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Reversibility of soil acidification in beech stands of the Vienna Woods

Project Leader
Berger Torsten Winfried, Project Leader
Duration:
01.07.2010-31.12.2012
Type of Research
Basic Research

Further information: http://www.oeaw.ac.at/kioes/prob/201005.htm

Staff
BOKU Research Units
Institute of Forest Ecology
Funded by
Commission for Interdisziplinary Ecological Studies (KIÖS) of the Austrian Academy of Science (ÖAW), Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2, 1010 Wien, Austria
Abstract
Comparison between chemical parameters of soil from the infiltrations zone of stemflow near the base of the stem and from the between trees areas in 152 old beech stands by Lindebner (1990) in the Vienna Woods (sample collection in 1984/85) proved a significant impact of deposition of atmospheric pollutants: soil acidification, increased sulfur contents and loss of the base cations calcium and magnesium. Meanwhile, SO2 emissions, the most important precursor of Acid Rain, declined sharply since the 1980s. However, revisiting the Acid Rain topic is worth, since in many regions mass balance estimates of sulphur are negative due to release of previously-stored sulfur, delaying the recovery of pH of soils and surface waters, depending on soil properties. Preliminary results after re-sampling of 19 of these 152 sites showed a clear trend of soil pH increase, with higher trends of recovery for the stem area than for the between trees area. Changes of soil chemistry with increasing distance from the stem in the Vienna Woods were measured by Sonderegger (1982) and Kazda (1983) in the 1980s and are well documented. At 3 of these old sites soils will be re-sampled and, additionally, lysimeters will be installed for collecting soil solution at 5 distances between 27 and 300 cm (at 3 soil depths) downhill of the individual beech stems. The working hypotheses are: a) soils recovered from acid deposition due to a strong decline of SO2 emissions since the 1980s; b) reversibility of soil acidification is a function of acid loads, received in the past, and time; c) the net sulfur-balance is crucial for predicting recovery and is related to sulfur input and soil parameters. For setting up solute input/output budgets manifold soil hydrological monitoring methods and modeling are required. Using the micro-spatial heterogeneity of soil columns downhill of a beech stem enables the study of reversibility of soil acidification as a function of historic acid loads (stem area received much higher deposition loads in the past than the between trees area) and time (a “false chronosequence” is expected, since increasing soil solution fluxes due to additional stemflow with decreasing distance from the stem cause a quicker steady state of soil sulfate pools in response to decreasing inputs). On one hand, the methods and budget calculations were chosen in such a way that this study represents a self-contained project with expected high scientific output (publication in a scientific journal), on the other hand the provided data are necessary for submitting a large proposal to the Austrian Science Funds (FWF).
Keywords
inorganic chemistry; hydrology; forest ecology; soil science;
Soil recovery; Fagus sylvatica; Fluxes of nutrients and pollutants; Acid Rain; Vienna Woods;
Publications

* Dolschak, K; Berger, TW; (2020): Modeling the biogeochemistry of sulfur in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands of the Vienna Woods.

Model Earth Syst Environ, 6, 1557-1572; ISSN 2363-6203 PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

* Dolschak, K; Gartner, K; Berger, TW; (2019): The impact of rising temperatures on water balance and phenology of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands.

Model Earth Syst Environ. 2019; 5(4):1347-1363 PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

** Turtscher, S; Grabner, M; Berger, TW Reconstructing Soil Recovery from Acid Rain in Beech (Fagus sylvatica) Stands of the Vienna Woods as Indicated by Removal of Stemflow and Dendrochemistry.

WATER AIR SOIL POLL. 2019; 230(2), 30 WoS PubMed FullText FullText_BOKU

Türtscher, S; Berger, TW (2019): Saurer Regen: Erholung der Waldböden (Dissertation: Erholung der Waldböden vom Sauren Regen in Buchenbeständen des Wienerwaldes).

