Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, USA

The input of airborne lead to the Forest ecosystems has been studied at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. The small catchment approach has been used to study the lead biogeochemical cycle since 1963 (Likens et al., 1977 Driscoll et al., 1994). By monitoring precipitation inputs and stream output from small watersheds that are essentially free of deep seepage, it is possible to constmct accurate lead mass balance. The detailed study of soil and soil solution chemistry and forest floor and vegetation dynamics supplemented the deposition monitoring. 

The atmospheric deposition of lead was 190 g/ha/yr and this value was connected with declining of leaded petrol use in USA from 1975. The mineral soil and forest floor were the major pools of Pb in the ecosystem. Mineral soil pools ( 2 mm size fraction) are generally the largest element pools for the HBEF, however this includes relatively unreactive soil minerals. Deposition and accumulation of Pb in the forest floor have been the focus of a number of investigations. It has been shown that at 

much of the lead entering the ecosystem from the atmosphere appears to be retained in the forest floor. Concentrations and fluxes of lead in bulk deposition are much greater than in Oa horizon leachate. Solution concentrations and fluxes of Pb decrease through the soil profile and losses in stream water are low. There was a strong correlation between concentrations of Pb and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soil solution and stream water at Hubbard Brook Driscoll et al., 1994, 1998). 

Pools and uptake of lead in vegetation at Hubbard Brook were insignificant. Lead is not a plant essential nutrient and therefore it is not surprising that uptake was low. 

The calculated weathering release of lead at HBEF is negative (-174 g/ha/yr). This pattern is likely due to changes in mineral soil lead pools over the study period. There 

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Figure 24. Biogeochemical mass balance of lead in Forest ecosystems of Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, USA (Driscoll et al., 1994).

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