Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Experimental verification of episodic acidification of freshwaters by sea salts

Nature volume 334, pages 422–424 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

Short-term acidification of streams and lakes can cause fish kills and other adverse biological effects1,2. Such acid episodes may be due to acid deposition or the result of natural processes. The 'seasalt effect' is a natural process in which episodic input of seasalt-rich precipitation to acid soils can cause acidification of runoff3. Several cases of acid episodes observed in coastal regions of Norway4 and eastern United States5 have been ascribed to the seasalt effect. To test experimentally this effect we dosed a small pristine catchment in western Norway with dilute sea water. Runoff chemistry responsed immediately; pH dropped from 6.1 to 5.1, alkalinity from 20 to –2 µequiv. l–1 and labile monomeric aluminium increased from 15 to 95 µg l–1. This experiment verifies that high inputs of sea salts can cause natural acidification episodes due to cation exchange in small catchments with acidic soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Leivestad, H. & Muniz, I. P. Nature 259, 391–392 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Harvey, H. H. & Whelpdale, D. M. Wat. Air & Soil Pollut. 30, 579–586 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Norton, S. A. et al. in GEOMON International Workshop on Geochemistry and Monitoring in Representative Basins, 148–150 (Geological Survey, Prague, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Skartveit, A. Nordic Hydrol 12, 65–80 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kahl, J. S. et al. Water Resource Baseline Data and Assessment of Impacts from Acidic Precipitation, Acadic National Park, Maine (National Park Service Technical Report 16, Washington, 1985).

  6. Wiklander, L. Geoderma 14, 93–105 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Reuss, J. O. J. environ. Qual. 12, 591–595 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Johnson, D. W. et al. Soil. Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50, 776–783 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Njøs, A. Solute and Water Transport Through Soils with Special Reference to Raw Humus Layers (Internal Report 39/78, SNSF-project, NISK, 1432 Ås, Norway, 1978).

  10. Christophersen, N. et al. Nordic Hydrol. 13, 105–114 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wright, R. F. et al. Wat. Air & Soil Pollut. 30, 47–64 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wright, R. F. et al. Nature (in the press).

  13. Lotse, E. & Ottabong, E. Physiochemical properties of soils at Risdalsheia and Sogndal: RAIN project (Acid Rain Res. Rep. 8/1985, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, 1985).

  14. Gaines, G. L. & Thomas, H. C. J. chem. Phys. 21, 714–718 (1953).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Cosby, B. J. et al. Wat. Resourc. Res. 21, 51–63 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Cosby, B. J. et al. Wat. Resourc. Res. 21, 1591–1601 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Wright, R. F. & Cosby, B. J. Atmos. Envir. 21, 727–730 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Røgeberg, E. J. S. & Henriksen, A. Vatten 41, 48–53 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Schecher, W. D. & Driscoll, C. T. Wat. Resourc. Res. 23, 525–534 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Box 33, 0313, Oslo, Norway

    R. F. Wright & T. Frogner

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, 04469, USA

    S. A. Norton

  3. Institute for Watershed Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98225, USA

    D. F. Brakke

Authors
  1. R. F. Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. A. Norton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. F. Brakke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Frogner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wright, R., Norton, S., Brakke, D. et al. Experimental verification of episodic acidification of freshwaters by sea salts. Nature 334, 422–424 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/334422a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/334422a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing