AQUATIC EFFECTS OF ACIDIC DEPOSITION © 2000 by CRC Press LLC LEWIS PUBLISHERS Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C. AQUATIC EFFECTS OF ACIDIC DEPOSITION Timothy J. Sullivan © 2000 by CRC Press LLC This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reprinted material is quoted with permission, and sources are indicated. A wide variety of references are listed. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use. Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution, for promotion, for creating new works, or for resale. Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC Press LLC for such copying. Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC, 2000 N.W. Corporate Blvd., Boca Raton, Florida 33431. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation, without intent to infringe. © 2000 by CRC Press LLC Lewis Publishers is an imprint of CRC Press LLC No claim to original U.S. Government works International Standard Book Number 1-56670-416-2 Library of Congress Card Number 99-058887 Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Printed on acid-free paper Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sullivan, Timothy, J., 1950- Aquatic effects of acidic deposition / Timothy J. Sullivan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-56670-416-2 (alk. paper) 1. Acid deposition Enviromental aspects. 2. Acid pollution of rivers, lakes, etc United States. I. Title. TD427.A27 S85 2000 628.1 ′ 683—dc21 99-058887 CIP 1416fm Page iv Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC To Debbie, Laura, and Jenna 1416fm Page v Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC Acronyms ABW Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness AERP Aquatic Effects Research Program ALSC Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation ALTM Adirondack Long-Term Monitoring Program ANC Acid neutralizing capacity ANC G ANC as measured by Gran titration in the laboratory AQRV Air quality related values ASI Acidic stress index BMW Bob Marshall Wilderness CAAA Clean Air Act Amendments CALK Calculated ANC CCA Canonical correspondence analysis CEC Cation exchange capacity CLIMEX Climate Change Experiment DDF Dry deposition factor DDRP Direct Delayed Response Project DIC Dissolved inorganic carbon DOC Dissolved organic carbon ELS Eastern Lake Survey ELS-I Phase I of the Eastern Lake Survey ELS-II Phase II of the Eastern Lake Survey EPA Environmental Protection Agency ERP Episodic Response Program EXMAN Experimental Manipulation of Forest Ecosystems in Europe Program FADS Florida Acid Deposition Study FISH Fish in Sensitive Habitats Project FLAG Federal Land Managers AQRV Group FLM Federal Land Manager GLAC Glacier National Park GLEES Glacier Lakes Ecosystem Experiment Site 1416fm Page vii Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC GRTE Grand Teton National Park HBEF Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH HUMEX Humic Lake Acidification Experiment IA Integrated Assessment IAG Internal Alkalinity Generation Model IAM Integrated Assessment Model ILWAS Integrated Lake–Watershed Acidification Study IWS Integrated Watershed Study LAC Limits of acceptable change LTM Long-term monitoring program LTRAP Long Range Transboundary Pollution Program MAGIC Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments MAGIC-WAND Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments with Aggregated Nitrogen Dynamics MERLIN Model of Ecosystem Retention and Loss of Inorganic Nitrogen MPCA Minnesota Pollution Control Agency NADP National Atmospheric Deposition Program NAPAP National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program NDDN National Dry Deposition Network NIICCE Nitrogen Isotopes and Carbon Cycling in Coniferous Ecosystems Model NITREX Nitrogen Saturation Experiments Program NIVA Norwegian Institute for Water Research NLS National Lake Survey NPP Net primary production NPS National Park Service NSS National Stream Survey NSWS National Surface Water Survey NTN National Trends Network NuCM Nutrient Cycling Model OTA Office of Technology Assessment OWLS Object Watershed Link System PIRLA Paleoecological Investigation of Recent Lake Acidification 1416fm Page viii Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC PIRLA-II Continuation of Paleoecological