Adverse effects of air pollution on human health predicted from tree-ring reductions – A conceptualization of a new ecosystem service

Air pollution adversely affects human health, while trees, conifers in particular, growing in areas affected by air pollution, immediately register pollution by developing rings with decreased width. Some diseases in human population, e.g. lung cancer, develop and are diagnosed with a certain delay in relation to the exposure to air pollution, thus, with a certain delay to ring reductions in trees. Therefore, reductions can be recognized as an early indicator that alerts about forthcoming outbreak of adverse health effects in human population. Based on this phenomenon we propose a new approach and a new methodology for assessing threats to human health and lives resulting from air pollution. In this paper we explain the application of new approach by presenting and describing it step by step. We state that data obtained through the new ecosystem service can be applied for early warning against adverse effects of air pollution on human health. This includes improved prediction of hospitalization patterns and financial costs for the healthcare system. The proposed methodology can be useful for decision makers e.g. local governments, state agencies, private enterprises and other stakeholders interested in controlling local emitters of air pollution and the harmfulness of pollution to human health and lives.