The effects of acid rain on forest nutrient status

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Water Resour. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/WR018i003p00449· OSTI ID:6730335

Johnson, D W ^[1]; Turner, J; Kelly, J M

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN

The effects of acidic atmospheric inputs on forest nutrient status must be assessed within the context of natural, internal acid production by carbonic and organic acids as well as the nutrient inputs and drains by management practices such as harvesting, fire, and fertilization. Soil acidification will occur only if the often substantial buffering capacity of the soil in question is exceeded by acid inputs and if cation weathering from primary minerals is insufficient to offset cation losses by leaching. Such circumstances are rare but certainly could occur given sufficiently large acid inputs on poorly buffered soils. Soils most sensitive to change are thought to be those of moderately acid pH and low cation exchange capacity. Neither very acid soils nor neutral, highly buffered soils are sensitive to acidification by acid rain. Given extremely high acid inputs, acid rain can cause temporary increases in nitrogen mineralization and nitrification as well as Al mobilization in soils. While temporary increases in N availability can cause increased forest growth in N-deficient forests, increased Al availability can cause toxic reactions in tree roots. Given sufficiently high inputs on sensitive sites, negative effects of acid rain must occur, as is true of inputs of any substance, including H/sub 2/O. Acid rain inputs of sufficient magnitude to cause acute effects, such as growth increase due to N mobilization or growth decrease due to Al mobilization, are apparently very rare under ambient field conditions. Long-term effects on forest nutrient status can be either beneficial or adverse, depending on site nutrient status, silvicultural practices, and amount of atmospheric inputs. (JMT)

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6730335
• Journal Information: Water Resour. Res.; (United States), Vol. 18:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ALUMINIUM
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
NITROGEN
ACIDIFICATION
AIR POLLUTION
CATIONS
FORESTS
ION EXCHANGE
NUTRIENTS
PH VALUE
PLANT GROWTH
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
GROWTH
IONS
METALS
NONMETALS
POLLUTION
RAIN
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560303 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)