Estimation of source-receptor matrices for deposition of NOx-N

The contributions of the anthropogenic sources of NO_x from various combinations of contiguous U.S. states or Canadian provinces to integrated deposition across selected states or provinces are estimated with the Advanced Statistical Trajectory Regional Air Pollution (ASTRAP) model. The model assumes linearity between emissions and deposition, and uses the same parameterization methods, although with different rates, as in simulations of transport and deposition of SO_X. Vertical distributions of emissions for the two classes of pollutants are substantially different in the gridded inventories used in simulations, with a weighted mean effective emission height of 160 m for NO_X and 310 m for SO_X. This might be expected to lead to an effective transport distance before deposition shorter for NO_X than for SO_X. However, the calculated fraction of NO_X emissions deposited within the contiguous United States and Canada south of 60 deg N (57%) is not greatly different from the fraction calculated for SOX emissions (54%). This suggests that there may be compensating factors in the horizontal distribution of NO_X emissions, and in the lower dry deposition velocities for NO/NO₂ than for SO₂ in ASTRAP.     

pH and hydrogen ion deposition patterns in precipitation for the continental United States and Canada

Maps of both volume-weighted mean pH and mean H⁺ deposition in precipitation were developed for the continental United States and Canada using data from 12 precipitation chemistry monitoring networks. The maps were constructed using 1981–1982 laboratory pH data from approximately 130 monitoring sites. The area of greatest acidity (lowest pH/highest H⁺ deposition) is located in the northern Ohio Valley and southeastern Ontario, an area corresponding to high SO_x and NO_x emissions.     

Acid rain deposition patterns in the continental United States

Acid rain has become a major environmental concern, the current extent of which is illustrated in this paper. Maps of both pH and H⁺ deposition in precipitation have been developed for the continental United States by analyzing laboratory pH data from nine precipitation chemistry networks and two single stations spread across the continental United States and southern Canada during the late 1970's. Average laboratory pH values were obtained or calculated for approximately 100 stations, and isopleths of weighted mean pH and mean annual H+ deposition in precipitation were drawn. Results of this analysis show that in spite of a wide variety of collection methods and sampling intervals, there is remarkable uniformity in the average pH among the various stations. The northeastern United States continues to exhibit the most acidic precipitation, with remaining portions of the eastern United States, states along the western coastline and a pocket in central Colorado also experiencing acid precipitation.     

Atlantic salmon resources in the Northeastern United States and the potential effects of acidification from atmospheric deposition

The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was formerly abundant in northeast coastal rivers in the United States from the Canadian border to the Connecticut River, and possibly as far south as the Delaware River. It was eliminated from most of its former range by a combination of overfishing, construction of dams impassable to migrating fish, and municipal and industrial pollution. Reproducing populations are now limited to a few rivers in Maine, but attempts are under way to reintroduce the species to some rivers where populations formerly existed. Most of the native Atlantic salmon rivers are low in acid neutralizing capacity and receive acidic precipitation. The third order streams are not now acidic; however, in some first and second order streams in Maine, pH episodically declines to 4.7 and Al increases to 350 μg g^?1. These conditions could be toxic to sensitive early life history stages of Atlantic salmon. Comparison of chemical conditions in two Maine rivers in 1980–1982 with those in 1969–1970 indicated that the streams have not become more acidic during this interval. Data on the sport catch of Atlantic salmon indicated that populations have generally remained stable or recently increased in the Maine rivers having naturally reproducing populations. The recent increase probably resulted from introductions of hatchery smolts to supplement natural reproduction, and the occurrence of strong year classes in 1978 and 1980. The population in one stream has declined significantly in recent years, but the cause of the decline is probably not related to acidic precipitation. Atlantic salmon resources in the U.S. have apparently not been adversely affected by atmospheric deposition at the present time.     

Computing atmospheric transport and deposition of heavy metals over Europe: Country budgets for 1985

The Heavy Metal Eulerian Transport (HMET) model has been used to calculate the exchange of As, Cd, Pb and Zn between European countries in 1985. The model was run separately for each emitter country and the computed deposition field was used to calculate the contribution of the emitter to each receptor country. The results of these computations are presented in the form of a country budget matrix for each metal. Accuracy of such computations is dependant on the size and linearity of the numerical method applied to the transport equation. Exchange of heavy metals due to atmospheric transport over Europe is significant. Approximately 30% to 90% of the heavy metals emitted from each country is deposited in other countries. The remaining mass is deposited in European seas, Atlantic Ocean and transported outside the model domain. The largest part of the emission from each country is deposited in the same country. The next largest fraction is transported to the nearest neighbors. The results indicate also a significant long range ransport of heavy metals to the Soviet Union. This is partly justified by the size and location of this receptor country, as well as, the prevailing meteorological conditions in Europe. However, this large transport to USSR is slightly overestimated due to some artificial properties of the numerical method applied to basic model equations. In addition to the country budget, export versus import and emission versus deposition of metals were analyzed for each country. The largest positive difference between export and import was found for Poland, German Federal Republic and Yugoslavia (As, Cd and Zn), and United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium (Pb). The Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia are the countries where import of all metals is significantly larger than export. When emission versus deposition of heavy metals is analyzed, the Soviet Union has much higher emissions than deposition of all metals compared to other European countries.     

