Abstract

Overview

Environmental exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) from mobile telephony has significantly increased over the past two decades, a trend expected to continue. The impact of this exposure on plant communities is not well understood and poses a challenge for scientific assessment.

Findings

• The identification of ecological effects and indicators of bioactive RF-EMFs influence on plant communities is crucial.
• Study examines scenarios where plant communities are near base station antennas, investigating radiation effects over one year.
• Utilizes physical theories of radiowave propagation and knowledge on plants' physiological responses to RF-EMF.
• Indicators include canopy parameters, plant characteristics measured in field or lab, and community weighted means/medians of plant traits.
• Interaction with non-plant organisms like pollinators also significantly impacts these findings.

Conclusion

Effective indicators classified into groups offer means to detect the impact of RF-EMFs within one year of exposure, showing potential risks to plant community health and dynamics, which is crucial given the ongoing increase in RF-EMF exposure.