A comparative analysis of aluminum biogeochemistry in a northeastern and a southeastern forested watershed

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90WR00532· OSTI ID:5452415

Cronan, C S ^[1]; Driscoll, C T ^[2]; Newton, R M ^[3]; Kelly, J M ^[4]; Schofield, C L ^[5]; Bartlett, R J ^[6]; April, R ^[7]

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1. Univ. of Maine, Orono (USA)
2. Syracuse Univ., NY (USA)
3. Smith Coll., Northampton, MA (USA)
4. Tennessee Valley Authority, Oak Ridge (USA)
5. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
6. Univ. of Vermont, Burlington (USA)
7. Colgate Univ., Hamilton, NY (USA)

This comparative biogeochemical analysis focused on the patterns and processees of aluminum cycling in two small watersheds, one in the west-central Adirondacks of New York and the other on Cumberland Plateau of eastern Tennessee. Despite shared similarities in soil acidity, soil exchangeable aluminum concentrations, and elevated inputs of acidic deposition, the northern and southern sites exhibited strong differences in aqueous aluminum chemistry and transport. Soil and stream drainage waters in the northern watershed were more acidic, and contained higher concentrations of base cations, sulfate, nitrate, and organic carbon than waters in the southern ecosystem. Mean concentrations of biologically active labile inorganic aluminum, Al{sub i}, ranged from 17 to 46 {mu}mol L{sup {minus}1} in soil solutions and stream water in the northern drainage basin, and from 0 to 2 {mu}mol L{sup {minus}1} in the southern system. The major differences in aluminum chemistry and transport between the two watersheds were related to different patterns of alkalinity generation and mobile anion transport in these contrasting systems. In the northern watershed, atmospheric inputs of acidicty were partially neutralized through the release of mixed cations from soils and detritus. Because of the high mobility of sulfate and nitrate in the northern watershed, there was significant transport of Al through the soil profile and into stream water. At the southern watershed, soil sulfate adsorption, biological retention of nitrate, and base cation release were the major sources of acid neutralizing capacity for soil drainage waters and surface waters.

• OSTI ID: 5452415
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Vol. 26:7; ISSN 0043-1397; ISSN WRERA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ACID RAIN
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
AIR POLLUTION
ALUMINIUM
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
CONTAMINATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION IV
GEOCHEMISTRY
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MONITORING
MOUNTAINS
NEW YORK
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RAIN
SOILS
STREAMS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
TENNESSEE
USA
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
WATERSHEDS