Invasive plant kudzu increases ozone pollution

In addition to swallowing the ground and changing the ecosystem of the southeastern United States, kudzu could also increase ozone pollution in the region The Asian invasive plant was planted in the early 20th century to help control erosion It is a fast-growing legume plant that fixes nitrogen in the atmosphere at a very high rate As the invasion of nitrogen fixing plants may affect the land and atmospheric environment, Jonathan Hickman and his colleagues investigated the impact of Pueraria on the air quality of the area by comparing the nitrogen flow of the unaffected and the invaded soil The scientists report that emissions of nitrogen oxides, the precursors of ozone, almost double in the invaded soil The authors used a chemical transport model to predict the effect of nitrogen oxide increase, and proposed a scenario in which the days of high ozone in some parts of the region increased by more than 35% as the invasion of Pueraria increased The team suggested that the study established a measurable link between invasive plants and ozone formation In addition to its visual impact on the ground and its potential to influence environmental change, GE's range of survival may also expand with the increase of global temperature, the authors said.