Effects of acid precipitation and natural processes on cation leaching from 4 diverse forest ecosystems.
Two forest ecosystems in eastern Tennessee and 2 in western Washington with a history of intensive nutrient cycling research were selected for studies on the effects or acid precipitation and natural acid production processes on cation leaching rates. At the Tennessee sites, atmospheric acid input in bulk precipitation equaled or exceeded natural leaching by carbonic acid. At the less polluted Washington sites. Natural leaching by carbonic acid was slightly larger than atmospheric acid input in the Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii soil. In the red alder Alnus rubra soil, natural nitric acid formation far exceeded atmospheric acid inputs and appeared to have caused significant acidification of both soil and soil solution.-from STAR, 22(1), 1984