Forest blowdown and lake acidification
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- East Tennessee State Univ., Johnson City (United States)
The authors examine the role of forest blowdown in lake acidification. The approach combines geographic information systems (GIS) and digital remote sensing with traditional field methods. The methods of analysis consist of direct observation, interpretation of satellite imagery and aerial photographs, and statistical comparison of two geographical distributions-one representing forest blow-down and another representing lake chemistry. Spatial and temporal associations between surface water pH and landscape disturbance are strong and consistent in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. In 43 Adirondack Mountain watersheds, lake pH is associated with the percentage of the watershed area blown down and with hydrogen ion deposition (Spearman rank correlation coefficients of {minus}0.67 and {minus}0.73, respectively). Evidence of a temporal association is found at Big Moose Lake and Jerseyfield Lake in New York and the Lygners Vider Plateau of Sweden. They conclude that forest blowdown facilities the acidification of some lakes by altering hydrologic pathways so that waters (previously acidified by acid deposition and/or other sources) do not experience the neutralization normally available through contact with subsurface soils and bedrock. Increased pipeflow is suggested as a mechanism that may link the biogeochemical impacts of forest blowdown to lake chemistry.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 7014452
- Journal Information:
- Association of American Geographers, Annals; (United States), Journal Name: Association of American Geographers, Annals; (United States) Vol. 80:3; ISSN 0004-5608; ISSN AAAGA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISTURBANCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EUROPE
FORESTS
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
LAKES
LAND USE
MOUNTAINS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
PH VALUE
POLLUTION
PRODUCTIVITY
RAIN
REMOTE SENSING
SATELLITES
SCANDINAVIA
SURFACE WATERS
SWEDEN
USA
VARIATIONS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
WATERSHEDS