Haze Crisis in Kuala Lumpur. Photo Credits: MSN
Annual forest and peat fires occur during dry season, mostly in Indonesia contribute to the formation of haze, affecting neighbouring countries including Malaysia and Singapore.
The negative impacts of haze on human health are well-known by the public, however, there is an insufficient amount of study done to investigate the impacts of haze on animals and plants who also expose to this air pollution.
Haze Impacts on Animals and Plants:
1) Decrease photosynthesis and transpiration activity in plants.
Comparisons of photosynthetic rate in Malaysian rice varities in hazy and clear day events. Pic Credit: R. Mohd Aziz.
Haze that is derived from biomass smoke contains a various types of substances and chemical components, including particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone. These pollutants can reduce sun radiation, hinder gas exchange and disrupt chemical reaction required to carry out photosynthesis and reproduction process. As a result, fruit- and plant-eating animals such as birds and primates will have a harder time to find food in the wild.
2) Health problems in animals.
Animals also need protective measures against haze pollution. Pic Credit: BBC News.
When animals are exposed to sufficient concentration of air pollutant for a certain period of time, they are susceptible to similar health issues as humans, including dehydration and respiratory tract infection.
Besides health issues, haze pollution can also affect animal's growth and weight. A group of scientists conduct an experiment on the impacts of direct and indirect haze exposure on Bicyclus anynana butterflies. They found that the caterpillars that were reared in smoky environment (direct haze exposure) and caterpillars that ingested haze-exposed food plants (indirect haze exposure) significantly have prolonged development time and lower pupal weight.
3) Disrupts insect communication.
Smoke interrupt communication signal in bees. Pic Credit: ScienceABC.
Smoke is widely used as a device to allow bee keeper to obtain honey with minimal bee attacks. Reduction in bee attacks is linked to communication disruption between the bees. Bees such as honey bees produce pheromones which act as an alarm call to other bees in the colony, prior attacking the intruder. Smoke can prevent the bees from being able to smell the pheromone, therefore, used widely by bee keeper.
Likewise, the smoke haze pollution can reduces the pollinators capability to locate food plants. In order to find food plant, pollinators need to detect the floral scents. Smoke can cause confusions in pollinators, such as bees, to locate the food plants. Eventually, it can cause them to bring less food to their colonies and also affect the survival of pollinator-dependent crops over the long run.
References:
Long-term Impacts of Haze on Malaysian Wildlife.
Haze Smoke Impacts Survival and Development of Butterflies.
The Impacts of Haze on Southeast Asia's Wildlife.
How Does Smoke Subdue Bees?
Bees' Ability to Forage Decreases as Air Pollution Increases
Pics Credits:
MSN News
R. Mohd Aziz
BBC News
Science ABC
