Sulfur cycling in Douglas-fir on a glacial outwash terrace

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5546362

Stednick, J D

In a study to determine if a temperate forest site would exhibit accelerated nutrient cycling or increased sulfur accumulation with an increased precipitation input of S, a second-growth Douglas-fir ecosystem (Pseudotsuge menziesii (Mirb) Franco) on a glacial outwash terrace accumulated 2.2 kg ha/sup -1/ year/sup -1/ of S. Prior to Mount St. Helen's activity, an atmospheric input as precipitation of 8.9 kg ha/sup -1/ year/sup -1/ of sulfate-S was augmented by an additional 8.1 kg ha/sup -1/ year/sup -1/ in throughfall. Sulfate-sulfur leaching decreased with increased soil depth: 8.4 kg ha/sup -1/ year/sup -1/ leached through the forest floor, 10.5 through the A horizon, 6.7 through the B horizon, and 3.2 at 1.5 m in the C horizon. This S budget was not complete, since gaseous forms and movements were not monitored. Sulfate-sulfur mobility accounted for an average 25% of the cation leaching through the soil profile. Sulfur utilization did not measurably change from a similar stand with lower S inputs. The increased SO/sub 4/-S input did not accelerate nutrient cycling, rather SO/sub 4/-S accumulated in the soil, presumably by sorption. Sulfate-sulfur mobility is defined by the sorption mechanism within the soil.

• Research Organization: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins
• OSTI ID: 5546362
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 11:1; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHEMISTRY
CONIFERS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FLUIDS
FORESTS
GASES
GEOCHEMISTRY
LEACHING
MINERAL CYCLING
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
SORPTION
SULFATES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR CYCLE
TREES
VOLCANIC GASES
VOLCANOES