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Emissions of volatile organic compounds from vegetation and the implications for atmospheric chemistry
Author(s) -
Fehsenfeld Fred,
Calvert Jack,
Fall Ray,
Goldan Paul,
Guenther Alex B.,
Hewitt C. Nicholas,
Lamb Brian,
Liu Shaw,
Trainer Michael,
Westberg Hal,
Zimmerman Pat
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/92gb02125
Subject(s) - isoprene , environmental chemistry , atmospheric chemistry , vegetation (pathology) , atmosphere (unit) , chemistry , carbon cycle , tropospheric ozone , carbon fibers , deposition (geology) , troposphere , environmental science , total organic carbon , ozone , atmospheric sciences , organic chemistry , meteorology , ecosystem , ecology , geology , materials science , pathology , composite number , composite material , biology , polymer , paleontology , medicine , physics , sediment , copolymer
Vegetation provides a major source of reactive carbon entering the atmosphere. These compounds play an important role in (1) shaping global tropospheric chemistry, (2) regional photochemical oxidant formation, (3) balancing the global carbon cycle, and (4) production of organic acids which contribute to acidic deposition in rural areas. Present estimates place the total annual global emission of these compounds between approximately 500 and 825 Tg yr −1 . The volatile olefinic compounds, such as isoprene and the monoterpenes, are thought to constitute the bulk of these emissions. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that a variety of partially oxidized hydrocarbons, principally alcohols, are also emitted. The available information concerning the terrestrial vegetation as sources of volatile organic compounds is reviewed. The biochemical processes associated with these emissions of the compounds and the atmospheric chemistry of the emitted compounds are discussed.