Investigating air pollution
Air pollution is an issue of global importance and understanding its impact on the natural environment is one of the biggest challenges facing biologists.
Understanding the impact of air pollution
The OPAL Air Centre at Imperial College's Silwood Park campus in Berkshire is home to an experimental open-top study chamber where we have been exposing plants to air pollutants, particularly ozone, in a controlled and measured way.
Our research has been focused on understanding the impact of pollution on individual plants, plant communities, and important ecological functions.
How is climate change affecting our natural world? What can we do about it?
Climate change is having a huge impact on the global ecosystem. It is an important driver of biodiversity loss - the process of animals and plants becoming extinct or disappearing from particular regions.
How will plants be affected?
The OPAL Climate Change Research Centre has been investigating the effects of changing rainfall patterns on plant growth, species diversity and key ecosystem processes.
Since the chemical make-up of the atmosphere is changing alongside climate change, we have also been studying what happens when grassland ecosystems are faced with the double challenge of ozone exposure and drought.
Contact us
opal@imperial.ac.uk
Join in the OPAL air survey
Investigate lichens on trees and find out about local air pollution.
Join in the OPAL water survey
How healthy is your local lake or pond? Identify the invertebrates that live there to find out.
The OPAL Air Centre and Climate Change Research Centre are led by Imperial College, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot