The Effects of Precipitation on Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems: A Proposed Precipitation Chemistry Network

Abstract

Precipitation is one of the most important factors determining the nature and productivity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Detailed historical and contemporary records are available indicating the amount of water deposited at thousands of locations throughout the world. Comparatively, however, knowledge of the changing chemistry of precipitation has developed only recently and is still very fragmentary. Our present ignorance of the total impact of changes in precipitation quality on the productivity and stability of ecosystems is especially profound. This paper has a fourfold purpose: (1) to describe the myriad of trace chemical constituents transferred from the atmosphere into the biosphere of the earth; (2) to define the range of beneficial and injurious ecological effects of perturbations in atmospheric deposition; (3) to explain the concepts of sensitive areas, life stages, and life forms; and (4) to describe briefly plans for a National Deposition Network and associated research on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the United States.