Impacts of Acid Rain on Soil and Vegetation Health
Acid rain, a pollutant caused by emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, can have profound effects on plant life and soil health. Some plant species are more sensitive to acid rain than others, particularly herbaceous plants and dicotyledons, with certain growth stages being more vulnerable to its effects.
Acid rain can have complex and negative effects on plant-associated microorganisms, which are crucial for plant health and growth. The function and activity of these microorganisms can be impacted, leading to a decrease in microbial biomass, diversity, and activity. This, in turn, can disrupt the balance of carbon and nitrogen metabolism, litter properties, and enzymatic activities in the soil.
One of the key concerns with acid rain is its impact on the availability of heavy metals for plants. Acid rain can increase the mobilisation of heavy metals such as aluminium, which can be toxic to plants, and heavy metals like Cd, Cu, and Zn. Soils with higher cation exchange capacity (CEC) and clay content may be more resistant to acid rain and have a lower release of heavy metals.
Acid rain can also affect the soil's physicochemical properties, promoting leaching of heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), thereby increasing metal mobility and bioavailability in unamended soils. However, treated soils with amendments like mercapto-functionalized palygorskite (SGP) have shown the ability to stabilise soil pH and immobilise Cd, maintaining soil structural integrity under prolonged acid rain exposure.
Long-term exposure to acid rain alters soil chemical properties, such as lowering pH, increasing heavy metal mobility, and shifting microbial community metabolism toward acid tolerance. This can degrade soil health, potentially harming plant-associated microbes vital for nutrient cycling and plant health.
Acid rain can also increase the susceptibility of plants to drought, diseases, and other environmental stresses. It can affect the abundance and function of symbiotic microorganisms in plants, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and ectomycorrhizal fungi, which can help plants alleviate the adverse effects of acid rain, including heavy metal toxicity.
In addition, acid rain contributes to overall forest soil degradation alongside other disturbances like deforestation and climate change. Acidification reduces soil fertility and disrupts microbial activity, which collectively impair ecosystem functions and plant health. These changes affect nutrient availability, microbial colonization, and symbiotic relationships essential for plant growth.
Acid rain can induce chromosomal aberrations and modify the expression of genes related to photosynthesis and defence mechanisms in plants. Soils with higher CEC and clay content may be more resistant to acid rain and may have a lower release of heavy metals.
In summary, the long-term exposure to acid rain alters soil chemical properties, shifts microbial community metabolism toward acid tolerance, and degrades soil health, thereby negatively affecting plant-associated microorganisms and soil functions critical for plant productivity and ecosystem stability.
- A healthy lifestyle, including fitness-and-exercise and home-and-garden care, can help counteract the effects of climate-change and environmental-science issues like acid rain, which can severely affect plant health-and-wellness.
- The science industry could benefit from utilizing mercapto-functionalized palygorskite (SGP) to address acid rain's impact on soil, as treated soils with SGP have shown the ability to stabilise soil pH and immobilise heavy metals, thus maintaining soil structural integrity and reducing the mobility of hazardous substances.
- Making informed decisions regarding the use of agricultural chemicals, such as fertilizers, and adopting sustainable farming practices can aid in minimizing soil acidification and its adverse impacts on plant-associated microorganisms, soil health, and overall ecosystem stability.
