance for the control strategies of CFB in China, especially in the North China Plain (NCP). With the provincial statistical data and open crop fires captured by satellite (MODIS), we extracted a detailed emission inventory of CFB during a heavy haze event from 6th to 12th October 2014. A regional dynamical and chemical model (WRF-Chem) was applied to investigate the impact of CFB on air pollution in NCP. The model simulations were compared with the in situ measurements of PM2.5 (particular matter with radius less than 2.5 μm) concentrations. The model evaluation shows that the correlation coefficients (R) between measured and calculated values exceeds 0.80 and absolute normalized mean bias (NMB) is no more than 14 %. In addition, the simulated meteorological parameters such as winds and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) are also in good agreement with observations. The model was intensive used to study (1) the impacts of CFB and (2) the effect of mountains on regional air quality. The results show that the CFB occurred in southern NCP (SNCP) had significant effect on PM2.5 concentrations locally, causing a maximum of 35 % PM2.5 increase in SNCP. Because of south wind condition, the CFB pollution plume is subjective a long transport to northern NCP (NNCP-with several mega cities, including Beijing of the capital city in China), where there are no significant CFB occurrences, causing a maximum of 32 % PM2.5 increase in NNCP. As a result, the heavy haze in Beijing is enhanced by the CFB occurred in SNCP. Further more, there are two major mountains located in the western and northern NCP. Under the south wind condition, these mountains play important roles in enhancing the PM2.5 pollution in NNCP through the blocking and guiding effects. This study suggests that the PM2.5 emissions in SNCP region should be significantly limited in order to reduce the occurrences of heavy haze events in NNCP region, including the Beijing City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black carbon (BC) aerosol at high-altitude Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has potential effects on the regional climate and hydrological cycle. An intensive measurement campaign was conducted at Qinghai Lake (~ 3200 a.s.l.) at the edge of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during winter using a ground-based single particle soot photometer (SP2) and a photoacoustic extinctiometer (PAX). The average BC concentration and number fraction of coated BC were found to be 160±190 ng m-3 and 59.3% for the entire campaign, respectively. Significant enhancements of BC loadings and number fraction of coated BC were observed during pollution episode, with an average value of 390 ng m-3 and 64.6%, respectively. The mass size distribution of BC particles showed lognormal distribution with a peak diameter of ~ 187 nm regardless of the pollution level. Five-day backward trajectory analysis combined with the fire counts map suggests that the biomass burning air masses from North India contributing to the increased BC loadings during the campaign. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) model further proves that North India is an important potential region influencing northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during the pollution episode. The BC mass absorption cross section (MACBC) at λ= 532 nm was slightly larger during pollution episode (10.2 m² g-1) than in clean days (8.9 m² g g-1), likely due to the higher mixing state of BC with other chemical components during pollution episode. The number fraction of coated BC particles showed positive correlation with light absorption, suggesting that the increase of coated BC particles will enhance the light absorption. The estimated BC direct radiative forcing was + 0.93W m² for pollution episode, which is 2 times larger than that in clean days. Our study provides insight into the potential climatic impacts of BC aerosol transported to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from South Asian regions, and is also useful for future modeling studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intensive investigation of carbonaceous PM2.5 and TSP from Pudong (China) was conducted as part of the MIRAGE-Shanghai Experiment in 2009. Data for organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), organic species, including C17 to C40 n-alkanes and 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and stable C isotopes OC (δ13COC) and EC (δ13 CEC) were used to evaluate the aerosols' temporal variations and identify presumptive sources. High OC/EC ratios indicated a large fraction of secondary organic aerosol (SOA); high char/soot ratios indicated stronger contributions to EC from motor vehicles and coal combustion than biomass burning. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs indicated that much of the SOA was produced via coal combustion. Isotope abundances (δ13COC = -24.5 ± 0.8‰ and δ13CEC = -25.1 ± 0.6‰) indicated that fossil fuels were the most important source for carbonaceous PM2.5, with lesser impacts from biomass burning and natural sources. An EC tracer system and isotope mass balance calculations showed that the relative contributions to total carbon from coal combustion, motor vehicle exhaust, and SOA were 41%, 21%, and 31%: other primary sources such as marine, soil and biogenic emissions contributed 7%. Combined analyses of OC and EC, n-alkanes and PAHs, and stable carbon isotopes provide a new way to apportion the sources of carbonaceous particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]