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Ongoing U.S.-Canada Collaboration on Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition
Citation:
Schwede, D., A. Cole, R. Vet, AND G. Lear. Ongoing U.S.-Canada Collaboration on Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition. EM Magazine. Air and Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, , June, (2019).
Impact/Purpose:
This paper is part of a special issue of EM Magazine highlighting efforts under the US-Canada Air Quality agreement. The US and Canada have been collaborating on atmospheric deposition measurements and modeling since 1986. A general overview of past, present, and future collaborative efforts in improving the understanding of wet, dry, and total deposition are briefly reviewed
Description:
Atmospheric deposition, both wet and dry, can be an important contributor to nitrogen and sulfur loading to ecosystems. Excessive deposition causes acidification and eutrophication, which can lead to harmful effects such as algal blooms, decreases in forest growth, loss of species richness, and shifts in species distribution. In more moderate amounts, atmospheric deposition can be a source of nutrients reducing the need for fertilization of agricultural areas. Quantifying the amount of atmospheric deposition is therefore a critical activity for both the US and Canada.