Actual and potential effects of acid precipitation on a forest ecosystem in the Adirondack Mountains

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6464710

This study was conducted to document present levels of ionic input to an Adirondack forest ecosystem from bulk precipitation and forest canopy throughfall, to characterize the movement of ions through the litter and soil profile in representative hardwood and conifer forests and to determine the actual and potential effects of acid precipitation in these forests on (1) forest floor and soil inhabiting microorganisms, (2) natural regeneration and growth of forest trees, and (3) predisposition and infection of red pine by Scleroderris canker disease. This research was implemented integrating field studies allowing simultaneous characterization of precipitation chemistry, soil fertility, microbes, vegetation, and tree disease in permanent forest plots. Field investigations employed lysimetric, demographic, and site quantification and manipulative techniques. Concommittant laboratory investigations established the effects of simulated acid precipitation on soils, microorganisms, and vegetation. Characterization and experimental studies demonstrated the sensitivity of ecosystem components to acid precipitation impact and identified linkages critical for interpreting acid precipitation effects on forests.

• Research Organization: State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook (USA). Research Foundation; State Univ. of New York, Syracuse (USA). Coll. of Environmental Science and Forestry
• OSTI ID: 6464710
• Report Number(s): NYSERDA-80-28
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560302 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
560303 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DISSOLUTION
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FORESTS
GROWTH
INFORMATION
LEACHING
MICROORGANISMS
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
MINERAL CYCLING
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
NUTRIENTS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POPULATIONS
RAIN
REPRODUCTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TREES
USA
WATER CHEMISTRY