Chapter 10
Modelling the Concentration
of Ammonia and Exceedance
of the Critical Level in the UK
Anthony Dore, Jane Hall, Ed Rowe, Oliver Pescott, Edward Carnell,
Samuel Tomlinson, Ulrike Dragosits, Sim Tang, Janet Simkin,
Amy Stephens, Christine Braban, William Bealey and Mark Sutton
Abstract The FRAME atmospheric chemistry transport model was applied to calculate the concentration of NH 3 at a 1 km resolution over the UK. The results showed
that the 1 µg m
−3 critical level for NH 3 was exceeded for 60% of the UK land area
and the 3 µg m
−3 critical level was exceeded for 3% of the land area. Model simulations using historical emissions suggested that average NH 3 concentrations in the
UK have increased by a factor of 2.5 between 1970 and 2010 due to both an increase
in NH 3 emissions and large reductions in SO 2 emissions causing a reduction in the
availability of H 2 SO 4 to react with NH 3 .
10.1 Introduction
Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is known to pose a global threat to biodiversity.
Whilst levels of NO x emissions have declined significantly in recent decades in many
European countries, efforts to reduce atmospheric emissions of NH 3 have been less
effective. The critical level is defined as a threshold value above which significant
harmful effects may occur. For the impact of NH 3 on natural ecosystems, the critical
level is set by the United Nations Economic Comission for EuropE at 1 µg m
−3 for
lichens and bryophytes and 3 µg m
−3 for all other plants [1].
A. Dore (B) · E. Carnell · S. Tomlinson · U. Dragosits · S. Tang · A. Stephens · C. Braban ·
W. Bealey · M. Sutton
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
e-mail: todo@ceh.ac.uk
J. Hall · E. Rowe
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bangor, Wales, UK
O. Pescott
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
J. Simkin
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Mensink et al. (eds.), Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXVI,
Springer Proceedings in Complexity,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22055-6_10
59
Modelling the Concentration
of Ammonia and Exceedance
of the Critical Level in the UK
Anthony Dore, Jane Hall, Ed Rowe, Oliver Pescott, Edward Carnell,
Samuel Tomlinson, Ulrike Dragosits, Sim Tang, Janet Simkin,
Amy Stephens, Christine Braban, William Bealey and Mark Sutton
Abstract The FRAME atmospheric chemistry transport model was applied to calculate the concentration of NH 3 at a 1 km resolution over the UK. The results showed
that the 1 µg m
−3 critical level for NH 3 was exceeded for 60% of the UK land area
and the 3 µg m
−3 critical level was exceeded for 3% of the land area. Model simulations using historical emissions suggested that average NH 3 concentrations in the
UK have increased by a factor of 2.5 between 1970 and 2010 due to both an increase
in NH 3 emissions and large reductions in SO 2 emissions causing a reduction in the
availability of H 2 SO 4 to react with NH 3 .
10.1 Introduction
Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is known to pose a global threat to biodiversity.
Whilst levels of NO x emissions have declined significantly in recent decades in many
European countries, efforts to reduce atmospheric emissions of NH 3 have been less
effective. The critical level is defined as a threshold value above which significant
harmful effects may occur. For the impact of NH 3 on natural ecosystems, the critical
level is set by the United Nations Economic Comission for EuropE at 1 µg m
−3 for
lichens and bryophytes and 3 µg m
−3 for all other plants [1].
A. Dore (B) · E. Carnell · S. Tomlinson · U. Dragosits · S. Tang · A. Stephens · C. Braban ·
W. Bealey · M. Sutton
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
e-mail: todo@ceh.ac.uk
J. Hall · E. Rowe
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bangor, Wales, UK
O. Pescott
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
J. Simkin
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Mensink et al. (eds.), Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXVI,
Springer Proceedings in Complexity,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22055-6_10
59