Acid rain research: a review and analysis of methodology

Conference · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5457080

Irving, P M

The acidic deposition phenomena, when implicated as a factor potentially responsible for crop and forest yield losses and destruction of aquatic life, has gained increasing attention. The widespread fear that acid rain is having or may have devastating effects has prompted international debates and legislative proposals. An analysis of research on the effects of acid rain, however, reveals serious questions concerning the applicability and validity of conclusions of much of the work and thus conclusive estimations of impacts are lacking. In order to establish cause-effect relationships between rain acidity and the response of a receptor, controlled studies are necessary to verify observations in the field since there are many natural processes that produce and consume acidity and because numerous other environmental variables affect ecosystem response. Only when the response of an entire system is understood (i.e., interactions between plant, soil, soil microbes, and groundwater) can economic impacts be assessed and tolerance thresholds established for the wet deposition of acids. 14 references, 5 figures, 1 table.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5457080
• Report Number(s): CONF-831203-91; ON: DE84005217
• Resource Relation: Conference: 10. symposium on fusion engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 5 Dec 1983; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CROPS
EVALUATION
FORESTS
INFORMATION NEEDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
RAIN
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)