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Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition on Ecosystems in the United States
Citation:
DENNIS, R. L., R. HAEUBER, T. Blett, J. Cosby, C. Driscoll, J. Sickles, AND J. M. JOHNSTON. Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition on Ecosystems in the United States. EM: AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAGAZINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, , 12-17, (2007).
Impact/Purpose:
Develops advanced air quality models that can simulate the transport and fate of pollutants in the atmosphere.
Description:
The ecological impacts of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition first gained attention in the United States in the early 1970s with reports of "acid rain" falling to earth, causing lakes and streams to become acidic and resulting in conditions that were unsuitable for reproduction and survival of fish in those waters. Many years of research in the U.S., Canada, and Europe have since confirmed the link between acidic deposition and ecosystem health. Today, there is a much greater understanding of the complex interactions between sulfur and nitrogen deposition and the natural environment. The impacts of these pollutants are not limited to “acid rain” alone, but are also related to issues as diverse as elevated ozone concentrations in the lower atmosphere, fish mercury levels, and the trophic status of downstream coastal estuaries.