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Abstract

The Amazon rainforest in Brazil and the megacity of Beijing in China are two of the most strongly contrasting habitats on Earth. In both locations, volatile chemicals are emitted into the atmosphere affecting the local atmospheric chemistry, air quality and ecosystem health. In this study, the total reactivity in air available for reaction with the atmosphere's primary oxidant the OH radical, has been measured directly in both locations along with individual volatile organic compounds(VOC), nitrogen oxides(NOx), ozone(O-3) and carbon dioxide(CO₂). Peak daily OH-reactivity in the Amazon 72 s(-1), (min. 27 s(-1)) was approximately three times higher than Beijing 26 s(-1) (min. 15 s(-1)). However, diel ozone variation in Amazonia was small (similar to 5 ppb) whereas in Beijing similar to 70 ppb harmful photochemical ozone was produced by early afternoon. Amazon OH-reactivity peaked by day, was strongly impacted by isoprene, and anticorrelated to CO₂, whereas in Beijing OH-reactivity was higher at night rising to a rush hour peak, was dominated by NO₂ and correlated with CO₂. These converse diel cycles between urban and natural ecosystems demonstrate how biosphere control of the atmospheric environment is subverted by anthropogenic emissions.(c) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.