The effects of scale and resolution in developing percentile maps of critical loads for the UK

Critical loads are estimated in the UK by the Department of Environment's Critical Loads Advisory Group and sub-groups. The Mapping and Data Centre at ITE Monks Wood acts as the National Focal Centre for the UNECE programme for mapping critical loads. The centre is responsible for the generation of UK data sets and their application for national and European purposes. To make effective use of these data, it is necessary to draw upon other environmental data and examine the issues of scale, uncertainty and the way that data are presented. This paper outlines the methodologies which have been employed to derive national maps. Early critical load maps were not vegetation specific, but now critical loads for acidity and for nutrient nitrogen for soils, critical levels maps for ozone and sulphur dioxide, and sulphur deposition maps, have been generated on a vegetation or ecosystem specific basis. These have been used to derive a number of different types of critical load and exceedance maps. The results show the importance of the method selected and the data used for the interpretation. The visualisation of critical loads and the corresponding exceedance data is an important aspect in producing information for pollution abatement strategies.     

Critical loads for nitrogen deposition: Case studies at two northern hardwood forests

A critical load of a pollutant is the level of input below which no harmful ecological effects occur to a complex ecosystem. Critical loads are being used in policy decisions regarding air pollution emissions. In this paper, we applied four mass and charge balance methods of calculating critical loads to two northern hardwood forests in the northeastern United States. Critical loads for nitrogen deposition with respect to acidity ranged from 0–630 eq/ha-yr. Critical loads for nitrogen deposition with respect to effects of elevated nitrogen (eutrophication and nutrient imbalances) ranged from 0–1450 eq/ha-yr. At both the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) and Huntington Wildlife Forest (HWF), the critical load for nitrogen with respect to acidity was exceeded. At the HBEF, due to reduced forest growth, the critical load for nitrogen with respect to nutrient imbalances and eutrophication was exceeded in recent years. At Huntington Wildlife Forest, the critical load with respect to nitrogen effects was also exceeded. This analysis demonstrated that the calculated critical load of nitrogen varies in response to changes in environmental conditions such as variations in atmospheric deposition of sulfate or changes in forest biomass accumulation.     

Variability in Mapping Acidification Risk Scenarios for Terrestrial Ecosystems in Asian Countries

Acidification has the potential to become a widespread problem in parts of Asia. Just how widespread this risk may be is discussed by comparing sulphur deposition to critical load estimates, taking into account neutralising base cation deposition from soil dust. Two scenarios for the sulphur emission in 2025 are used as inputs to the MATCH atmospheric transfer model to estimate sulphur deposition scenarios. Net acidic deposition using a low and high base cation deposition input is compared to a map of sensitivity of terrestrial ecosystems to acidic deposition. Two ranges of critical loads assigned to this sensitivity map are used. The variability in the maps showing risks of acidification using low and high estimates for critical loads and base cation deposition for two different development pathways is discussed. Certain areas are shown to be at risk in all cases whereas others are very sensitive to the values used to estimate risk.     

Nitrogen Deposition and Strategies for the Control of Acidification and Eutrophication across Great Britain

It is now recognised that a multi-pollutant, multi-effect approach needsto be adopted to address the range of problems caused by atmosphericpollution. In this paper we use a relatively simple trajectory model (HARM)to explore the coupled behaviour of sulphur dioxide (SO₂),oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) and ammonia (NH₃) andthe possible effects of future reductions in emissions of these pollutantson depositions of S and N across Great Britain. The performance of HARM withrespect to concentrations and depositions of NO_y andNH_x is assessed by comparison with data from nationalmonitoring networks. A range of emissions scenarios are modelled and theeffects of these reductions on critical loads exceedance are explored usingthe critical loads function (CLF), which allows both the acidification andeutrophication effects of S and N deposition to be explored simultaneously.Spatial variations in the reductions of deposition of S and/or N required tomeet critical loads are described. Reductions in emissions of the precursorsof strong acids (SO₂ and NO_x) yield benefits interms of ammonium deposition as a result of their coupled chemistry. Thedevelopment of strategies to control nitrogen deposition will need to take this non-linearity in to account.     

