Do critical load models adequately protect forests? A case study in south-central Ontario

Abstract

We calculated critical loads of acidity (S and S + N separately) for seven forested catchments in south-central Ontario, using a critical threshold designed to maintain the Ca/Al molar ratio above 1.0 or the base cation (BC; Ca + Mg + K) to Al molar ratio above 10 in soil solution. Critical loads are ~10–50% lower using the BC/Al ratio compared with the Ca/Al ratio, and harvesting greatly increases forest sensitivity to acid deposition. If forests are harvested, critical load calculations indicate that further reductions in S and N bulk deposition are required to maintain the BC/Al ratio in soil solution above 10, but reductions in S deposition are only mandatory for three of the seven catchments. However, S export exceeds inputs in bulk deposition by 40–100%. Our study indicates that setting the critical threshold of BC/Al at 10 may not maintain soil base saturation above 20%, and that N export is unpredictable at current deposition levels. We calculate that SO4 leaching (and therefore deposition) must be reduced by between 10 and 74% to maintain healthy, productive forests in catchments that are harvested. More reliable estimates of base cation removals during harvest, minimum Ca leaching losses from soils that can occur without affecting forest productivity, and critical limits for soil base saturation are needed to improve these critical load estimates.