Investigation of Recent Lake Acidification PRL Proton reference level PSD Prevention of significant deterioration QA/QC Quality assurance/quality control RADM Regional Acid Deposition Model RAIN Reversing Acidification in Norway Project RIA Randomized intervention analysis RILWAS Regionalized Integrated Lake Watershed Acidifi- cation Study RMSE Root mean square error ROMO Rocky Mountain National Park SAMI Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative SBW Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness SNSF Sur Nedbørs Virkning på Skog og Fisk (Acid Pre- cipitation—Effects on Forest and Fish)—acidic deposition research program in Norway SOS/T State-of-Science/Technology Report SWAP Surface Water Acidification Program TAF Tracking and Analysis Framework TOC Total organic carbon UN/ECE United Nations/Economic Commission for Europe USGS U.S. Geological Survey VTSSS Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study VWM Volume weighted mean WACALIB Weighted-averaging calibration WLS Western Lake Survey WMP Watershed Manipulation Project WY Water year YBP Years before present YELL Yellowstone National Park 1416fm Page ix Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC Acknowledgments Aquatic Effects of Acidic Deposition covers a wide range of topics and scientific disciplines in which I have been involved in my own research over the last two decades. My interest in these areas of research has been stimulated by a large number of colleagues, many of whom are specialists in the various ele- ments and fields of study covered in this book. This state-of-the-science sum- mary was made possible by the concerted efforts of a great many scientists who provided the research foundation that I have summarized and by my interactions with them to enhance my understanding of the key elements that are discussed. I am very grateful to Jayne Charles who did all of the word processing and worked extensively with the reference list. Susan Binder kindly assisted with graphics and many other aspects of document production. Many of the figures presented in the book were prepared by Susan, Kellie Vaché, and Joe Bischoff. Several colleagues kindly provided helpful comments on an earlier draft of the book. These include Jack Cosby, Steve Kahl, and Kathy Tonnessen. Funding to support preparation of this book was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the National Acid Precip- itation Assessment Program; by the National Park Service, Air Resources Division in Denver, through a grant to the University of Virginia; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through a grant to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Much of my recent research that is summarized herein was sup- ported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the USDA Forest Service. None of the previously mentioned agencies have cleared this book through their peer or administrative review processes, and no official endorsement is implied. I am very grateful to Mike Uhart, Kathy Tonnessen, Jack Cosby, John Kar- ish, and Jon Zehr for assistance with funding arrangements, as well as sup- port and encouragement. 1416fm Page xi Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC Preface In 1990, the U.S. National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP) completed the initial phase of what was then the largest environmental research program ever conducted. NAPAP research investigated the causes and effects of, and mitigation strategies for, acidic atmospheric deposition throughout the U.S. This massive environmental research and assessment effort took 10 years to complete, involved hundreds of scientists, engineers, and economists, and cost in excess of $500 million. The scientific culmination of this research was embodied in a series of 27 State of Science and Technol- ogy (SOS/T) Reports that were published in 1990. In addition, a policy report was published in 1991 as the NAPAP Integrated Assessment. After 1990, research funding for work on acidic deposition effects decreased suddenly and substantially. However, many significant research programs were still in progress and/or not yet published, especially in the areas of aquatic effects of nitrogen and sulfur deposition. Results from these efforts appeared in the