An evaluation of critical loads of soil acidity in areas of high sea salt deposition

Abstract

The empirical and mass balance approaches to setting critical loads of acidity for mineral soils have been evaluated using field data from forest sites in Wales. Using the Simple Mass Balance Equation (SMBE) with Sitka spruce as the biological target, critical loads ranged between 2.3 and 9.8 keq H + ha −1 year −1 compared to mapped empirical critical loads which ranged between 0.2 and 0.5 keq H + ha −1 year −1. At all sites the empirical critical load was exceeded with respect to deposited sulfur acidity. There were no exceeded sites for the SMBE critical loads. The big differences between the two methods arise from the large ANC leaching term in the SMBE model which is determined by the relatively low (Ca+Mg+K)/Al crit ratio for Sitka spruce, compared to other conifers, and the influence of the large deposition of sea salt base cations. The low value of the (Ca+Mg+K)/Al crit ratio for Sitka spruce implies that it is tolerant of very acidic soil conditions, however, the ratio is based on the results of only one solution culture study and may thus be uncertain under field conditions. Large sea salt base cation deposition directly influences SMBE critical loads because the predicted soil water base cation concentrations permit large concentrations of hydrogen ions and aluminium (low ANC values) before the critical chemical limit is transgressed. Where weathering rates are low, critical ANC leaching (ANC lecrit) becomes the dominant term in the SMBE, with the counter intuitive result that the critical load becomes a linear function of sea salt base cation deposition. Thus the current formulation of the SMBE may not be appropriate for low weathering rate areas receiving large amounts of sea salt base cation deposition.