Effects of Site Selection Strategy on Freshwater Critical Load Exceedances in Wales

Critical loads are used in international negotiations to reduce acid deposition resulting from emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds within Europe. For freshwater ecosystems, the First-order Acidity Balance (FAB) model is used to generate national maps of critical loads and exceedances for both sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N). In Wales, two survey datasets have been used to calculate critical loads and exceedances; one based on water bodies selected to be "most-sensitive" to acidification within a 10 km grid and the other based on a random selection of standing waters. Both datasets indicate that critical loads were exceeded in 1990 in a significant proportion of Welsh lakes and streams; 36% of sites in the grid-based survey and 31% of sites in the random survey. However, implementation of the Gothenburg Protocol would protect all but 6% of sites in the grid-based survey and all sites in the random survey. Assessment of the relative success of the Gothenburg Protocol in protecting Welsh freshwater ecosystems therefore depends on the site selection strategy employed.     

Critical Loads of Sulphur and Nitrogen for Terrestrial Ecosystems in Europe and Northern Asia Using Different Soil Chemical Criteria

A critical load data base was developed for Europe and Northern Asia using the latest data bases on soils, vegetation, climate and forest growth. Critical loads for acidity and nutrient nitrogen for terrestrial ecosystems were computed with the Simple Mass Balance model. The resulting critical loads are in accordance with critical loads from previous global empirical studies, but have a much higher spatial resolution. Critical loads of acidity are sensitive to both the chemical criterion and the critical limit chosen. Therefore a sensitivity analysis of critical loads was performed by employing different chemical criteria. A critical limit based on an acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) of zero resulted in critical loads that protect ecosystems against toxic concentrations of aluminium and unfavourable Al/Bc ratios, suggesting that ANC could be an alternative to the commonly used Al/Bc ratio. Critical loads of nutrient nitrogen are sensitive to the specified critical nitrate concentration, especially in areas with a high precipitation surplus. If limits of 3–6 mg N l^?1 are used for Western Europe instead of the widely used 0.2 mg N l^?1, critical loads double on average. In low precipitation areas, the increase is less than 50%. The strong dependence on precipitation surplus is a consequence of the simple modelling approach. Future models should explore other nitrogen parameters (such as nitrogen availability) instead of leaching as the factor influencing vegetation changes in terrestrial ecosystems.     

Calculation and Mapping of Critical Loads for S, N and Acidity in China

Critical loads of nutrient and acidifying nitrogen, as well as of sulphur and acidity, were derived for various ecosystems in China using the steady state mass balance (SSMB) equations. The weathering rates of major soils necessary for applying SSMB were calculated through the PROFILE model on the basis of mineralogical data from experimental analysis. The growth uptakes of nitrogen and base cations were also derived by multiplying the annual increases in biomass with the element contents of the vegetation. Using a geographical information system (GIS), 1°(latitude)×1°(longitude) critical load maps of China with different percentiles were compiled. Results indicate that low critical loads of S (< 0.5 keq·ha^?1·a^?1) occurred predominately in southwest and northeast China, and the critical loads of southeast China were intermediate and in the range of 0.5～1.0 keq·ha^?1·a^?1. In addition, the critical loads of N were very low for desert ecosystems in northwest China and high for agricultural ecosystems in east China. Among the ecosystems with intermediate critical load of N, coniferous forests may be more sensitive to N deposition than broad-leaf forests and temperate steppes.     

Critical loads of acid deposition on Scottish soils

The impact of acid deposition, attributable to sulphur and nitrogen pollutants, on the soils of Scotland has been analysed using a critical loads approach. The critical load of a soil (as an indicator of ecological damage) is calculated from the soil parent material controlling weathering and soil development. Using existing soil survey information national maps for critical loads of acidity and the sulphur fraction are presented for soils under natural and semi-natural ecosystems. The results show that highly sensitive soils, that is those derived from quartzite and granite are limited in occurrence. However, there are large areas of sensitive soils predominantly to the north and west of the Midland Valley and in the Southern Uplands, in receipt of acid deposition in excess of their critical load. Enhanced soil acidification should be widespread in these areas and consequently the ecosystems which they support will be adversely affected. The least sensitive soils, overlying limestone or marl, are restricted in occurrence and are confined to the major deposits of marine alluvium. The results of the analysis may be used to help policy makers derive emission abatement strategies in the context of the European Sulphur protocol renewal in 1993. In Scotland the maps may be used to aid the planning of large scale afforestation.     

