Modeling the effects of acid deposition: control of long-term sulfate dynamics by soil sulfate adsorption

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Water Resour. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/WR022i008p01283· OSTI ID:6799716

Cosby, B J; Hornberger, G M; Wright, R F; Galloway, J N

A dynamic model based on a simple nonlinear relationship between adsorbed and dissolved sulfate in soils is used to examine the implied long-term control exerted on drainage water sulfate concentration by mineral soil adsorption. The model assumes reversible adsorption and does not consider biological sulfur transformations or variable adsorption arising from changes in soil organic matter or pH. The model is used to simulate the effects of more than a century of increased atmospheric sulfur deposition into low-order, mountains catchments. The response time of simulated drainage water sulfate concentrations is a function of the hydrological retention time and the amount of sulfate adsorbed on the soil. Simulated catchments with small adsorption capacity respond at essentially the hydrological response time (months to a year). Simulate catchments with large adsorption capacity respond much more slowly (decades). These response times decrease dramatically as adsorbed sulfate accumulates. There has been a tendency to classify catchments as those that respond to changes in sulfur deposition and those that do not. The results suggest that (at least for low-order, shallow soil catchments) responses to sulfur deposition are continuous, no dichotomous, and response times will decrease under prolonged atmospheric deposition.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville
• OSTI ID: 6799716
• Journal Information: Water Resour. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resour. Res.; (United States) Vol. 22:8; ISSN WRERA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
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Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ADSORPTION
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRECIPITATION SCAVENGING
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
SORPTION
SULFATES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
WASHOUT