Forest Soils on Acid Essay -- Ecology Nature Environmental Papers

set farmings on Acid quality ecosystems argon important both ecologically and economically. It is arguable that the most fundamental dynamic of the tone ecosystem is the forest disfigurement. The sullenness of forest soils can alter the chemistry, biota, and hydraulics of the soil, and thus, alter the soil fundamental law characteristics and the soil composition. It fol brokens that the acidification of forest soils demands a great deal of research and attention. Forest soils are commonly found to have pH readings of 4-6, even in areas of moderate to low acid deposition (Binkley et al, p. 4). In fact, an abundance of forest vegetation thrives on and stabilizes most forest soils at relatively low pH levels. It seems as though forest ecosystems generally thrive upon potently acid soils. Though forest soils naturally are acidic, problems can slide by when the acidity levels are raised artificially through processes such as acid rain. This paper will investigate the effects of hi gher than universal acidity and acid deposition in forest soils to gain a greater understanding of current and potential problems to forest soils and ecosystems. It is important to retrieve when discussing the implications of high acid in forest soils that there are several(prenominal) general factors that will alter acidic effects on soil chemistry, hydrology, biota, and weathering. These factors include soil typewrite, soil sensitivity, and the quantity of precipitation. Texture, structure, grain size, and consistence are all crucial to defining the soil type or series and also to the amount of time soil is exposed to acid deposition. In a particular study on humus degradation ground on simulated acid rains conducted by Greszta et al. (1991) revealed the extent to which soil type influenced ... ...556-563. Mulder, J., J.J. M. van Grinsven, and N. van Breemen. 1987. Impacts of acid atmospheric deposition on timberland soils in the Netherlands III. aluminum chemistry. Soil Sc ience Society of America diary 51 pp. 1640-1646. Rampazzo, N., and W.E.H. Blum. 1992. Changes in chemistry and minerology of forest soils by acid rain. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 61 pp. 209-220. Sharpe, W.E., B.R. Swistock, and D.R. Dewalle. 1992. A greenhouse study of northern vehement oak seedling growth on two forest soils at disparate stages of acidification. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 66 pp. 121-133. Singer, M.J., and D.N. Munns. 1996. Soils An Introduction. Prentice-Hall, Inc. New Jersey. Tamm, C.O., and L. Hallbacken. 1986. Changes in soil pH over a 50-year period under different forest canopies in SW Sweden. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 31 pp. 337 341.