HR: 12:05h
AN: B12A-08    [Abstracts]
TI: Development and Implementation of Critical Loads for Atmospheric Deposition: Federal Land Management Implications
AU: * Porter, E M
EM: ellen_porter@nps.gov
AF: National Park Service, Air Resources Division P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225 United States
AB: Critical loads for atmospheric deposition have been widely developed and used in Europe, Canada, and other countries. Critical loads are used to influence air pollution emissions reductions, thereby protecting and restoring aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In the United States, federal land management agencies are adopting the critical load concept as a potentially valuable resource management tool. Certain parks and wilderness areas are currently being affected by anthropogenic nitrogen and sulfur deposition. Effects of excess deposition include acidification, nitrogen enrichment, toxicity, and changes in biotic communities. Streams in both Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks are experiencing chronic and episodic acidification and brook trout fisheries in Shenandoah have been affected. High elevation ecosystems in Rocky Mountain National Park are undergoing subtle changes in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems attributable to atmospheric deposition. Natural resources in many other federal areas have been affected or are at risk from deposition. Federal land managers are refining strategies for critical loads that include working with scientists to identify resources sensitive to deposition, defining resource protection criteria that will meet management objectives, and estimating and implementing critical loads. Critical loads will be used in resource management decisions and federal land management planning. They will be used to evaluate management actions and assess progress towards meeting management goals. Federal land managers will also communicate critical loads information to air pollution regulatory agencies to inform emissions management strategies for clean air.
DE: 1806 Chemistry of fresh water
DE: 1610 Atmosphere (0315, 0325)
DE: 1615 Biogeochemical processes (4805)
DE: 0315 Biosphere/atmosphere interactions
DE: 0345 Pollution--urban and regional (0305)
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting