A Natural Resource Management Guide for the County of Morris A ...

Management Considerations
The relationship between climatology and air quality is influenced by geographical variations, human activities,
and natural occurrences such as volcanic eruptions and forest fires. The resulting smog, acid rain, and climate
in turn impact entire ecosystems. Human health impacts are manifested not only by medical expenses, but also
by absenteeism, and loss of production.
and Human Derived Impacts
Natural
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE Increased levels of carbon dioxide are associated with the greenhouse-effect
heating of the atmosphere, and its related potentially harmful impacts on global climate and civilization. Ozone,
which is strongly affected by weather patterns such as wind, temperature, and sunlight, has become a regional
environmental issue with a long term remediation time frame.
LOCAL TEMPERATURE Urbanized areas affect local weather in multiple ways. Heat is generated from
automobiles, factory ovens, power generating stations, and underground steam lines often creating heat islands.
Urban land compared to soil coverage in rural areas exhibits significant temperature differences. Air circulation
is enhanced as warm air reflects from the thermally conducting surfaces, rises over the city, and is replaced by
cooler air blowing in from the surrounding areas. Ventilation is reduced, however, if building patterns impede
circulation.
HUMAN HEALTH Carbon Monoxide is considered a significant health threat in New Jersey. Its effect in
the body is to reduce the amount of oxygen carried to body tissues. Possible physical reactions include nausea,
dizziness, headache, vision impairment, slowed reaction time and, in high concentrations, death. A diminished
supply of oxygen to the heart makes cardiac patients especially vulnerable.
Metals, particularly arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and lead are associated with damage to the
respiratory and nervous systems; some are known to be carcinogens. Particulates coated with organic compounds
can have serious health affects such as Benzo(a)pyrene, found in exhaust from diesel-fueled vehicles, wood
burning and in cigarette smoke, and is believed to be a carcinogen.
Airborne sulfuric acid is a severe irritant to lungs and eyes.
Ozone is associated with respiratory disease, particularly afflicting the young, elderly and outdoor exercise
enthusiasts. Small amounts of ozone inhalation are enough to cause cell death, temporarily reducing lung
capacity. Coughing, shortness of breath or rapid shallow breathing, chest soreness, reduced infection-fighting
ability, and irritated eyes, nose and throat are some of the physical manifestations.
Thermal inversions demonstrate a natural occurrence influenced by human activities. Normally air temperatures
decrease with rising elevation. In an inversion a warm layer of air lies over low lying colder air. Causes are
varied: a warm front moving across a hilly terrain, trapping pockets of cold air in the valleys, rapid cooling of
near-surface air on a clear, calm night, or warm emissions from cars and smokestacks rising and laying over
denser cold air. Sometimes the cold/warm air boundary appears as a distinct layer above the polluted zone. This
scenario becomes unhealthy, if not deadly, when the cooler zone remains stagnant, carrying its load of trapped
pollutants.
WILDLIFE Acidic precipitation can have profound effects on freshwater and forest ecosystems as exhibited
in the northeast. Aquatic systems are effected throughout the entire foodchain including phytoplankton,
zooplankton, benthos, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds and mammals. Acidification has a diminishing effect
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Air and Climatology