'Spiked ozone levels stunting tropical forests' growth, Asia affected more'

Ozone pollution is stunting the growth of tropical forests, with the effect being stronger in Asia, where such forests are losing nearly 11 per cent of new growth, research has found.

Air quality will continue to play an important, yet often overlooked, part in how forests absorb and store carbon, according to lead author Flossie Brown, a recent graduate of the University of Exeter.

While ozone in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere protects people from harmful ultraviolet radiations from the Sun, ozone closer to the ground level is harmful to plant and human health. The gas is formed when pollutants from human activities combine in the presence of sunlight.

The researchers explained that urbanisation, industrialisation and burning fossil fuels and fires have resulted in an increase in 'precursor' gases -- such as nitrogen oxides -- that form ozone.

The team found that ozone at the ground level can stunt new growth in tropical forests by over five per cent, translating into