Acidic deposition--ecological effects on surface waters

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6274968

Harter, P

The acidification of soft water aquatic ecosystems, with consequent damage to the flora and fauna, is considered in this report. The evidence that environmental effects are ocurring is examined to see if a trend of increasing acidification can be related to changes in atmospheric deposition of sulphates and nitrates. Possible causes of change are considered, to clarify the contributions of variations in human activities and natural factors. It is concluded that acidic deposition, originating partly from emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds arising from man-made sources including combustion of fossil fuels, is causing acidification of surface waters in some areas of Europe and North America. There is proof that acidification of surface waters (to less than pH 6) is deleterious to many of the organisms whose habitat it forms. Acidified surface waters in some of the impacted areas are showing signs of recovery, where emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds from human activities are decreasing. There is some evidence that reversibility of acidification has started to occur, in some instances, about a decade after emissions were reduced. 219 refs., 13 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: IEA Coal Research, London (UK)
• OSTI ID: 6274968
• Report Number(s): IEACR-14
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIRDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
ECOSYSTEMS
EMISSION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EUROPE
FISHES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MAMMALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RAIN
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
WATER CHEMISTRY