Effects of Acid Rain on North Americas Aquatic Ecosystems
In the past century, one of the greatest threats to North America's aquatic ecosystem has been the widespread acidification of hundreds of thousands of waterways. Acid rain has effected plant and animal life within aquatic ecosystems, as well as microbiologic activity by affecting the rates of decomposition and the accumulation of organic matter. What causes this poisonous rain, and what can be done to improve North America's water quality and prevent future catastrophes? To answer these questions, we must first examine the cause and formation of acid rain, as well as understand ways to decrease or prevent its formation.Formation of acid rain. Acid deposition, more commonly known as acid rain, occurs when emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and oxidants to form acidic compounds. This mixture forms a mild solution of sulfuric and nitric acid which then falls to the earth in either wet (rain, snow, sleet or fog) or dry (gas and particles) form. Approximately one-half of the atmosphere's acidity falls back to earth through dry deposition in the form of particles and gases, and are then spread hundreds of miles by winds where they settle on surfaces of bu
Ecological Effects. Retrieved April 24, 2000 from the World Wide Web: Gay, K. (1992, March). Acid Relief? (4p). Cricket, 19 (7). Retrieved April 24, 2000 Phase II of the Clean Air Act will kick off this year, mandating even steeper cuts in sulfur emissions. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) has 191 sites across the country which measure the emissions of sulfur dioxide. Establishing more organizations such as this will help us understand how and where to combat the acid rain problem. http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/student/water.html Simonin, Howard (1998, April). The Continuing Saga of Acid Rain (2p). New York
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Approximate Word count = 1971
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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