Essential cues that draw pollinators are provided by floral hydrocarbons. However, hydrocarbons are degraded by chemical reactions involving pollutants like ozone as soon as they are released into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is likely that pollinatoratt

Abstract

Essential cues that draw pollinators are provided by floral hydrocarbons. However, hydrocarbons are degraded by chemical reactions involving pollutants like ozone as soon as they are released into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is likely that pollinatorattracting hydrocarbon signals are disrupted by increased air pollution. The position of air parcels distant from hydrocarbon sources and the rate at which hydrocarbons were chemically destroyed as air parcels traveled across the landscape were determined using a Lagrangian diffusion model in order to test this theory. Since linalool, βmyrcene, and β-ocimene are hydrocarbon chemicals that are frequently emitted from flowers, they were selected. Increased regional concentrations of ozone, hydroxyl, and nitrate radicals were shown to be associated with decreased ambient abundances of volatile organic molecules. Floral hydrocarbons give vital signals that attract pollinators. However, as soon as hydrocarbons are released into the atmosphere, they are broken down by chemical processes involving pollutants like ozone. Therefore, it is likely that rising air pollution disrupts hydrocarbon signals that attract pollinators. This notion was tested by using a Lagrangian diffusion model to predict the location of air parcels far from hydrocarbon sources and the rate at which hydrocarbons were chemically degraded as air parcels moved across the terrain. Linalool, β-myrcene, and β-ocimene were chosen because they are hydrocarbon compounds that are commonly released from flowers. It has been demonstrated that lower ambient abundances of volatile organic molecules are linked to higher regional concentrations of ozone, hydroxyl, and nitrate radicals.