International Conference on Ozone and Plant Ecosystems: First announcement

Save the date! Dal 21 al 25 Maggio 2018 si terrà a Firenze la conferenza internazionale “Ozone and Plant Ecosystems”. Maggiori informazioni sul sito: https://conference2018.wixsite.com/ozoneandplants.

Ozone pollution continues to be a serious issue for terrestrial ecosystems and plant health. Progress has been achieved by controlling the emission of precursors in some areas of the world, but much remains to be done. This conference will allow all experts in the interactions between ozone and plant ecosystems to meet and discuss the state of the art and the strategies for continuous improvements.

The main subjects of the conference are:

1. Monitoring, modelling and assessing the risk of ozone damage to plant ecosystems
   Proofs of the impacts of ambient ozone on plant ecosystems are still elusive. New monitoring approaches and epidemiological studies are developing. Modelling of ozone is becoming more and more sophisticated and high resolution. Risk assessment is evaluating many different metrics for plant protection, with a focus on stomatal ozone flux. All these developments, with focus on the most modern techniques, will be discussed in this session.
2. How plant ecosystems affect ozone concentration in the atmosphere
   Ozone deposition is strongly affected by the type of vegetation. Exchanges of biogenic volatile organic compounds is known to contribute to ozone chemistry in the atmosphere. This session addresses mechanisms, seasonality, responses to ozone singly and in combination with other environmental factors, as well as selection of appropriate green infrastructure for urban greening.
3. How plant ecosystems respond to ozone exposure
   This session will include food security and effects on forests and grasslands. A main aim is to evaluate strategies for maximizing yield, productivity and other environmental services of plant ecosystems under ozone stress.