Sulfur deposition and cycling in two forests of the Georgia Piedmont
- Geological Survey, Atlanta, GA (United States)
Because of the increase in SO[sub 2] emissions in Georgia since the late 70's, a study was undertaken in adjacent deciduous and coniferous forests to estimate the atmospheric input and above-ground cycling of sulfur. During this study, which was conducted in 1988-89, total annual sulfur input to these forests was 17 kg/ha, which was comparable to sulfur inputs to other sites in the eastern United States. Dry deposition accounted for more than 50% of the total atmospheric sulfur input, and SO[sub 2] was the major source of dry deposition of the canopy. Net flux of sulfur in (throughfall flux minus precipitation flux) under the deciduous canopy was 1.8 times higher than that under the conferous canopy. Although the net sulfur throughfall flux was very similar to the total sulfur dry deposition in the deciduous forest, the net sulfur throughfall was only about half of the total sulfur dry deposition. The lower throughfall sulfur flux in the coniferous forest was attributed to retention of SO[sub 2] by the canopy. Lower sulfur concentration in needles from the litterfall (0.68 mg/g) than in needles from the canopy (1.38 mg/g) indicates that sulfur could be accumulating in coniferous wood. Total annual sulfur deposition to the forest floor by throughfall, stemflow, and litterfall was 2.3 and 1.3 times greater than the sulfur required by the deciduous and coniferous forests, respectively, for annual wood and foliage production.
- OSTI ID:
- 7164238
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940894--
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States), Journal Name: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States) Vol. 75:2; ISSN BECLAG; ISSN 0012-9623
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONIFERS
DECIDUOUS TREES
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EVALUATION
FORESTS
GEORGIA
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PINOPHYTA
PLANTS
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR CYCLE
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
TREES
USA