Credit: M. LANNING
A long-term experiment has revealed the dangerous aftereffects of acid rain on plant life.
A recent finding in the Appalachian Mountains from an experiment spanning decades revealed that acid rain may be draining the trees of their water intake. Since 1989, the U.S. Forest Service has been dropping acidifying ammonium sulfate fertilizer three times a year over the mountains.
The fertilizer was substituting for acid rain so that researchers could see what potential damages could occur from the burning of fossil fuels acidifying raindrops. The results showed that the acidified forest was in need of 5% more water than untreated areas. They also noticed that the level of calcium, which is a nutrient that plants need to retain water, has declined over the years. This would be the perfect evidence to explain why the forest was searching for more water.
Thirsty plants could contribute to droughts or take up a lot more water that is needed for people and animals. Researchers were surprised by how strongly plants reacted to the acidity.
This is the most widespread study that has been conducted to date on the effects of acidity on the environment. Researchers are not sure if other areas with different plants and trees would render the same results, but the amount of water that was drained out indicates that there is a good chance it would have some effect. Acid rain dissolves minerals, which depletes the calcium in the soil. Calcium is instrumental in how plants release water, so depleting that nutrient could produce devastating effects.
Soil typically is slow to recover calcium that it has lost, so the long-term effects are cause for concern. Acid rain could very well be a strong cause in the depletion of water, which will become an even greater problem as more and more land is affected by acid rain.
