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- Title
Empirical Critical Loads of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition for Nutrient Enrichment and Acidification of Sensitive US Lakes.
- Authors
Baron, Jill S.; Driscoll, Charles T.; Stoddard, John L.; Richer, Eric E.
- Abstract
The ecological effects of elevated atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on high-elevation lakes of the western and northeastern United States include nutrient enrichment and acidification. The nutrient enrichment critical load for western lakes ranged from 1.0 to 3.0 kilograms (kg) of N per hectare (ha) per year, reflecting the nearly nonexistent watershed vegetation in complex, snowmelt-dominated terrain. The nutrient enrichment critical load for northeastern lakes ranged from 3.5 to 6.0 kg N per ha per year. The N acidification critical loads associated with episodic N pulses in waters with low values of acid neutralizing capacity were 4.0 kg N per ha per year (western) and 8.0 kg N per ha per year (northeastern). The empirical critical loads for N-caused acidification were difficult to determine because of a lack of observations in the West, and high sulfur deposition in the East. For both nutrient enrichment and acidification, the N critical load was a function of how atmospheric N deposition was determined.
- Subjects
WEST (U.S.); UNITED States; ECOLOGICAL impact; ATMOSPHERIC nitrogen compounds; ATMOSPHERIC deposition -- Environmental aspects; NUTRIENT pollution of water; LAKE acidification; ALPINE regions
- Publication
BioScience, 2011, Vol 61, Issue 8, p602
- ISSN
0006-3568
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1525/bio.2011.61.8.6