Particulate matter from road traffic: a threat to flora and fauna?

High concentrations of particulate matter in some German cities have given rise to considerable concern over recent years. The main cause of this particulate matter is road traffic. While damage to human health has been proven, the effects on plants and animals have not been investigated to any great extent so far. This gap in our knowledge is now being closed by an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Bayreuth as part of the new project network “BayÖkotox - Ecotoxicology in Bavaria", funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection. The University of Bayreuth will receive a total of € 685,000 for the project over the next three years.