Ecological effects of acid precipitation on primary producers

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5730597

Conway, H L; Hendrey, G R

Non-acidic, oligotrophic lakes are typically dominated by golden-brown algae, diatoms and green algae. With increasing acidity, the number of species decrease and the species composition changes to dinoflagellates and golden-brown algae, with blue-green algae dominating in some cases. For macrophytic plants, dense stands of Sphagnum and Utricularia are found in some acidic lakes which may reduce nutrient availability and benthic regeneration. Hydrogen ion concentration does not appear to be as important as inorganic phosphorus in controlling primary production and biomass in acidic lakes. In acidic, oligotrophic lakes, benthic plants may have a competitive advantage over pelagic algae because of the high concentrations of inorganic carbon and phosphorus available to them in the sediment.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5730597
• Report Number(s): BNL-30395; CONF-810464-2; ON: DE82004795
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ALGAE
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOMASS
CARBON
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
INFORMATION
LAKES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
NUTRIENTS
PH VALUE
PHOSPHORUS
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
RAIN
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEDIMENTS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SURFACE WATERS