skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Effect of acid rain on the growth and nutrient content of two species of hardwood tree seedlings, and on the pH, microflora and nutrient content of the soil

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of two hardwood tree species and three soils to simulated acid rain. The value of infecting tree seedlings with mycorrhizal fungi before transplanting into acid-leached soils was also examined. Dundas silt loam, Hayden loam and Luther loam supporting coleus and sorghum were leached three times each week for 20 weeks with a mixture of H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and HNO/sub 3/ adjusted by dilution to pH 5.5, 4.0 or 2.5 Ninety seedlings each of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) were transplanted into the soils and were misted twice weekly with the acid solutions. Ash seedlings misted with the pH 2.5 solution were shorter, had a smaller total leaf area and produced less leaf and stem material than ash seedlings misted wth pH 5.5 solution. In contrast, the growth and weight of the maple seedlings increased in response to the pH 2.5 treatments. Leaves of the ash exposed to the pH 2.5 treatment were covered with numerous small lesions, and the cuticular wax was partially worn away. Nitrogen concentrations in the leaves, stems and roots of both species increased with increasing acidity, while phosphorus concentration inmore » the leaves decreased. Soils became increasingly acidic as the acid treatments continued.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6134796
Resource Type:
Thesis/Dissertation
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; ACID RAIN; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; SOILS; ACIDIFICATION; LEACHING; AIR POLLUTION; BACTERIA; CHRONIC EXPOSURE; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; FUNGI; INHIBITION; INJURIES; LEAVES; MAPLES; MYCORRHIZAS; PLANT GROWTH; SEEDLINGS; SIMULATION; STIMULATION; ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS; DISSOLUTION; GROWTH; MICROORGANISMS; PLANTS; POLLUTION; RAIN; SEPARATION PROCESSES; TREES; 560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987); 560302 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)

Citation Formats

Patten, D K. Effect of acid rain on the growth and nutrient content of two species of hardwood tree seedlings, and on the pH, microflora and nutrient content of the soil. United States: N. p., 1983. Web.
Patten, D K. Effect of acid rain on the growth and nutrient content of two species of hardwood tree seedlings, and on the pH, microflora and nutrient content of the soil. United States.
Patten, D K. 1983. "Effect of acid rain on the growth and nutrient content of two species of hardwood tree seedlings, and on the pH, microflora and nutrient content of the soil". United States.
@article{osti_6134796,
title = {Effect of acid rain on the growth and nutrient content of two species of hardwood tree seedlings, and on the pH, microflora and nutrient content of the soil},
author = {Patten, D K},
abstractNote = {The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of two hardwood tree species and three soils to simulated acid rain. The value of infecting tree seedlings with mycorrhizal fungi before transplanting into acid-leached soils was also examined. Dundas silt loam, Hayden loam and Luther loam supporting coleus and sorghum were leached three times each week for 20 weeks with a mixture of H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and HNO/sub 3/ adjusted by dilution to pH 5.5, 4.0 or 2.5 Ninety seedlings each of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) were transplanted into the soils and were misted twice weekly with the acid solutions. Ash seedlings misted with the pH 2.5 solution were shorter, had a smaller total leaf area and produced less leaf and stem material than ash seedlings misted wth pH 5.5 solution. In contrast, the growth and weight of the maple seedlings increased in response to the pH 2.5 treatments. Leaves of the ash exposed to the pH 2.5 treatment were covered with numerous small lesions, and the cuticular wax was partially worn away. Nitrogen concentrations in the leaves, stems and roots of both species increased with increasing acidity, while phosphorus concentration in the leaves decreased. Soils became increasingly acidic as the acid treatments continued.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6134796}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983}
}

Thesis/Dissertation:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this thesis or dissertation.

Save / Share: