Effects of acid rain on nitrogen fixation in western Washington coniferous forests

Book · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:5660952

Denison, R; Anderson, S; Rormann, R; Caldwell, R; Eldred, L; Swanrerg, C

Acid rain would have little effect on nitrogen fixation in western Washington coniferous forest soils, because of pH buffering by the canopy. Nitrogen fixing lichens and bacteria in the canopy itself would be more directly exposed to acid rain and would be adversely affected. In old-growth forests, the epiphytic lichen Lobaria oregana fixes substantially more nitrogen than do soil microorganisms. In commercial forests, however, trees are harvested at an age less than that at which this lichen develops in any abundance.

• OSTI ID: 5660952
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- 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
ALGAE
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BACTERIA
CHEMISTRY
CONIFERS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION X
FOLIAR UPTAKE
FORESTS
FUNGI
LICHENS
MASS TRANSFER
MICROORGANISMS
NITROGEN FIXATION
NORTH AMERICA
PH VALUE
PLANTS
RAIN
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
UPTAKE
USA
WASHINGTON