Deriving critical loads for Asia

Critical loads have been computed and mapped in Southeast Asia, comprising China, Korea, Japan, The Philippines, Indo-China, Indonesia and the Indian subcontinent. The methodology involved the Steady-State Mass Balance (SSMB) method, originally developed for Europe. In contrast to Europe, where critical loads were computed for forest soils and surface waters, in Asia critical loads for 31 different vegetation types have been computed. Critical chemical limits as well as soil stability criteria were derived for each of these vegetation types, which include both natural and managed ecosystems. Results show that low critical loads in Asia occur in Bangla-Desh, Indo-China, Indonesia and the southern part of China. Uncertainties of the results are mainly due to uncertainties in base cation deposition. The critical loads are part of the impact module of the Asian version of the Regional Air pollution INformation and Simulation model (RAINS-Asia), a model used to assess abatement strategies for sulfur emissions which are rapidly increasing in this part of the world. The difference in the level of detail between European and Asian critical load maps enables different applications. In Europe, critical loads for sulphur were used in comparison to actual sulphur deposition with the aim of decreasing the excess of sulphur deposition over critical loads through optimal emission abatement. In Asia in general and China in particular the geographical distribution of critical loads of sensitive ecosystems, with some emphasis on crops, is likely to be used as a basis for future emission (re-)allocation.     

The use of critical loads in emission reduction agreements in Europe

Critical loads have been used in the revision of the Sulphur Protocol of the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). Critical loads, i.e. maximum allowable depositions which do not increase the probability of damage to forest soils and surface waters, have been computed and mapped for Europe by means of the Steady-state Mass Balance Method, using national data and, if national data were unavailable, using a European database. Results show that areas with low critical loads are located mostly in northern and central Europe. The reduction of the excess of sulfur (S) deposition over critical loads was a starting point for negotiations leading to the Oslo Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions (the “Second Sulphur Protocol”). The new protocol protects about 81%, 86% and 90% of the ecosystems' area in 2000, 2005 and 2010, respectively. In addition, the total European area in which sulphur deposition exceeds critical loads by more than 500 eq ha^?1 yr^?1 will be reduced from about 19% in 1980 to practically zero in 2010. Besides these results, a methodology is presented which allows the combined assessment of the acidifying effects of S and N as well as the eutrophying effects of N deposition on ecosystems (so-called critical load functions and the protection isolines derived from them). This methodology is well suited to integrate ecosystem sensitivities into future negotiations on the reductions of nitrogen (N) compounds, taking into account present or anticipated S emissions.     

Assessing Potential Impacts on Biodiversity Using Critical Loads

In many countries there has been much concern over maintaining biodiversity in natural ecosystems in the face of pressures such as changing land use and pollution. The 1992 UN Convention on Biodiversity calls upon signatories to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. In the UK, the potential impacts of sulphur and nitrogen deposition at the national level are being assessed using national critical loads and modelled deposition maps, together with available information on the occurrence of habitats and plant species. This simple approach gives an indication of the areas where atmospheric deposition may have impacts on biodiversity. The results of the analyses are presented and the strengths and weaknesses of the methods used are discussed. This first approach to considering the effects on biodiversity shows the importance of including the effects of atmospheric deposition in any biodiversity action plan. It also highlights those areas where more or improved information is required for the national strategy. With the modelled deposition data available, it would seem that reduced impacts are to be expected by 2010. However, higher resolution deposition data, better estimates of ammonium deposition, consideration of temporal aspects and the dynamics of change, and the use of higher resolution biological data sets are likely to suggest greater impacts than current predictions.     