ÖBF Forschungsbericht 2018, Österreichische Bundesforste AG, Purkersdorf, Seite 22 FullText

* Hanousek, O; Prohaska, T; Kulhanek, M; Balik, J; Tejnecky, V; Berger, TW; (2017): Fractionation of sulfur (S) in beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest soils in relation to distance from the stem base as useful tool for modeling S biogeochemistry..

Model Earth Syst Environ. 2017; 3(3):1065-1079 PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

Türtscher, S, Berger, P, Lindebner, L, Berger, TW (2017): Rückgang der Schwermetallgehalte (Teil 1).

Forstzeitung, 09, 30-31

Türtscher, S; Berger, P; Lindebner, L; Berger, TW (2017): Rückgang der Schwermetallgehalte (Teil 2).

Forstzeitung, 10, 28-30

** Türtscher, S; Berger, P; Lindebner, L; Berger, TW; Declining atmospheric deposition of heavy metals over the last three decades is reflected in soil and foliage of 97 beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands in the Vienna Woods..

Environ Pollut. 2017; 230:561-573 WoS PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

* Berger, TW; Muras, A; (2016): Predicting recovery from acid rain using the micro-spatial heterogeneity of soil columns downhill the infiltration zone of beech stemflow: introduction of a hypothesis..

Model Earth Syst Environ. 2016; 2:154 PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

Berger, TW; Türtscher, S; Berger, P; Lindebner, L (2016): Was blieb vom Sauren Regen? (Teil 1).

Forstzeitung, 127 (10/16), 28-29

Berger, TW; Türtscher, S; Berger, P; Lindebner, L (2016): Was blieb vom Sauren Regen? (Teil 2).

Forstzeitung, 127 (11/16), 36-37

** Berger, TW; Türtscher, S; Berger, P; Lindebner, L; A slight recovery of soils from Acid Rain over the last three decades is not reflected in the macro nutrition of beech (Fagus sylvatica) at 97 forest stands of the Vienna Woods..

Environ Pollut. 2016; 216:624-635 WoS PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

** Hanousek, O; Berger, TW; Prohaska, T; MC ICP-MS δ (34)SVCDT measurement of dissolved sulfate in environmental aqueous samples after matrix separation by means of an anion exchange membrane..

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2016; 408(2):399-407 WoS PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

* Dolschak, K; Gartner, K; Berger, TW; (2015): A new approach to predict soil temperature under vegetated surfaces..

Model Earth Syst Environ. 2015; 1(4):32 PubMed PUBMED Central FullText FullText_BOKU

Berger, T.W., Muras, A. (2015): Predicting recovery from Acid Rain using the micro-spatial heterogeneity of soil columns downhill the infiltration zone of beech stemflow.
[4th ICP Forests Scientific Conference 2015, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 19.05.2015 - 20.05.2015]

In: Walter Seidling (Ed.), Book of abstracts: Long-term trends and effects of air pollution on forest ecosystems, their services, and sustainability, ISBN 978-961-6425-87-2, 13

Dolschak, K., Berger, T.W. (2015): Modeling sulfur biogeochemistry of beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands at the Vienna Woods.
[4th ICP Forests Scientific Conference 2015, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 19.05.2015 - 20.05.2015]

In: Waler Seidling (Ed.), Book of abstracts: Long-term trends and effects of air pollution on forest ecosystems, their services, and sustainability, ISBN 978-961-6425-87-2, 18

Türtscher, S.; Berger, T.W. (2015): The change of forest soil conditions in beech stands (Fagus sylvatica) of the Vienna Woods within the last three decades due to declining deposition of atmospheric pollutants.
[4th ICP Forests Scientific Conference 2015, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 19.05.2015 - 20.05.2015]

In: Walter Seidling (ed.), Book of abstracts: Long-term trends and effects of air pollution on forest ecosystems, their services, and sustainability, ISBN 978-961-6425-87-2, 45

