Purpose and Study Design
2
The study of water quality conditions and the human-caused pollutants
that degrade water quality is a complex endeavor. One must consider how to
collect samples that represent the conditions of a given water body of interest, analyze the samples in a laboratory, quality assure the data, analyze
and interpret the resulting database, and characterize affected aquatic biological assemblages. This book provides guidelines telling you how to do
that. We offer both general and highly specific recommendations regarding study design, implementation, and interpretation. More important, we
explain the thinking behind the recommendations to equip you, the reader,
to make your own decisions regarding how to proceed.
The focus of this book is on human-caused pollutants that acidify soils and
drainage waters, those that alter nutrient availability and cycling, and toxic
substances. The last include those that biomagnify in food chains. Particular
emphasis is placed on effects from atmospheric inputs of S, N, and toxic metals
ACIDIFICATION
The potentially acidifying air pollutants that are considered here
are primarily S and N. Each of these pollutants is emitted into the
atmosphere in the process of burning fossil fuels, especially coal for
energy production. Other potentially important anthropogenic emission sources of S and N include motor vehicles, agriculture, and other
industrial sources. There are also some natural sources of S and N.
These stressors contribute to multiple kinds of ecosystem effects.
Both atmospheric S and N have the potential to cause acidification.
Atmospheric N can also cause eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems
in which the N supply limits the growth of algae or macrophytes.
Large areas throughout the United States contain substantial populations of lakes and streams having low acid-neutralizing capacity
(ANC) and are therefore potentially sensitive to acidification from
atmospheric deposition of S or N. These include much of the Northeast,
Appalachian Mountains, northern Florida, Upper Midwest, and
mountainous portions of the western United States. The eastern
states include many acidified surface waters that have been affected
by acidic deposition. The western states contain many surface waters
susceptible to potential acidification effects, but the levels of acidic
deposition in the West are relatively low, and acidic surface waters
are rare. Many of the areas having acid-sensitive surface waters, especially in the northeastern United States and Appalachian Mountains,
also contain extensive areas with acid-sensitive soils.
2
The study of water quality conditions and the human-caused pollutants
that degrade water quality is a complex endeavor. One must consider how to
collect samples that represent the conditions of a given water body of interest, analyze the samples in a laboratory, quality assure the data, analyze
and interpret the resulting database, and characterize affected aquatic biological assemblages. This book provides guidelines telling you how to do
that. We offer both general and highly specific recommendations regarding study design, implementation, and interpretation. More important, we
explain the thinking behind the recommendations to equip you, the reader,
to make your own decisions regarding how to proceed.
The focus of this book is on human-caused pollutants that acidify soils and
drainage waters, those that alter nutrient availability and cycling, and toxic
substances. The last include those that biomagnify in food chains. Particular
emphasis is placed on effects from atmospheric inputs of S, N, and toxic metals
ACIDIFICATION
The potentially acidifying air pollutants that are considered here
are primarily S and N. Each of these pollutants is emitted into the
atmosphere in the process of burning fossil fuels, especially coal for
energy production. Other potentially important anthropogenic emission sources of S and N include motor vehicles, agriculture, and other
industrial sources. There are also some natural sources of S and N.
These stressors contribute to multiple kinds of ecosystem effects.
Both atmospheric S and N have the potential to cause acidification.
Atmospheric N can also cause eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems
in which the N supply limits the growth of algae or macrophytes.
Large areas throughout the United States contain substantial populations of lakes and streams having low acid-neutralizing capacity
(ANC) and are therefore potentially sensitive to acidification from
atmospheric deposition of S or N. These include much of the Northeast,
Appalachian Mountains, northern Florida, Upper Midwest, and
mountainous portions of the western United States. The eastern
states include many acidified surface waters that have been affected
by acidic deposition. The western states contain many surface waters
susceptible to potential acidification effects, but the levels of acidic
deposition in the West are relatively low, and acidic surface waters
are rare. Many of the areas having acid-sensitive surface waters, especially in the northeastern United States and Appalachian Mountains,
also contain extensive areas with acid-sensitive soils.