Long-Term Changes in Forest Growth: Potential Effects of Nitrogen Deposition and Acidification

In spite of numerous experimental studies, it has, sofar, not been possible to link historic changes inforest growth to acid deposition at regional scales,partly due to difficulties in modeling the ecologicalcomplexity of forests. We analyzed radial incrementdata from increment cores from >31 000 spruce forestplots in southern Norway from 1954–1996. Using acombination of a bio-stratification model to controlconfounding factors, and a catchment model foracidification, we demonstrate for the first time aspatial and temporal co-variation between forestgrowth and both nitrogen deposition and acidification,as indicated by acidity critical loads exceedances.Increases in growth during the 1960–1970s, followed bya subsequent decline in the 1980–1990s, were bestexplained by combined actions of acidification,nitrogen deposition and climatic stress on forestgrowth. While forest conditions varyprimarily with natural growing conditions, the resultssuggest that boreal forests are sensitive to moderatelevels of nitrogen and sulphur deposition whereacidity critical loads are low, and that effects maybe observed over relatively short time scales.     

Critical Nitrogen Deposition Loads in High-elevation Lakes of the Western US Inferred from Paleolimnological Records

Critical loads of nitrogen (N) from atmospheric deposition were determined for alpine lake ecosystems in the western US using fossil diatom assemblages in lake sediment cores. Changes in diatom species over the last century were indicative of N enrichment in two areas, the eastern Sierra Nevada, starting between 1960 and 1965, and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, starting in 1980. In contrast, no changes in diatom community structure were apparent in lakes of Glacier National Park. To determine critical N loads that elicited these community changes, we modeled wet nitrogen deposition rates for the period in which diatom shifts first occurred in each area using deposition data spanning from 1980 to 2007. We determined a critical load of 1.4 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 wet N deposition to elicit key nutrient enrichment effects on diatom communities in both the eastern Sierra Nevada and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.     

The role of nitrogen in acidification of Tatra Mountains lakes

An overall level as well as seasonal changes of acidification of Tatra Mountains surface waters have been studied. Measurements carried out in the Tatra Mountains National Park were concentrated on two lakes: Dlugi Staw and Zielony Staw, situated in the crystalline, granitic part of the mountains. These lakes differ from each other in altitude (1784 m and 1632 m a.s.l. respectively) as well as in quantity and variety of flora and fauna living in and around them. The wet deposition of acidifying compounds of sulphur and nitrogen, and their seasonal variability in the area of the lakes were measured and compared with the critical loads of sulphur and nitrogen for these lakes and their catchments. Results showed that the critical loads of both sulphur and nitrogen in Dlugi Staw were exceeded all over the year and in Zielony Staw the acid deposition was roughly equal to critical load. A surprisingly high concentration of nitrogen compounds in acid deposition, well above the absorption ability of both the lakes and their catchments were ascertained. Nitrogen retention coefficients calculated for the lakes were as follows: Dlugi Staw — approximately 10%, Zielony Staw — approximately 50%. Seasonal variability in nitrate ions concentration in the lakes' waters reflected their prominent acidification caused by nitrogen compounds corresponding to stages 2 and 3 in the scale proposed recently by Stoddard (Stoddard, 1994).     

Critical loads — Possibilities and constraints

Since critical thresholds for acidic deposition were first considered in the 1970s, the critical loads approach has rapidly evolved into a practical tool for addressing the problems of pollution control. It has gained acceptance from many scientists and policy makers, bridging the gap between science and policy and proving its use with the acidifying effects of the atmospheric pollutants of sulphur and nitrogen. For this there are examples at local, national and international scales and there appears to be scope for further applications as methods and databases improve. The UN/ECE used the approach to underpin the second Sulphur Protocol; for this, emission reductions were recommended on the basis of environmental effects as well as the costs of control measures. Although limited by a relatively coarse transport modelling scale, the advantages over non-effect-orientated approaches were evident. At a more local scale, the approach has often lacked information linking some of the chemical effects on soils and freshwaters to harmful effects to biota. In addition, the important consideration of rates of change, in particular recovery, of ecosystems with changing pollutant loads has still to be addressed nationally and internationally. The critical loads approach is a first step towards effects orientated pollution control. Already sophisticated methods, based upon similar dose-response data, are being developed; these lend themselves better to economic evaluation of damage. Despite limitations, the critical loads approach has proved a practical method for deriving pollution control strategies whose success will be judged in the years ahead.     