Atmospheric deposition to grassland canopies: Lysimeter budgets discriminating between interception deposition,mineral weathering and mineralization

Lysimeter experiments were used to determine atmospheric input to grassland canopies. The combined effect of interception deposition + mineral weathering + mineralization was calculated from input/output budgets. Four types of lysimeters were used, either filled with very pure quartz sand or chalk grassland soil, and either without vegetation or planted with Brachypodium pinnatum (L.) Beauv., Combination of budgets for these four types of lysimeters yielded separate estimates of interception deposition and mineral weathering + mineralization. Ratios between total deposition and bulk deposition were 1.74 and 1.93 for N and S, respectively. Sources and sinks of H⁺ for lysimeters with chalk grassland soil and planted with Brachypodium (abbrev. CP-lysimeters) were about 10 times larger than for lysimeters without plants and filled with quartz sand. The contribution of atmospheric input to total H⁺-sources was 80% for bare lysimeters filled with quartz sand, and only 12% for CP-lysimeters. Bulk deposition and total atmospheric deposition of N was 1.25 and 2.18 kmol ha^?1 yr^?1, respectively, whereas N mineralization of chalk grassland soil yielded 1.62 kmol ha^?1 yr^?1, ‘Acid rain’ has only a minor influence on H⁺-transformations within a chalk grassland ecosystem, but N cycling is seriously affected by atmospheric input.     

Estimation of wet and dry deposition of pollutant sulfur in eastern Canada as a function of major source regions

The contributions of major anthropogenic source regions to wet and dry deposition of total S in eastern Canada are estimated for a winter month and a summer month with the ASTRAP model. Results indicate that the U.S. and Canada contribute approximately equal amounts to total S deposition in Canada; Canadian sources contribute more than one half of dry deposition and less than one half of wet deposition.     

Agricultural Composting in the United States

In the United States, more farms are composting than municipalities, commercial/institutional establishments, and other private sector groups combined. To obtain an overview of agricultural composting in the United States, industry, government, and university representatives from the top 10 beef and dairy cattle, poultry, and swine producing states were contacted between January and April of 1995. These states represent at least 70 percent of the nation's production of these commodities (except for beef cattle at 52 percent). The representatives provided information about the number of farms composting, the materials composted, composting methods, how the compost is used, and motivating and impeding factors for farms to compost. In addition, information was gathered concerning composting crop residues. In this case, specific applications of crop residue composting were identified and individuals knowledgeable about the applications were contacted for background information.

Note the estimated numbers of composting operations presented here represent a best attempt to quantify the composting activity taking place on various types of farms. In many cases, the numbers are rough estimates, based on the assessments of the representatives contacted in each state. Also, they only include the composting operations in the top 10 producing states. A considerable amount of composting occurs outside of these states. Therefore, Tables 1 and 2 underestimate the number of farms that compost.     

Conservation of Lepidoptera in the United States

The need to conserve United States populations of Lepidoptera has been recognised for a century, but intensive programmes to do so have only recently come into being. The evolution of the butterfly and moth conservation movement in the United States is followed from the earliest instances to the present state of progress. The origin and growth of the Xerces Society as the chief body for terrestrial arthropod conservation in America are described. Currently, ecological research and political action aimed at specific lepidopteran protection issues are under way. Several of these are examined and the most acute needs for further study and action indicated. Habitat alteration emerges dramatically as the chief problem in the decline of butterfly and moth populations. The relative importance of pesticides and overcollecting is discussed and reinforces the conclusion that the habitat is paramount. Introductions of organisms for purposes of conservation likewise receive consideration, showing this strategy to be problematical and subject to careful review prior to its use. The various levels of government as well as private bodies and individuals have distinct roles in insect conservation. Greater public awareness of beneficial insects must precede optimal effectiveness of conservation schemes. The appointment of an official federal insect conservator is announced along with his initial proposal for endangered species listings for certain North American butterflies. The prognosis for a national programme is suggested. Lepidoptera conservation in the United States has become a fully fledged movement with numerous successes and with many difficult problems to face. The situation is viewed with immediate alarm but cautious long-term optimism as well.     

Phosphorus management for sustainable biosolids recycling in the United States

Land-based recycling of processed sewage sludge (biosolids) has traditionally been challenged by concerns over metals, organics, pathogens, odors, and public perception. Nutrient concerns, however, portend even greater challenges, and threaten land application programs in the US. Long-term application of biosolids results in accumulation of soil phosphorus (P) above concentrations needed for optimum crop yields. Water quality impairment associated with accelerated eutrophication is driving the US states to adopt policies and laws to reduce P losses to surface waters from agricultural land. Nearly all states have developed site assessment tools (P indices) to rank fields based on their vulnerability to P loss and to target remedial strategies. Biosolids have not been systematically addressed in most states and sustaining economical biosolids recycling programs will be difficult if policies fail to consider certain critical issues. Soil test P benchmarks should be based upon environmental P loss risk rather than crop response. Policies must recognize the role of mandated buffers in protecting surface water quality. Site indices must account for the sizable differences in P loss potential among biosolids types compared to mineral fertilizers and livestock manures. Finally, agronomic rate calculations must recognize different P fertilizer replacement values among biosolids products. Deployment of P management regulations for biosolids lacking scientifically defensible strategies in these areas will adversely affect land-based recycling. Sustainability requires additional research and intentional inclusion of biosolids in implementation of evolving P management policies.     