Hanousek, O; Berger, T.; Prohaska, T. (2014): Study of stable isotopes of sulfur in forest soils using MC ICP-MS – analytical challenges and solutions.
[PANGEO Austria 2014, Graz, Austria, 14.09.2014 - 19.09.2014]

In: Instut für Erdwissenschaften, Karl‐Franzens‐Universität Graz, Berichte des Institutes für Erdwissenschaften, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Band 20/1, Beitragskurzfassungen

Hanousek, O., Berger, T.W., Prohaska, T. (2014): Biogeochemistry of sulfur in the Vienna Woods: Study of sulfur stable isotope ratios by MC-ICP-MS as indicator of biogeochemical S cycling. [Poster]
[European Geosciences Union EGU General Assembly 2014, Vienna, Austria, 27.04.2014 - 02.05.2014]

In: European Geosciences Union, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, EGU2014-4828

Hanousek, O. Berger, T.W. Prohaska, T. (2014): Biogeochemistry of sulfur in the Vienna Woods: Study of sulfur stable isotope ratios by MC-ICP-MS. [Poster]
[10. ASAC JunganalytikerInnen Forum 2014, Tulln an der Donau, Austria, 13.06.2014 - 14.06.2014]

Prohaska, T., Irrgeher, J., Horsky, M., Hanousek, O., Zitek, A. (2014): Non-traditional isotopes in analytical ecogeochemistry assessed by MC-ICP-MS. [Poster]
[European Geosciences Union EGU General Assembly 2014, Vienna, Austria, 27.04.2014 - 02.05.2014]

In: European Geosciences Union, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, EGU2014-2344

Hanousek, O., Berger T. W., Prohaska T. (2013): Investigation of sulphur mass balances in ecosystems by sulfur isotope ratio measurements using MC-ICP-MS . [Poster]
[DocDay Tulln 2013 , Tulln an der Donau, Austria, 10.10.2013]

Hanousek, O; Berger, TW; Prohaska, T (2013): Stable isotopes of sulfur to study Austrian forest ecosystems.
[9. ASAC JunganalytikerInnen Forum 2013, Vienna, Austria, 21.06.2013 - 22.06.2013]

Berger, T.W. (2012): Predicting reversibility of soil acidification in beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands – introduction of a research project.
[7th International Symposium on Ecosystem Behavior BIOGEOMON 2012, Northport, ME, USA, 15.07.2012 - 20.07.2012]

In: Fernandez, I.J., Norton, S.A., Wilson T.A. (Eds.), BIOGEOMON 2012, 7th International Symposium on Ecosystem Behavior, Conference Program and Book of Abstracts; ISBN: 978-0-87723-108-0

Vorträge

Berger, T.W.; Berger, P. (2022): Soil recovery from acid rain between 1995 and 2022, manipulated by additions of Ca and Al.

59th Annual Cooperator’s Meeting Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study 2022, 13.07.2022 - 14.07.2022, Plymouth, New Hampshire, USA

Berger, T.W (2020): Forest soil recovery from Acid Rain in beech stands of the Vienna Woods.

Chemistry Seminars, College of Science, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, FEB 28, 2020, Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND FullText

Berger, T.W. (2019): Was blieb vom Sauren Regen.

KIÖS Exkursion der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW), MAI 3, 2019, Stift Heiligenkreuz

Berger, T.W. (2014): Sind Waldböden nachtragend? Erholung der Waldböden von den Auswirkungen des Sauren Regens..

Der Waldboden - Produktionskapital der Waldwirtschaft, SEP 26, 2014, Forstliche Ausbildungsstätte Pichl

HANOUSEK, O. PROHASKA, T. BERGER, T.W. (2014): Analytical Challenges in Determination of Sulfur Stable Isotopes by MC-ICP-MS.

Pumpaya 2014, 15.5.2014, Mosonmagyarovar

Berger, T.W. (2013): Soil recovery from acid rain in Austria and at Hubbard Brook.

Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study, 50th Annual Cooperator’s Meeting, JUL 10-11, 2013, Woodstock, New Hampshire, USA

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