4. Effects of Air Pollution and Acid Deposition on Forests and Forest Soils

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study on the effects of air pollution and acid deposition, which can be direct, through above-ground uptake by vegetation, or indirect, through uptake via the soil. Effects on the soil solution can be expressed as changes in the concentrations and budgets of S, N, and Al in particular. For Dutch forests these changes have been assessed at the national level by measurements and calculations. With regard to nitrogen, the acidification problem is linked with the problem of N eutrophication. The research into effects on forests has been confined to Douglas fir forests on dry, poor sandy soils. As far as direct effects of air pollution in the Netherlands are concerned, the short-term effects are relatively unimportant apart from the visible damage near local sources and during episodes of high concentration O 3 , and probably also a reduced activity of photosynthesis at low temperatures and high humidity (SO 2 ). At current daily O 3 concentration values, a slight reduction of the photosynthesis activity was also observed in mature Douglas trees in the field. Effects of O 3 can lead to accelerated leaf/needle ageing. The interaction of direct effects (from SO 2 , NH 3 , and NO 2 ) and indirect effects—from NH 4 + /NO 3 – ratio in the soil solution, and from K and Mg deficiencies—can lead to internal acidification of the plant, resulting in leaf/needle damage and leaf/needle loss.

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