Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Atmospheric Deposition and Re-Emission of Mercury Estimated in a Prescribed Forest-Fire Experiment in Florida, USA

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Prescribed fires are likely to re-emit atmospherically deposited mercury (Hg), and comparison of soil Hg storage in areas affected by prescribed fire to that in similar unburned areas may provide cross-validating estimates of atmospheric Hg deposition. Prescribed fires are common in the southeastern United States (US), a region of relatively high Hg deposition compared to the rest of the US, and are thus a potentially significant source of re-emitted atmospheric Hg. Accordingly, Hg was determined in soil layers of a prescribed fire experiment in a Florida longleaf pine forest. The Hg deficit in the annually burned forest floor relative to the forest floor unburned for 46 years (0.180 g ha−1 yr−1) agreed to within 5% of an independent estimate of Hg deposition for this site based on a regional monitoring network and computer model (0.171 g ha−1 yr−1). Consideration of other potential inputs and outputs of Hg suggested that atmospheric deposition was the primary input of Hg to the site. If extrapolated, these results suggest that prescribed fires in the southeastern US mainly re-emit atmospherically deposited Hg and that this re-emission is less than 1% of total US anthropogenic emissions. However, emissions at other sites may vary due to the possible presence of Hg in underlying geological strata and differences in fire regime and levels of atmospheric Hg deposition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aastrup, M., Johnson, J., Bringmark, E., Bringmark, L., & Iverfeldt, ÅA. (1991). Occurrence and transport of mercury within a small catchment area, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 56, 155–167.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bringmark, L. (1997). Accumulation of mercury in soil and effects on biota, in Sigel, A. and Sigel H. (eds.). Metal Ions in Biological Systems, Volume 34: Mercury and Its Effects on Environment and Biology, Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 160–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buol, S.W., Southard, R.J., Graham, R.C., & McDaniel, P.A. (2003). Soil Genesis and Classification, 5th ed., Iowa State Press, Ames, Iowa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engstrom, D.R. & Swain, E.B. (1997). Recent declines in atmospheric mercury deposition in the upper Midwest, Environmental Science and Technology, 31, 960–967.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friedli, H.R., Radke, L.F., Prescott, R., Hobbs, P.V., & Sinha, P. (2003a). Mercury emissions from the August 2001 wildfires in Washington State and an agricultural waste fire in Oregon and atmospheric mercury budget estimates, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 17, doi:10.1029/2002GB001972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedli, H.R., Radke L.F., Lu, J.Y., Banic, C.M., Leaitch, W. R., & MacPherson, J.I. (2003b). Mercury emissions from burning of biomass from temperate North American forests: laboratory and airborne measurements, Atmospheric Environment 37, 253–267.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gholz, H.L. & Fisher R.F. (1982). Organic matter production and distribution in slash pine (-3ptPinus elliottii) plantations, Ecology, 63, 1827–1839.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glitzenstein, J.S., Streng, D.R., & Wade, D.D. (2003). Fire frequency effects on longleaf pine (-3ptPinus palustris P. Miller) vegetation in South Carolina and Northeast Florida, USA, Natural Areas Journal, 23, 22–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godbold, D.L. (1994). Mercury in forest ecosystems: risk and research needs in Watras, C.J. & Huckabee, J.W. (eds.), Mercury Pollution: Integration and Synthesis. Florida: Boca Raton, CRC. Press pp. 295–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gresham, C.A. (1982). Litterfall patterns in mature loblolly and longleaf pine stands in coastal South Carolina, Forest Science, 28, 223–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigal, D.F. (2002). Inputs and outputs of mercury from terrestrial watersheds: a review. Environmental Reviews, 10, 1–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigal, D.F. (2003). Mercury sequestration in forests and peatlands: a review. Journal of Environmental Quality, 32, 393–405.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haines, T.K, Busby, R.L., & Cleaves, D.A. (2001). Prescribed burning in the South: trends, purpose, and barriers. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, 25(4), 149–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanula, J.L. & Wade, D.D. (2003). Influence of long-term dormant-season burning and fire exclusion on ground-dwelling arthropod populations in longleaf pine flatwoods ecosystems, Forest Ecology and Management, 175, 163–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henry, J.A., Portier, K.M., & Coyne, J. (1994). The climate and weather of Florida, Pineapple Press, Sarasota, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonasson, I.R. & Boyle, R.W. (1972). Geochemistry of mercury and origins of natural contamination of the environment, The Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Bulletin (CIM Bulletin), January, 32–39.

  • Kolka, R.K., Nater, E.A., Grigal, D.F., & Verry, E.S. (1999). Atmospheric inputs of mercury and organic carbon into a forested upland/bog watershed, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 113, 273–294.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Littell, R.C., Milliken, G.A., Stroup, W.W., & Wolfinger, R.D. (1996). SAS® System for Mixed Models, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina, pp. 633.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, R.P., Abbott, M.L., Bodaly, R.A., Bullock, O.R. Jr., Driscoll, C.T., Evers, D., Lindberg, S.E., Murray, M., & Swain, E.B. (2005), Monitoring the response to changing mercury deposition, Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 14A–22A.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McKee, W.H. Jr. (1982). Changes in soil fertility following prescribed burning on coastal plain pine sites, Res. Pap. SE-234, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Asheville, NC.

