Soil Degradation in the Wielkopolski National Park (Poland) as an Effect of Acid Rain Simulation

The aim of this study was to evaluate qualitatively as well as quantitatively the response of typical soils of the Wielkopolski National Park to simulated acid rain. The experiments with simulated acid precipitation were performed on soil monoliths of unchanged structure. The artificial rain used for the simulations was diluted sulphuric acid of pH 2.0, 3.0 and for the control experiments distilled water was used. Changes in the soil pH and Ca/Al molar ratio of specified soil genetic horizons were described. A quantitative description of the leaching dynamics of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and aluminium, dependent on the kind of sprinkling was given. The results proved that simulated acid rain washed out significant amounts of nutrients and released toxic amounts of aluminium. Humus and clay fraction colloids were noted to have a buffer effect.