Acidification of Red Pine Forest Soil Due to Acidic Deposition in Chunchon, Korea

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2001-08, Vol.130 (1-4), p.1085-1090
• Main Authors: Yagasaki, Yasumi, Chishima, Takashi, Okazaki, Masanori, Jeon, Du-sik, Yoo, Jeong-hwan, Kim, Young-kull
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid deposition; Acidic soils; Acidification; Acidity; Ammonium; Cations; Coniferous forests; Environmental monitoring; Evergreen trees; Fertilization; Forest soils; Korea, Rep., Chunchon; Livestock; Livestock farming; Nitrification; Nitrogen; Pine trees; Pinus resinosa; Soil acidification; Soil chemistry; Soil solution; Solution chemistry; Watersheds
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1013942714612

The effect of acidic deposition on the soil under red pine forest in Chunchon, Korea was investigated. Precipitation, stream water, and soil solution chemistry were monitored at the watershed from 1997 to 1998. Acidity of the open-bulk precipitation was often neutralized by large amounts of ammonia (NH^sub 3^) that might have originated from livestock farming and fertilization. Estimated elemental budget at the watershed showed a positive correlation between loss of base cations and proton (H^sup +^) production due to nitrogen transformation in soil (ΔH^sup +^^sub NT^: ([NH^sub 4^^sup +^]^sub in^-[NH^sub 4^^sup +^]^sub out^)- ([NO^sub 3^^sup -^]^sub in^-[NO^sub 3^^sup -^]^sub out^)). When ΔH^sup +^^sub NT^ increased, concentrations of nitrate in soil solutions also increased. Consequently, pH values of soil solutions decreased, although ion exchange with base cations contributed to buffer reaction. Since acid buffering capacity of the red pine forest soil was small, it was concluded that the input of ammonium nitrogen enhanced nitrification in soil thus causing soil acidification represented by loss of base cations from the watershed.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]