A comparison of the effects on Canadian boreal forest lichens of nitric and sulphuric acids as sources of rain acidity

The effects of different levels of nitrate and sulphate in acidic precipitation on the growth of the lichens Cladina rangiferina (L.) Wigg. and C. stellaris (Opiz.) Brodo were compared. Permanent field plots in a Canadian boreal forest ecosystem received two years of spraying with artificial rains o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The New phytologist Vol. 111; no. 4; pp. 663 - 671
Main Authors:	Scott, Martha G., Hutchinson, T. C., Feth, Marilyn J.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford, UK Cambridge University Press 01-04-1989 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Blackwell
Subjects:	Acid rain Acidity Animal, plant and microbial ecology Applied ecology Biological and medical sciences boreal forest lichens Boreal forests bosque boreal Cladina species Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi Fertilization fitotoxicidad foret boreale Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology growth rate indice de crecimiento lichen lichenes Lichens liquenes lluvia acida nitrate Nitrates nitratos ontario phytotoxicite phytotoxicity pluie acide Precipitation Rain Spraying sulfate sulfatos Sulfur sulphate sulphates taux de croissance Pollutant Growth Acid rain Lichenes Nitrates Sulfates Sulfur dioxide Thallophyta nitrate Cladina species boreal forest lichens sulphate
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Summary:	The effects of different levels of nitrate and sulphate in acidic precipitation on the growth of the lichens Cladina rangiferina (L.) Wigg. and C. stellaris (Opiz.) Brodo were compared. Permanent field plots in a Canadian boreal forest ecosystem received two years of spraying with artificial rains of pH 4.2 (ambient), 3.5 or 2.8, each containing one of four molar ratios of sulphate to nitrate, i.e. sulphuric acid alone, nitric acid alone: 2:1 or 1:2. A substantial fertilization effect was observed when C. rangiferina was watered with rain of pH 2.8, derived from nitric acid alone. Compared with before-treatment values, gains in mean dry weight (+62%) and mean podetial height (+14%) were obtained for this species, in addition to elevated levels of N in air-dried tissues. Post-treatment values for the mean dry weight of C. rangiferina were significantly reduced for those podetia sprayed with rain of low pH, derived from sulphuric acid alone. Although podetia of C. stellaris were stimulated by rains of pH 4.2, based on a higher concentration of nitric acid, there was no N fertilization following the most acidic sprays. Data from this study support the view that the N content of acidic rain can cause a short-term growth stimulation for those species able to absorb nitrate from solution. However, beneficial effects on growth of prolonged fertilization via acid rain inputs are unlikely.
Bibliography:	H H50 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0028-646X 1469-8137
DOI:	10.1111/j.1469-8137.1989.tb02361.x