In spite of all progress made in reducing the emission of air pollutants, the air quality is still unsatisfactory in many European cities. Bioindicator plants are of increasing importance for air quality control as their use makes it possible to prove and to demonstrate the negative impact of air pollutants on living organisms in a way that is easily comprehensible also to laymen. The pan-European project EuroBionet uses bioindicator plants to assess air pollution effects within a network of cities. Through a specific communication concept the scientific results of the project are translated and communicated in a way that addresses the public and raises environmental awareness. Thus the aim is to induce a change of attitude in parts of the urban population and to increase the acceptance of remedial measures. In the present paper the scientific and communicative aims and methods of the EuroBionet project are presented. First results of the exposure of tobacco plants in ten European cities during August and September 2000 show a gradient of increasing ozone impact from the North to the South and Centre of Europe with low injury degree in Scotland and Denmark and high degree in Italy, France, Austria and Southern Germany.
Air pollution; environmental monitoring; bioindicator plants; communication
