4. Effects of Air Pollution and Acid Deposition on Forests and Forest Soils

The focus in this review of long-term effects on forest ecosystems is on human impact. As a classification of this differentiated and complex matter, three domains of long-term effects with different scales in space and time are distinguished: 1- Exploitation and conversion history of forests in areas of extended human settlement 2- Long-range air pollution and acid deposition in industrialized regions 3- Current global loss of forests and soil degradation.There is an evident link between the first and the third point in the list. Cultivation of primary forestland — with its tremendous effects on land cover — took place in Europe many centuries ago and continued for centuries. Deforestation today is a phenomenon predominantly observed in the developing countries, yet it threatens biotic and soil resources on a global scale. Acidification of forest soils caused by long-range air pollution from anthropogenic emission sources is a regional to continental problem in industrialized parts of the world. As a result of emission reduction legislation, atmospheric acid deposition is currently on the retreat in the richer industrialized regions (e.g., Europe, U.S., Japan); however, because many other regions of the world are at present rapidly developing their polluting industries (e.g., China and India), “acid rain” will most probably remain a serious ecological problem on regional scales. It is believed to have caused considerable destabilization of forest ecosystems, adding to the strong structural and biogeochemical impacts resulting from exploitation history.Deforestation and soil degradation cause the most pressing ecological problems for the time being, at least on the global scale. In many of those regions where loss of forests and soils is now high, it may be extremely difficult or impossible to restore forest ecosystems and soil productivity. Moreover, the driving forces, which are predominantly of a demographic and socioeconomic nature, do not yet seem to be lessening in strength. It can only be hoped that a wise policy of international cooperation and shared aims can cope with this problem in the future.

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Acid Deposition and Forest Soils: Potential Impacts and Sensitivity

Acid Deposition: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Issues ◽

10.1007/978-1-4615-8350-9_13 ◽

1985 ◽

pp. 223-239

Author(s):

Ivan J. Fernandez

Keyword(s):

Acid Deposition ◽

Forest Soils

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Changing Trends in Sulfur Emissions in Asia: Implications for Acid Deposition, Air Pollution, and Climate

Environmental Science & Technology ◽

10.1021/es011509c ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 36 (22) ◽

pp. 4707-4713 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Gregory R. Carmichael ◽

David G. Streets ◽

Giuseppe Calori ◽

Markus Amann ◽

Mark Z. Jacobson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Acid Deposition ◽

Changing Trends ◽

Sulfur Emissions

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Impact of Acid Deposition Caused by Air Pollution in Central Europe

Responses of Forest Ecosystems to Environmental Changes ◽

10.1007/978-94-011-2866-7_73 ◽

1992 ◽

pp. 594-595

Author(s):

H. M. Brechtel

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Central Europe ◽

Acid Deposition

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Total elements in forest soils affected by acid deposition in southern Quebec

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss96-023 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

pp. 165-171 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Z. Q. Lin ◽

W. H. Hendershot ◽

P. H. Schuepp ◽

G. G. Kennedy ◽

P. Dutilleul

Keyword(s):

Trace Elements ◽

Acid Deposition ◽

Forest Soils ◽

Major And Trace Elements ◽

Surface Soils ◽

Mean Values ◽

Podzolic Soils ◽

Element Concentrations ◽

The Mean ◽

Element Enrichment

Major and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd Co, Cr Cs, Cu Eu Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sc, Si, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V, Yb and Zn) in forest soils from three acid-deposition-affected locations in southern Quebec were investigated. Total element concentrations in the surface layer (0–20 cm) of the Podzolic soils were mostly well within the range of element concentrations in Podzols reported worldwide but showed higher mean values for most elements. The mean concentrations of elements (except Zn, at 124 μg g−1) were also generally comparable to the respective elemental baseline data established for Canadian soils. Element concentrations (μg g−1) of Cs (6.2) Sc (19 8) V (106) Rb (194) K (26 500) and Al (76 900) in the surface soils were significantly higher at the 940-m elevation than the concentrations from the sites at 650 and 770 m along the Roundtop Mountain slope, but Ca (1120) and Ni (4.4) were lowest at the 940-m elevation A similar trend with elevation was not observed at the other mountain location (White Peak). Enrichment-factor (EF) analysis showed significant element enrichment (EF ≥ 10) for Cd, Rb and Sb but impoverishment (EF ≤ 0.1) for Ca, Cu and Ni in topsoils. Key words: Major and trace elements, surface soils, acid deposition

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Air quality and acid deposition impacts of local emissions and transboundary air pollution in Japan and South Korea

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-19-13309-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (20) ◽

pp. 13309-13323 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Steve Hung Lam Yim ◽

Yefu Gu ◽

Matthew A. Shapiro ◽

Brent Stephens

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

South Korea ◽

East Asia ◽

Human Health ◽

Acid Deposition ◽

Seasonal Variations ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Transboundary Air Pollution ◽

Local Emissions

Abstract. Numerous studies have reported that ambient air pollution, which has both local and long-range sources, causes adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Previous studies have investigated the impacts of transboundary air pollution (TAP) in East Asia, albeit primarily through analyses of episodic events. In addition, it is useful to better understand the spatiotemporal variations in TAP and the resultant impact on the environment and human health. This study aimed at assessing and quantifying the air quality impacts in Japan and South Korea due to local emissions and TAP from sources in East Asia - one of the most polluted regions in the world. We applied state-of-the-science atmospheric models to simulate air quality in East Asia and then analyzed the air quality and acid deposition impacts of both local emissions and TAP sources in Japan and South Korea. Our results show that ∼ 30 % of the annual average ambient PM2.5 concentrations in Japan and South Korea in 2010 were contributed to by local emissions within each country, while the remaining ∼ 70 % were contributed to by TAP from other countries in the region. More detailed analyses also revealed that the local contribution was higher in the metropolises of Japan (∼ 40 %–79 %) and South Korea (∼ 31 %–55 %) and that minimal seasonal variations in surface PM2.5 occurred in Japan, whereas there was a relatively large variation in South Korea in the winter. Further, among all five studied anthropogenic emission sectors of China, the industrial sector represented the greatest contributor to annual surface PM2.5 concentrations in Japan and South Korea, followed by the residential and power generation sectors. Results also show that TAP's impact on acid deposition (SO42- and NO3-) was larger than TAP's impact on PM2.5 concentrations (accounting for over 80 % of the total deposition), and that seasonal variations in acid deposition were similar for both Japan and South Korea (i.e., higher in both the winter and summer). Finally, wet deposition had a greater impact on mixed forests in Japan and savannas in South Korea. Given these significant impacts of TAP in the region, it is paramount that cross-national efforts should be taken to mitigate air pollution problems across East Asia.

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