  • Metz, L.J., Lotti, T., & Klawitter, R.A. (1961). Some effects of prescribed burning on Coastal Plain forest soil, Station Paper No. 133, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, US Dept. of Agriculture – Forest Service, Asheville, North Carolina.

  • Milliken, J.A. & Johnson, D.E. (1992). Analysis of Messy Data, Vol. 1: Designed Experiments, Chapman and Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nater, E.A. & Grigal, D.F. (1992). Regional trends in mercury distribution across the Great Lake states, north central USA, Nature, 358, 139–141.

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • National Atmospheric Deposition Program – Mercury Deposition Network (2005), http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/mdn/ NADP Program Office, Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Dr., Champaign, IL 61820.

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (2002). Climatography of the United States No. 85 – Divisional normals and standard deviations of temperature, precipitation, and heating and cooling degree days, 1971-2000 (and previous normal periods), Asheville, NC.

  • Outcalt, K., Wade, D., & Rideout, S. (2002). Long term bur- ning on the Osceola National Forest, URL: http://www.srs. fs.usda.gov/osceola/osceola2.htm, verified June 30, 2004.

  • Rasmussen, P.E. (1994a). Current methods of estimating atmospheric mercury fluxes in remote areas, Environmental Science and Technology, 28, 2233–2241.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, P.E. (1994b). Mercury in vegetation of the Precambrian Shield, in Watras, C.J. and Huckabee, J.W. (eds.), Mercury Pollution: Integration and Synthesis, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 417–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rood, B.E., Gottgens, J.F., Delfino, J.J., Earle, C.D., & Crisman, T.L. (1995). Mercury accumulation trends in Florida Everglades and Savannas Marsh flooded soils, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 80, 981–990.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute Inc. (1999–2000). SAS System for Windows – Release 8.01, Cary, North Carolina.

  • SAS Institute Inc. (2000). SAS OnlineDocregistered – Version 8, Cary, North Carolina.

  • Schabenberger, O. & Pierce, F.J. (2002). Contemporary Statistical Models for the Plant and Soil Sciences, Florida: Boca Raton, CRC Press.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüter, K. (2000). Review: evaporation of mercury from soils. An integration and synthesis of current knowledge, Environmental Geology, 39, 249–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoch, P. & Binkley, D. (1986). Prescribed burning increased nitrogen availability in a mature loblolly pine stand, Forest Ecology and Management, 14, 13–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuster, P.F., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Naftz, D.L., Cecil, D., Olson, M.L., Dewild, J.F., Susong, D.D., Green, J.R., & Abbott, M.L. (2002). Atmospheric mercury deposition during the last 270 years: A glacial ice core record of natural and anthropogenic sources, Environmental Science and Technology, 36, 2303–2310.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwesig, D., Ilgen, G., & Matzner, E. (1999). Mercury and methylmercury in upland and wetland acid forest soils of a watershed in NE-Bavaria, Germany, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 113, 141–154.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seigneur, C., Vijayaraghavan, K., Lohman, K., Karamchandani, P., & Scott, C. (2004). Global source attribution for mercury deposition in the United States, Environmental Science and Technology 38, 555–569.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff (2004). Official soil series descriptions, http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/osd/index.html, accessed February 10, 2004.

  • Southern Area Coordinating Group. (2003). Southern geogra- phic area annual fire report, http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/sacc/ General%20Information/Annual%20reports/2003_Annual_ report.pdf, accessed November 17, 2004.

  • Stanturf, J.A., Wade, D.D., Waldrop, T.A., Kennard, D.K., & Achtemeier, G.L. (2002). Background paper: Fire in southern forest landscapes, in Wear, D.N. & Greis, J.G. (eds.), Southern Forest Resource Assessment, Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–53, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, North Carolina., pp. 607–630.

  • Steel, R.G.D. & Torrie, J.H. (1980). Principles and Procedures of Statistics: A Biometrical Approach, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 633.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency. (1994). Microwave assisted acid digestion of sediments, sludges, soils, and oils, Method 3051, Rev. 0, in SW-846 On-Line Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/ hazwaste/test/main.htm.

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency. (1997). Mercury study report to congress, Volume 2: An inventory of anthropogenic mercury emissions in the United States, EPA-452/R-97-004.

  • Watts, F.C. (1996). Soil survey of Baker County, Florida, United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service.

  • Williams, M.E. (1995). The effects of cultural treatments, light, and litterfall on under-planted wiregrass in longleaf pine stands on the Savannah River Site, M.S. Thesis, Florida A&M University.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture – Forest Service – Southern Research Station, Athens, GA, U.S.A.

    Ralph J. Dicosty, Mac A. Callaham Jr. & John A. Stanturf

Authors
  1. Ralph J. Dicosty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mac A. Callaham Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John A. Stanturf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ralph J. Dicosty.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dicosty, R.J., Callaham, M.A. & Stanturf, J.A. Atmospheric Deposition and Re-Emission of Mercury Estimated in a Prescribed Forest-Fire Experiment in Florida, USA. Water Air Soil Pollut 176, 77–91 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9149-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9149-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation