Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The relative importance of acidity sources for humic lakes in Norway

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The possible role of natural processes contributing to lake acidification and the occurrence of acidic lakes pH<5) has received considerable attention1–7, but there has been no direct test of the importance of some of the postulated natural processes in Scandinavia where large numbers of acidic lakes occur. Some authors have argued that lakes were acidic simply because of processes occurring in acid soils, and that the effects of acidic precipitation on these lakes were thereby overestimated1,2. We present here an analysis of the role of strong and weak acids in the acidity status of moderately humic lakes (total organic carbon (TOC) 2–15 mg 1−1) in two areas of Norway. The two areas received precipitation with differing acidity and amounts of sulphate. Our data suggest contributions by organic acids to acidity, but strong acids associated with sulphate further reduce the pH and explain the recent acidification of coloured lakes in southern Norway.

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

  1. Krug, E. C. & Frink, C. R. Science 221, 520–525 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Krug, E. C., Isacson, P. J. & Frink, C. R. J. air Poll. Control Ass. 35, 109–114 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Johnson, N. M., Likens, G. E., Feller, M. C. & Driscoll, C. T. Science 225, 1424–1425 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Wright, R. F. Science 225, 1426–1427 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Krug, E. & Frink, C. R. Science 225, 1427–1429 (1984).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Lazerte, B. D. & Dillon, P. J. Can. J. Fish Aquat. Sci. 41, 1664–1677 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Eschelman, K. N. & Hemond, H. F. Wat. Resour. Res. 21, 1503–1510 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Clymo, R. S. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B305, 487–499 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Gorham, E., Eisenreich, S. J., Ford, J. & Santelmann, M. V. in Chemical Processes in Lakes (ed. Stumm, W.) 339–363 (Wiley, New York, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gorham, E. & Detenbeck, N. E. J. Ecol. 74, 899–903 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hemond, H. F. Ecol. Monogr. 50, 507–526 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gorham, E., Underwood, J. K., Martin, F. B. & Ogden, J. G. III Nature 324, 451–453 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Battarbee, R. W., Flower, R. J., Stevenson, A. C. & Rippey, B. Nature 314, 350–353 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Jones, V. J., Stevenson, A. C. & Battarbee, R. W. Nature 322, 157–158 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Davis, R. B., Anderson, D. S. & Berge, F. Nature 316, 436–438 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Davis, R. B., Norton, S. A., Hess, C. T. & Brakke, D. F. Hydrobiologia 103, 113–123 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Charles, D. F. Ecology 66, 994–1011 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Norton, S. A., Henriksen, A., Wathne, B. & Veidel, A. Proc. Acidification and Water Pathways 249–258 (Norwegian National Committee on Hydrology, Oslo, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Røgeberg, E. & Henriksen, A. Vatten 41, 48–53 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gjessing, E. & Røgeberg, E. Acid Rain Res. Rep. no. 12 (NIVA, Oslo, 1987).

  21. Norwegian State Pollution Control Authority (SFT) 1,000 Lakes Survey 1986 Rep. no. 187 (SFT, Oslo, 1987).

  22. Skartveit, A. Nord. Hydrol. 1981, 65–80 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Norton, S. A., Henriksen, A., Wright, R. F. & Brakke, D. F. in Geochemistry and Monitoring in Representative Basins (eds Moldan, B. & Paces, T.) 148–150 (Geological Survey, Prague, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Norton, S. A., Brakke, D. F. & Henriksen, A. Envir. Sci. Technol. (submitted).

  25. Wright, R. F. & Henriksen, A. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23, 487–498 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. David F. Brakke

    Present address: Institute for Watershed Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98226, USA

  2. Stephen A. Norton

    Present address: Department of Geological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, 04469, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), PO Box 333, Blindern 0314, Oslo, 3, Norway

    David F. Brakke, Arne Henriksen & Stephen A. Norton

Authors
  1. David F. Brakke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arne Henriksen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stephen A. Norton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brakke, D., Henriksen, A. & Norton, S. The relative importance of acidity sources for humic lakes in Norway. Nature 329, 432–434 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/329432a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/329432a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation