The effect of four landscape features on atmospheric deposition to Hunter Mountain, New York

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:7079728

Weathers, K C

Atmospheric deposition to montane ecosystems is higher than to adjacent lowlands. Because of the heterogeneous nature of mountainous landscapes, rates of deposition are likely to vary considerably with major landscape features. Estimates of total atmospheric deposition for mountains in the northeastern United States are wide-ranging and based on models that do not take into account landscape heterogeneity. Little had been known about the spatial variability of atmospheric deposition to these high elevation ecosystems. On Hunter Mountain in the Catskill Mountains, New York, four landscape features-(1) edges/gaps, (2) elevation, (3) aspect and (4) vegetation type-were identified as likely to control atmospheric deposition in mountainous terrain. Relative rates of atmospheric deposition, or enhancement factors, were measured across these landscape features by using lead in the forest floor as an indicator of total deposition, and, in the case of forest edges, also by making direct measurements of cloudwater deposition. These enhancement factors were used to model deposition to the Hunter Mountain landscape. Average deposition to the area above 1000 m was estimated to be 13% greater than to a nearby low elevation site. [open quotes]Hotspots[close quotes] were identified at high elevation, conifer forest edges where atmospheric deposition of pollutants and nutrients is up to 300% greater than a low-elevation forest. More detailed measurements of cloudwater deposition to an edge of a high elevation spruce forest revealed enhancement from 0- to 15-fold over the interior, with an average 3-fold increase. Sulfate flux in throughfall during cloud events was found to mirror cloudwater deposition and may be a useful tool to quantify patterns of atmospheric deposition in mountains. The data suggest current estimates of atmospheric deposition to mountainous terrain that do not include landscape heterogeneity may seriously underestimate loading of pollutants and nutrients.

• Research Organization: Rutgers--the State Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7079728
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALTITUDE
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOUNTAINS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTANTS
RAIN WATER
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
THROUGHFALL
USA
VARIATIONS
WATER