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PALEOCOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF RECENT LAKE ACIDIFICATION IN THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS, NY
Citation:
Charles, D., M. Binford, E. Furlong, R. Hites, M. Mitchell, S. Norton, F. Oldfield, M. Paterson, A. Uutala, J. Smol, J. White, D. Whitehead, AND B. Wise. PALEOCOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF RECENT LAKE ACIDIFICATION IN THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS, NY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-90/266.
Description:
Paleoecological analysis of the sediment record of 12 Adirondack lakes reveals that the 8 clearwater lakes with current pH<5.5 and alkalinity <10 ueq 1-1 have acidified recently. he onset of this acidification occurred between 1920 and 1970. oss of alkalinity, based on quantitative analysis of diatom assemblages, ranged from 2 to 35 ueq 1-1. he acidification trends are substantiated by several lines of evidence including stratigraphies of diatom, chrysophyte, chironomid, and cladoceran remains, Ca:Ti and Mn:Ti ratios, sequentially extracted forms of Al, and historical fish data. cidification trends appear to be continuing in some lakes, despite reductions in atmospheric sulfur loading that began in the early 1970s. he primary cause of the acidification trend is clearly increased atmospheric deposition of strong acids derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. atural processes and watershed disturbances cannot account for the changes in water chemistry that have occurred, but they may play a role. ediment core profiles of Pb. Cu, V, Zn, S, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, magnetic particles.and coal and oil soot provide a clear record of increased atmospheric input of materials associated with the combustion of fossil fuels beginning in the late 1800s and early 1900s. he primary evidence for acidification occurs after that period, and the pattern of water chemistry response to increased acid inputs is consistent with current understanding of lake-watershed acidification processes.