Abstract
Although much is known about chemical denudation and nutrient cycling through catchments, little has been done to identify and explain changes in major ion flux upon urbanization. Fifty-two weekly samples of precipitation and stream waters were analyzed for 9 major ions totaling 95% of the total dissolved solids for a catchment in southern England. Net major ion export rates from the urban area are between 2 and 104 times those for the rural areas. This increase is attributed both to accelerated denudation and non-denudational anthropogenic sources. Estimates of both components indicate that between 50 and 60% of the dissolved ions removed from urban areas is non-denudational. This translates to possible increases in the chemical denudation rate of up to six-fold upon urbanization.
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Prowse, C.W. The impact of urbanization on major ion flux through catchments: A case study in Southern England. Water Air Soil Pollut 32, 277–292 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225114
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225114