Heavy metals in subalpine and alpine soils of New Hampshire

Northern New England is subject to deposition of remotely derived air-borne pollutants. Mountain ecosystems of the region are particularly exposed because orographic precipitation and windy, cloudy conditions contribute to higher deposition rates. This study describes the concentrations and total quantities of Pb and Zn in organic horizons of soils distributed over an elevational gradient. Pb concentrations are high for a remote area, and comparable with many heavilytravelled roadsides. Zn concentrations fell within a broad range of levels presumed to represent natural conditions. The vertical distribution of Pb suggests that levels are still rising; the elevational distribution suggests that deposition rates are highest in subalpine forests where there is a combination of high winds and ample interceptive plant surfaces. High elevation ecosystems may serve a valuable role as amplifying systems for the detection of certain pollutants, and as convenient systems for understanding the pattern of deposition and the ecological effects of pollutants.

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