Air quality in the Los Angeles basin is compromised by reactive gases and particulates that lead to the formation of nitrogen oxides and ozone. These pollutants are known to have deleterious effects on biological organisms, most notably among plant species. A proper understanding of the biological mechanisms of air pollution damage will be critical to informed policy making. This project will use a small plant in the mustard family, Arabidopsis, to study the impact of air pollutants on plants at multiple levels molecular, biochemical, individual and population. An interdisciplinary training environment will be provided for the research students involved in the project
