Potential acidifying capacity of deposition: Experiences from regions with high NH4+ and dry deposition in China

Abstract

Acid rain may cause soil acidification possibly leading to indirect forest damage. Assessment of acidification potential of atmospheric deposition is problematic where dry and occult deposition is significant. Furthermore, uncertainty is enhanced where a substantial part of the potential acidity is represented by deposition of ammonium (NH4+) since the degree of assimilation and nitrification is not readily available.Estimates of dry deposition based on deposition velocity are highly uncertain and the models need to be verified or calibrated by field measurements of total deposition. Total deposition may be monitored under the forest canopy. The main problem with this approach is the unknown influence of internal bio-cycling. Moreover, bio-cycling may neutralize much of the acidity by leaching of mainly K+. When the water percolates down into the rooting zone this K+ is assimilated again and acidity is regenerated. Most monitoring stations only measure deposition. Lacking measurements of output flux of both NH4+ and NO3− from the soil one cannot assess current net N transformation rates. Assumptions regarding the fate of ammonium in the soil have strong influence on the estimated acid load. Assuming that all the NH4+ is nitrified may lead to an overestimation of the acidifying potential.In parts of the world where dry deposition and ammonium are important special consideration of these factors must be made when assessing the acidification potential of total atmospheric loading. In China dry and occult deposition is considerable and often greater than wet deposition. Furthermore, the main part of the deposited N is in its reduced state (NH4+). The IMPACTS project has monitored the water chemistry as it moves through watersheds at 5 sites in China. This paper dwells at two important findings in this study. 1) Potassium leached from the canopy by acid rain is assimilated again upon entering the mineral soil. 2) Nitrification apparently mainly takes place in forest floor (H- and O-) horizon as NH4+ that escapes this horizon is efficiently assimilated in the A-horizon. This suggests that the potential acidification capacity of the deposition may be found in the throughfall and forest floor solution by treating K+ and NH4+, respectively, as acid cations in a base neutralization capacity (BNC) calculation.