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Show «# The effect of air pollutants on eco-systems The first of these is called "The Effect of Air Pollutants on Eco-Sys-tems." It is a long-range project, begun about two years ago by Dr. Michael Treshow. Dr. Treshow, his colleague Dr. Kimble Harper and several graduate students, are studying the effects of fumigation by ozone, a deadly pollutant commonly produced by automobiles, on many varieties of flowers, shrubs, and trees common to this area. Some of these plants are kept under surveillance in greenhouses on the roof of the new Biology Building; some grow wild in several study plots located for the most part in Red Butte Canyon. The basic goal of this project is to provide the scientists with sufficient data to set up a "systems analysis," whereby they will know which plants are the most sensitive to pollutants, and at what levels. They will then be able to predict what will happen to a forest if a certain species, one link in the ecological chain, dies out; thus they can reseed or do whatever is necessary to prevent this from taking place. For instance, they will be able to replenish the growth of the small plants which form a protective watershed along the foothills of the Wa-satch Range, avoiding the danger from flash floods which would otherwise wash destruction down into the valley. Left: Plants begin to show deterioration after prolonged exposure to ozone. Far Left: Through thick plastic covering one can see plants being subjected to various degrees of ozone pollution. Top: Dr. Michael Treshow, director of the Eco-systems project. Above: Flowers bloom, later to be exposed to polluted air. 317 |