Book Summary of Acid Deposition: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Issues by Donald D. Adams and Walter P. Page

Acid Deposition: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Issues, Donald D. Adams and Walter P. Page (eds), ( New York: Plenum Press, 1985), 521 pp.

Acid Deposition: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Issues will be of interest to the well-informed reader who seeks a comprehensive understanding of the acid deposition problem. This volume is a collection of the works of multiple authors arranged in five sections, each addressing an overarching topic. The first section addresses the atmospheric processes and transportation of acidifying chemicals. The first of five essays in this section addressesatmospheric acidification chemistry. This is followed by an examination of sulphur dioxide oxidation in the Summertime cloud water at Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondack Mountains near Lake Placid, New York. Discussion of snow as an indicator of atmospheric fluoride contamination precedes an examination of methods for diagnosing the sources of acid deposition. Roderick Shaw closes this section with an exploration of the use of long range transport models in determining emission control strategies for acid deposition.

The second section of the book addresses the environmental impacts to aquatic ecosystems and processes. The first essay discusses the sedimentary record of atmospheric pollution in Jerseyfield Lake, New York. Four of the next five essays address the effects of acid deposition while a fifth essay is concerned with the alkalinity and trace metal content of drinking water in areas susceptible to acid deposition. One essay addresses the transformation of nitric, sulphuric and organic acids in the Bickford Reservoir watershed. Multiple authors examine the effects of acid precipitation on ground water quality. The final two essays in this section concern the acidification of aquatic systems. The first of these addresses the effects of acidification on the primary producers of soft-water lakes. The second of these focuses upon the impacts on fish populations of acidification.

The third section addresses the environmental impacts to terrestrial systems and processes of acid deposition. This section begins with an examination of the potential impacts and sensitivities of forest soils to acid deposition. A discussion of acid rain interactions with leaf surfaces is prefatory to consideration of forest vulnerability and the cumulative effects of acid deposition. Multiple authors address atmospheric deposition and ionic movement in the Adirondack forests. This if followed by an examination of the effect of acidity and metal ions on water movement through red spruce trees. The final essay in this section addresses the reduction in productivity of filed-grown soybeans which are exposed to simulated acid rain.

The fourth section focuses on the economic impacts of acid deposition with four essays. The first of these offers a decision framework which includes uncertainty. The next essay is a methodological inquiry into the valuing of deposition-induced materials damages. The last essay save one in this section discusses potential economic losses to agriculture from airborne residuals. This is followed by an examination of the economic impact of acid deposition in the canadian aquatic sector. The final section addresses policy issues. The first three essays address acid rain in North America, specifically, the United States. The first of these essays is an overview of the concepts and strategies for the examination of acid rain in North America. The next essay offers the legislative perspective on acid rain. The perspectives of science, industry and the public of New York state are the subject of the third essay. The fourth essay offers the Canadian perspective on acid deposition. The final essay of the book discusses trans- boundary air pollution.

Acid Deposition: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Issues is a comprehensive collection of scholarly essays on the topic, which will be beneficial to the well-informed reader and professionals in fields represented in the work.