scientific literature during the early 1990s. In addition, a suite of research projects was initiated post-1990, albeit with somewhat lower funding levels than were common during the heyday of the NAPAP research program. These latter projects took advantage of the significant knowledge gains of the 1980s and, therefore, tended to be more focused and productive than earlier research efforts. Many addressed significant knowledge gaps that had been identified in the SOS/T reports, particularly regarding the interactions between acidic deposition and other sources of natural and anthropogenic acidity. As a consequence, a large body of scientific information related to aquatic effects of atmospheric nitrogen and sulfur deposition has been pro- duced since publication of the SOS/T series of reports. New findings have added support to the state of scientific understanding in some areas, modi- fied it in others, and led to the development of new paradigms and perspec- tives in still other areas of research. The primary aim of this book is to summarize and synthesize major advancements since 1990 in the state of scientific understanding of the aquatic effects of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and sulfur. It is intended to emphasize advancements in those aspects of aquatic effects research that are of direct policy relevance. Thus, topics concerning quantification of the magnitude of effects and recent developments in the area of predictive mod- eling capabilities are deemed to be of great importance, for the purposes of this book. Special attention is given to those aspects of aquatic effects research that had either been poorly studied pre-1990 or for which major research efforts have been completed in recent years. Topics of special interest include virtually all aspects of nitrogen effects research, as well as the importance of 1416fm Page xiii Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC natural sources of acidity, the influence of land use and landscape change on the chemistry of drainage waters, and the role of short-term episodic events. This book is intended as a teaching resource and reference source. It pro- vides a comprehensive update on the state of scientific understanding regarding an important environmental topic. It also illustrates the progres- sion and refinement of the scientific knowledge base as research in this field has evolved from general basic research to more narrowly focused efforts aimed at answering specific questions. The target audience includes advanced students of environmental science and engineering and applied environmental practitioners. The latter group includes federal and state land managers and environmental stewards, many of whom are tasked with protecting sensitive natural resources from air pollution degradation and overseeing and prioritizing efforts to mitigate past damage. The wealth of recent knowledge gains summarized here will assist environmental pro- fessionals in making informed judgments regarding air pollution sensitivi- ties, effects, and remediation. The effects of atmospheric nitrogen and sulfur inputs to watershed sys- tems, and the interactions between such inputs and other natural and anthro- pogenic features and stressors, provide an ideal framework for the study of upland hydrobiogeochemistry. Such study requires understanding of the key aspects of myriad disciplines and ecosystem compartments. Major compo- nents include mass balance input–output calculations, the study of hydrolog- ical flowpaths as water moves through the watershed system, and a wide range of interactions between drainage water and soils, geological substrates, and both terrestrial and aquatic biota. Understanding how hydrobio- geochemical processes and cycles govern the response of the entire water- shed to atmospheric inputs and the associated interactions with natural features of the landscape, climate, and human disturbance aids our under- standing of global ecosystems and the influence of human activities on eco- system function and integrity. Timothy J. Sullivan 1416fm Page xiv Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11:35 AM © 2000 by CRC Press LLC [...]... 222 9 .1. 5 Evaluation of MAGIC Projections 229 Nitrogen Models 232 10 Case Study: Adirondack Park, NY 237 10 .1 Background and Available Data 237 10 .1. 