The study looked at how a type of cherry tree responds to air pollution from sulfur dioxide (SO2). They found that at low levels of SO2, the tree can protect itself by increasing certain pigments. But at higher levels of SO2, the pigments decrease, leading to damage in the leaves. The tree also has a defense mechanism to protect its photosynthetic system from too much light energy, but this can still negatively affect the pigments and other important factors. Overall, the cherry tree can cope with some pollution, but too much can harm its ability to photosynthesize effectively.