Effects of acidic desposition on forest soil and vegetation

Abstract

The paper concerns the potential effects of acidic deposition on the nutrient status of soil and forest and on the possible toxic effect of increased Al solubility. The nutrient status of trees may be influenced by pollutants interacting with the foliage and also by changing availability of nutrients in the soil. N compounds are often absorbed by the canopy whereas base cations are lost to the soil by foliar leaching. Cation leaching increases with increased acidity of precipitation. Throughfall acidity varies with tree species, season and distance from the emission areas. The impact of increased foliar leaching of base cations is not well known. In soil, acid deposition may have three effects: (i) a fertilizer effect caused by the deposition of N, and possibly, under specific conditions, also of S; (ii) an acidification effect caused by increased leaching of base cations; and (iii) an Al toxicity effect in cases where soil acidity is increased. Results of fertilizer experiments indicate that the atmospheric deposition of N is likely to increase forest growth especially in the northern parts of North America and Europe. At more southerly latitudes, nutrients in addition to N are often deficient. Therefore the N deposition is less likely to stimulate forest growth. Sulphur deposition is not likely to increase forest growth in most areas of the temperate zone. On the contrary, S deposition will mostly increase leaching of base cations such as Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ , and possibly K. Experiments with artificial acidification together with observations of increased Mg-deficiency in central Europe, indicate that Mg-deficiency might become a problem on sensitive soils exposed to acid deposition. The possibility of Al toxicity caused by increased soil acidity is discussed on the basis of experiments with seedlings of Norway spruce. It is concluded that Al toxicity appears to be unlikely unless the Al concentrations in the soil solution increase to about 20 mg l -1 .