1 ELS-I 239 10 .1. 2 ALSC 239 10 .1. 3 ELS-II 240 10 .1. 4 DDRP 240 10 .1. 5 PIRLA .240 10 .1. 6 ALTM 240 10 .1. 7 ERP 2 41 10.2 Watershed History 2 41 10.3 Lake-Water... 10 3 4.5 .1 Monitoring Studies 11 1 4.5.2 Paleolimnological Studies 11 2 4.5.3 Model Simulations 11 2 5 Chemical Dose–Response Relationships and Critical Loads 11 5 5 .1 Quantification of Chemical Dose–Response Relationships 11 5 5 .1. 1 Measured Changes in Acid–Base Chemistry 11 6 5 .1. 2 Space-for-Time Substitution 11 9 5 .1. 3 Paleolimnological Inferences of Dose–Response... Manipulations 17 9 8 .1. 1 Gårdsjön, Sweden 17 9 8 .1. 2 Sogndal, Norway 18 1 8 .1. 3 Lake Skjervatjern, Norway 18 2 8 .1. 4 Aber, Wales .18 4 8 .1. 5 Klosterhede, Denmark 18 5 8 .1. 6 Bear Brook, ME 18 6 8.2 Whole-System Nitrogen Exclusion (Roof) Studies 18 7 8.2 .1 Gårdsjön, Sweden 18 8 8.2.2 Ysselsteyn and Speuld, Netherlands 18 9 8.2.3 Klosterhede, Denmark 19 0 8.2.4... Status of Surface Water Acid-Base Chemistry (Baker et al., 19 90a) SOS/T 10 Watershed and Lake Processes Affecting Surface Water Acid-Base Chemistry (Turner et al., 19 90) SOS/T 11 Historical Changes in Surface Water Acid-Base Chemistry in Response to Acidic Deposition (Sullivan, 19 90) © 2000 by CRC Press LLC 14 16/frame/C 01 Page 4 Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11 :37 AM 4 Aquatic Effects of Acidic Deposition. .. full spectrum of acidic deposition 1 © 2000 by CRC Press LLC 14 16/frame/C 01 Page 2 Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11 :37 AM 2 Aquatic Effects of Acidic Deposition issues, from emissions (SOS/T 1) through valuation (SOS/T 27) Of these reports, six covered aspects of acidic deposition aquatic effects (SOS/T 9 through 15 ) that were thought to comprise the most significant components of environmental impacts... February 9, 2000 11 :35 AM 6.2 6.3 6.4 Causes 14 3 6.2 .1 Natural Processes 14 3 6.2.2 Anthropogenic Effects 14 4 Extent and Magnitude 14 6 Biological Impacts 15 1 7 Nitrogen Dynamics 15 5 7 .1 Nitrogen Cycle 15 5 7.2 Environmental Effects 15 9 7.3 Nitrogen in Surface Waters 17 1 8 Experimental Manipulation Studies 17 5 8 .1 Whole-System Nitrogen.. .14 16fm Page xv Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11 :35 AM Contents 1 Introduction 1 1 .1 1990 NAPAP Reports and Integrated Assessment 1 1.2 Scope 3 1. 3 Goals and Objectives 4 1. 4 Outline of State of Science Update 5 2 Background and Approach 7 2 .1 Overview .7 2 .1. 1 Atmospheric Inputs 7 2 .1. 2 Sensitivity to Acidification .10 2.2... Sulfate 2 01 9 .1. 2.2 Organic Acids 202 9 .1. 2.3 Aluminum 210 9 .1. 2.4 Nitrogen 212 9 .1. 3 Cumulative Impacts of Changes to the MAGIC Model 215 9 .1. 4 MAGIC Model Testing and Confirmation Studies 217 9 .1. 4 .1 Lake Skjervatjern (HUMEX) 218 9 .1. 4.2 Risdalsheia (RAIN) .220 © 2000 by CRC Press LLC 14 16fm Page xviii Wednesday, February 9, 2000 11 :35 AM 9.2 9 .1. 4.3 Bear Brook... Chemistry 244 10 .4 Organic Acidity 246 10 .5 Role of Nitrogen in Acidification Processes .248 10 .6 Role of Landscape and Disturbance in Acidification Processes 252 10 .7 Overall Assessment 256 11 Case Study: Class I Areas in the Mountainous West 259 11 .1 Background .259 11 .2 Sierra Nevada 265 11 .2 .1 Atmospheric Deposition 265 11 .2.2 Surface Water... .266 11 .2.3 Seasonality and Episodic Processes 267 11 .2.4 Weathering and Cation Exchange 272 11 .3 Rocky Mountains 273 11 .3 .1 Glacier National Park .275 11 .3.2 Yellowstone National Park 278 11 .3.3 Grand Teton National Park 280 11 .3.4 Rocky Mountain National Park 284 12 Conclusions and Future Research Needs 3 01 Definitions 309 References 321 . 237 10 .1 Background and Available Data 237 10 .1. 1 ELS-I 239 10 .1. 2 ALSC 239 10 .1. 3 ELS-II 240 10 .1. 4 DDRP 240 10 .1. 5 PIRLA 240 10 .1. 6 ALTM 240 10 .1. 7 ERP 2 41 10.2 Watershed History 2 41 10.3 Lake-Water. Manipulations 17 9 8 .1. 1 Gårdsjön, Sweden 17 9 8 .1. 2 Sogndal, Norway 18 1 8 .1. 3 Lake Skjervatjern, Norway 18 2 8 .1. 4 Aber, Wales 18 4 8 .1. 5 Klosterhede, Denmark 18 5 8 .1. 6 Bear Brook, ME 18 6 8.2 Whole-System. Mountainous West 259 11 .1 Background 259 11 .2 Sierra Nevada 265 11 .2 .1 Atmospheric Deposition 265 11 .2.2 Surface Water Chemistry 266 11 .2.3 Seasonality and Episodic Processes 267 11 .2.4 Weathering