Uncertainty analysis of critical loads for terrestrial ecosystems in Russia

The goal of this study is to give a comprehensive and quantitative estimation of the uncertainty of computed in different scale nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) critical loads (CL) values for terrestrial ecosystems of the Northern Asia, European part and the North-Western regions of Russia. The CL values are used to set goals for future deposition rates of acidifying compounds so that the environment is protected. In this research CL values for terrestrial ecosystems are determined using the expert-modelling geoinformation system (EM GIS) approach. UNCSAM software package is used as the tool for uncertainty analysis. The analysis presented here focuses on the estimation and effect of the input source uncertainties and sensitivities on the CL values in various regions under study. In spite of the region, nitrogen uptake by vegetation, nitrogen leaching from terrestrial ecosystems and the difference between deposition and uptake by plants of base cations (BC) are the most influential factors for all terrestrial ecosystems of Russia.     

Deposition gradients and foliar and soil leachate concentrations of air pollutants in Scots pine stands of S.-E. Finland and the Karelian Isthmus,N.-W. Russia

Bulk precipitation and throughfall analyses in 50–100-year-old Scots pine stands revealed decreasing sulphur, nitrogen, calcium and magnesium deposition gradients, which extend from the St. Petersburg-Leningrad region and N.-E. Estonia to S.-E. Finland. The Ca and Mg deposition alleviate the acidifying effect of sulphur and nitrogen. The Scots pine canopies acted as a sink for ammonium and nitrate, while the canopy interactions increased sulphur, calcium and magnesium content in throughfall. Foliar S, N and Ca concentrations correlated positively with the corresponding deposition loads. In contrast, low foliar magnesium concentrations were detected in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. The results indicate that the sulphur and calcium deposition may have increased soil leachate S and Ca concentrations in the most polluted Scots pine stands.     

The use of critical load exceedances in abatement strategy planning

Critical loads for sulphur and nitrogen are defined to produce effective control strategies over Europe, such as those of the new sulphur protocol. To determine the critical load exceedances on the European scale it is necessary to simplify and generalize. The spatial variation on a scale smaller than the 150 × 150 km EMEP grid squares is considered for critical loads, via a cumulative frequency distribution and the 95 percentile for the grid square is determined. The deposition is assumed to be uniform over the area and the exceedance over the 95 percentile critical load is determined. In reality, the spatial variation is considerable for critical loads as well as for deposition. Calculations based on the frequency of local critical load exceedances have been made for two grid squares in southern Sweden. Local critical loads for acidity are compared to local deposition. Deposition variations due to pollution gradients within the square and to ecosystem structure have been considered. The results are similar for the two squares. The calculations based on local exceedances on 50×50 km grid squares and consideration to landuse variability, indicate that in order to protect 95% of the ecosystems in the square, emission reductions 25% greater than the large-scale European approach are needed. The effect of enhanced deposition at forest edges is of relatively small importance for the total exceedance.     

Derivation of diagnostic indices for assessing the sulphur status of Panicum maximum var. trichoglume

Abstract

The effects of nitrogen fertilization and age of regrowth on a number of indices for assessing the sulphur status of the perennial tropical pasture grass Panicum maximum var. trichoglume (green panic) have been examined in pot experiments. A non‐rectangular hyperbola regression model has been used as an aid in deriving critical sulphur concentrations and evaluating their confidence limits. The merits and limitations of this model together with problems associated with other methods of deriving critical nutrient concentrations are discussed.

Results indicate that critical total S concentrations in whole plant tops declined markedly with age of regrowth. Critical sulphate S concentrations were more stable with age of regrowth, concentrations in excess of 0.012% being indicative of adequate sulphur for maximum plant yield. It is also suggested that plants have adequate sulphur when more than 12% of their total S content is in the sulphate form. N:S ratios may provide a useful guide for assessing sulphur status but should be treated with caution when the nitrogen supply to the plants is high.