scholarly journals The Fernow Watershed Acidification Study: Ecosystem Acidification, Nitrogen Saturation and Base Cation Leaching

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 267-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Adams ◽  
James N. Kochenderfer ◽  
Pamela J. Edwards
1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 487-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger G Sayre ◽  
Timothy J Fahey

The effects of acid rain and ozone on the leaching of chemicals from the canopy of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) saplings was measured over a 4-year treatment period. The saplings were exposed to various levels of ozone and to acid rain (pH 3.1, 4.1, and 5.1) using open-top chambers. No effects of ozone treatments on canopy leaching were observed. Significant effects of rainfall pH on canopy leaching of Ca2+ and Mg2+ were observed, and post-hoc analysis indicated that these effects were associated only with the most acidic treatment (pH 3.1). In the low pH treatment (high NO3- and SO42-) significant canopy retention of both NO3- and SO42- were observed. The observed increase in base cation leaching flux from the red spruce canopy in the low pH treatment was particularly prominent early in the growing season (June) probably reflecting incomplete cuticle formation in the young foliage. Although the annual magnitude of extra Ca2+ leaching from the canopy of red spruce trees in the low pH treatment was small relative to the foliar calcium pool (about 10%), if this leaching preferentially depletes a physiologically important pool, it may influence tree health.


1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.H. Johnson ◽  
S.B. Andersen ◽  
T.G. Siccama

Interest in acid rain effects led us to resample 48 Adirondack soil profiles that had been sampled by Carl C. Heimburger in 1930–1932. Changes in pH and dilute-acid-extractable Ca were detected in 1984, which differed by horizon and were dependent on initial conditions. Moderately acidic organic horizons (pH > 4.0) showed substantial decreases in pH and extractable Ca, while strongly acidic organic horizons (pH < 4.0) showed a significant reduction in extractable Ca without a reduction in pH. The E horizons appeared to lose extractable Ca, while the B and C horizons showed no evidence of acidification. A partial Ca budget for the ≥50-year interval for 16 sites in a mixed hardwood–softwood forest showed that Ca uptake was approximately equal to the loss of Ca from the soil, suggesting that this was a major cause of acidification. Acid-consuming processes apparently balanced acid additions in B and C horizons as no acidification was observed. While acid rain has increased hydrogen-ion loading and base-cation leaching, we did not find evidence of serious impacts on bulk soil chemistry in the Adirondacks through the mid-1980s.


2001 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rogora ◽  
A. Marchetto ◽  
R. Mosello

Abstract. The Lake Maggiore catchment is the area of Italy most affected by acid deposition. Trend analysis was performed on long-term (15-30 years) series of chemical analyses of atmospheric deposition, four small rivers draining forested catchments and four high mountain lakes. An improvement in the quality of atmospheric deposition was detected, due to decreasing sulphate concentration and increasing pH. Similar trends were also found in high mountain lakes and in small rivers. Atmospheric deposition, however, is still providing a large and steady flux of nitrogen compounds (nitrate and ammonium) which is causing increasing nitrogen saturation in forest ecosystems and increasing nitrate levels in rivers. Besides atmospheric deposition, an important factor controlling water acidification and recovery is the weathering of rocks and soils which may be influenced by climate warming. A further factor is the episodic deposition of Saharan calcareous dust which contributes significantly to base cation deposition. Keywords: trend, atmospheric deposition, nitrogen, stream water chemistry.


2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Dijkstra ◽  
C. Geibe ◽  
S. Holmström ◽  
U. S. Lundström ◽  
N. Van Breemen

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 1156-1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teng-Chiu Lin ◽  
Steven P Hamburg ◽  
Yue-Joe Hsia ◽  
Hen-Biau King ◽  
Lih-Jih Wang ◽  
...  

We examined base cation leaching from the canopy of a subtropical rainforest in northeastern Taiwan. The forest is characterized by extremely low levels of base cations in both canopy vegetation and in the soils. The rates of canopy leaching of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were very high, representing up to 30, 35, and 190%, respectively, of the amount stored in leaves. The rate of H+ retention in the canopy was close to the rate of base cation leaching, suggesting that cation leaching is neutralizing acid precipitation. The subtropical forest studied leached cations from the canopy throughout the year, unlike temperate deciduous forests, which are physiologically inert in the winter. The forest canopy of the subtropical forest we studied is impacted by acid deposition and fog throughout the winter because of frequent rainfall and high relative humidity. This continuous exposure to acid precipitation could cause more intense negative effects on the canopy of subtropical forests as compared with temperate forests exposed to similar pollution loads. We suggest that the low base status of subtropical forests growing on low base status soils may make them very vulnerable to the negative effects of air pollution.


1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1114-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanna Cappellato ◽  
Norman E. Peters ◽  
Harvey L. Ragsdale

The effects of acidic atmospheric deposition on leaching of base cations from the canopy and the origin of the major ions in throughfall and stemflow were evaluated in a 2-year study of adjacent deciduous and coniferous forests at Panola Mountain Research Watershed in the Georgia Piedmont. In each forest, the NO3− and SO42− in throughfall and stemflow were derived primarily from atmospheric deposition, whereas the base cations Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ were derived primarily from canopy leaching. Acidic atmospheric deposition was partially neutralized in each forest. Exchange of H+ with base cations appeared to be the major mechanism for the neutralization of atmospheric acidity by the deciduous canopy. Major neutralization mechanisms could not be differentiated in the coniferous canopy. Base-cation leaching accounted for 86% of the base cations in throughfall and stemflow in the deciduous forest and 69% in the coniferous forest. Exchange with H+ accounted for about 30% of base cations in throughfall in the deciduous forest, whereas it could not be clearly estimated in coniferous throughfall. The current level of acidic atmospheric deposition is hypothesized to have caused an increased leaching of base cations of the deciduous canopy, but methods were insufficient to determine its effect on the coniferous canopy.


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