Environmental issues in Syria Attacks on oil refineries can cause oil fires which release harmful chemicals into the air, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The sulphur and nitrogen compounds are linked to acid rain which can have dire impacts on vegetation as well as cause soil acidification. PAHs persist in the environment for long periods of time and are known carcinogens. Syria also extracts heavy crude oil, which generally has a higher proportion of noxious substances, including heavy metals, making it especially dangerous when these substances seep into the soil. Syria has two oil refineries. The
Lichens and nitrogen cycling and decrease the growth of the lichen. If the lichen cannot increase its photobiont growth, high nitrogen uptake may result in a higher concentration than it physiologically requires which will negatively affect the lichen and it's host plant as the other nutrients are too limiting. Lichen’s response to nutrient enrichment is both species-specific and dependent its environmental factors e.g. nutrient concentration, light availability and water supply. Lichen is nitrogen sensitive and change in nitrogen availability can affect its health greatly. Two main nitrogen stress factors for lichens are nitrogen deficiency and high nitrogen deposition. Both types of nitrogen stress result