Identification

Title

UK Biodiversity Indicator B5a, Air pollution

Abstract

This spreadsheet is the underlying data for the biodiversity indicator B5a, Air pollution. The air pollutants - sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia - can contribute to acidification, and nitrogen oxides and ammonia can contribute to terrestrial eutrophication. Both problems can adversely affect semi-natural ecosystems. Exceeding the critical load for acid deposition may have direct effects, for example by altering the soil pH and therefore the range of associated species, or indirect effects, for example by increasing dissolved aluminium concentrations in soil and water. Excess nitrogen as a nutrient can lead to leakage of nitrogen from soil systems, causing eutrophication of inland waters, or affect species composition, for example by triggering accelerated growth of some species at the expense of others. Critical loads are thresholds above which significant harmful effects occur on sensitive UK habitats. Approximately 78,000km2 of terrestrial habitat is sensitive to acid deposition. About 73,000km2 is sensitive to eutrophication; much of this is sensitive to both. This is one of a suite of 24 UK biodiversity indicators published by JNCC on behalf of Defra; the latest publication date was 19 January 2016 - for indicator B5a the latest data are for 2012. The supporting technical document details the methodology used to create the indicator.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-4245

name: page-4245

Unique resource identifier

code

280883cb-fa50-41ec-96db-6a1fb661e246

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Additional information source

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-4245 Data set supported by a Word document (B5a - Air pollution.docx) containing all of the website text, a jpeg image (UKBI2015_B5ai_Final.jpg), and a technical document (UKBI2015_TechBG_B5a_Final.doc) detailing the methodology used to create the indicator.

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

environment

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Terrestrial

UK Biodiversity

Evidence

Biodiversity

acid rain

acidity

air pollution

eutrophication

indicator

nitrogen

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-8.65

East bounding longitude

2.0

North bounding latitude

61.0

South bounding latitude

49.77

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

1996

End position

2012

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-19

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Source: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

Microsoft Excel for Windows

version of format

Unknown

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Attribution statement "Contains public sector information from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, licenced under the Open Government Licence v3.0"

Limitations on public access

No limitations

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

Digital and Data Solutions, JNCC

email address

data@jncc.gov.uk

responsible party role

distributor

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Digital and Data Solutions, JNCC

email address

data@jncc.gov.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2018-05-17

Metadata language

eng