Effects of deep tillage and profile modification on soil properties,root growth,and crop yields in the United States and Canada

Unfavorable conditions of soil profiles, through their adverse effects on the growth, proliferation, and activity of roots, may severely limit the yield of crops at some locations in the United States and Canada. A review of the literature showed that deep tillage and modification of soils having unfavorable profiles may increase crop production by providing larger, more favorable zones of soil for the growth, proliferation, and activity of roots. The improved conditions may result from disrupting dense, high-strength horizons; leaching or burying salts or toxic materials; increasing the capacity of sandy soils to retain water; and reducing the erodibility of soil. When the horizons causing problems were adequately disrupted or altered, yields of crops were generally increased. Benefits from the treatments were greater when precipitation or irrigation were limited than when they were adequate. There are many soils on which no benefits can be expected from deep tillage and profile modification.     

The acidifying potential of atmospheric deposition in Canada

It is proposed that the value of ([SO₄ ^??] - [Ca⁺⁺ + Mg⁺⁺]) in precipitation is a suitable way to describe the acidifying potential (AP) of the wet desposition. In eastern North America, the AP of precipitation varies from 20 to 85% of the total sulphate, the remainder of the sulphate being neutralized H₂SO₄, sulphate from salts in dust or from sea salt. The AP ranges from 20 to 80% of the H⁺ in the wet deposition. The rest of the H⁺ is contributed by the net effect of N compounds. Ammonium and nitrate ions from ammonia and NO_Xemissions do not represent a net acidic loading to the terrestrial ecosystem if they are taken up by vegetation. However, when N leaches from watersheds in the form nitrate, it constitutes an acidifying demand on the ecosystem. Therefore, the overall net acidifying potential (NAP) applied to the terrestrial ecosystem is defined by the value of ([SO₄ ^??] - [Ca⁺⁺ + Mg⁺⁺]) in precipitation plus [NO₃ ^??] in runoff from the watershed.     

Seasalt and pollution inputs over the continental United States

The average deposition rate of sea salt chloride over the world continents is about 10 meq m^?2 yr^?1. Only about 14 ± 1% of chloride in the pollution-corrected world average river is contributed by seasalt aerosols and the rest from the dissolution of evaporites. The significant increase of the ion concentrations in the Mississippi river from the year 1905 to 1987 was caused by anthropogenic inputs such as fossil fuel burning, common salt consumption, and dissolution of carbonate and silicate rocks by acids derived from acid precipitation.     

Mortality and morbidity in agriculture in the United States

This article summarizes the trends in agricultural injuries and illnesses in the past decade, as well as the needs for surveillance in the future. Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the U.S. The fatality rate in agriculture remained high (about 22/100,000 workers) through the 1990s. and tractors remained the leading source of death, causing approximately 300 fatalities each year. Non-fatal injuries and illnesses decreased in the employed agricultural worker population. There are no adequate injury and illness data for self-employed farmers and family members to show trends over time. The reported injury rates have been 0.5 to 16.6/100 workers, based on the source of information. Many studies have shown high rates of respiratory and musculoskeletal symptoms, hearing loss, and skin disorders in agriculture. The overall cancer rate is lower; however, certain cancers are elevated in farmers. Surveillance information has not improved significantly in the past decade; however, many studies have provided more insight into the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for injury and illness. Further efforts are needed to better define the populations at risk, including farmers and ranchers, family members, workers, migrant and seasonal workers, and others exposed to farm hazards. Fatalities are well documented, and it is important to continue existing surveillance in the future. Surveillance systems should be developed to collect information on agriculture-related non-fatal injuries and illnesses.     

Trends in wet and dry deposition of sulphur in the United Kingdom

UK data on sulphur deposition trends between the 1960's and 1990's are presented. Long term data sets of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations at two sites have been analysed and dry deposition determined using a resistance model. Wet deposition has been calculated from non-marine sulphate concentration and rainfall fields for 1978–80 and 1989–93. These maps have been interpolated and corrected for seeder feeder enhancement. The wet deposition of sulphur declined by about 43 % between 1979 and 1993 whereas emissions of sulphur declined by about 32 %. An indication of the trends in sulphur dry deposition is provided by data from Eskdalemuir, a site in southern Scotland where wet deposition and SO₂ concentration have been measured since 1979. Dry deposition at Eskdalemuir has decreased by 70 % and wet deposition by 48 %. Hence, while wet deposition has responded approximately linearly with the decline in UK emissions of sulphur dioxide, dry deposition has declined at twice the rate of decline in UK emissions.