Title: Response of sulphur dynamics in European catchments to decreasing sulphate deposition. 
Resource Type: document --> technical publication --> journal article 
Country: EU Projects 
Year: 2004 
Availability: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Vol. 5, No. 3, 311-325 
Author 1/Producer: Prechtel, A 
Other Authors/Producers: Alewell, C., Armbruster, M., Bittersohl, J., Cullen, J., Evans, C.D, Helliwell, R.C, Kopacek, J., Marchetto, A., Matzner, E., Meesenburg, H., Moldan, F., Moritz, K., Vesely, J., Wright, R.F. 
Author / Producer Type: EC Project 
Publisher: Macauly Land Use Research Institute 
Publisher City: Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK 
Article Weblink (=direct link): http://www.mluri.sari.ac.uk/recover/HESS311-325.htm  
Format (e.g. PDF): HTML 
EUGRIS Keyword(s): Diffuse pollution-->Diffuse pollution overview
Diffuse pollution-->Monitoring
Diffuse pollution-->Scales
Diffuse pollution-->Sources
 
Short description: Following the decline in sulphur deposition in Europe, sulphate dynamics of catchments and the reversibility of anthropogenic acidification of soils and freshwaters has become a topic of major interest. Long-term trends in sulphate concentrations and water fluxes in 20 European catchments were analyzed to evaluate response to decreasing sulphate deposition. 
Long description: Sulphate deposition in the catchments studied declined by between 38% and 82% during the last decade. Sulphate concentrations in all freshwaters decreased significantly, but the reversal of acidification was delayed in the German catchments, whereas in Scandinavian streams and Czech/Slovakian lakes sulphate concentrations responded quickly to decreased input. Sulphate fluxes in run-off showed no trend in Germany or Italy but decreased in Scandinavia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Release of stored sulphate leads to a delay of acidification reversal and can be caused by four major processes; desorption, excess mineralisation, oxidation and weathering. Sulphate fluxes in German catchments, with deeply weathered soils and high soil storage capacity, responded more slowly to decreased deposition than catchments in Scandinavia and the Czech Republic/Slovakia, which have thin soils and relatively small sulphate storage. 
Link to Project(s): RECOVER:2010 Predicting recovery in acidified freshwaters by the year 2010 and beyond
 
Submitted By: Dr Stefan Gödeke WhoDoesWhat?      Last update: 24/05/2007

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