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Chemical and Physical Processes in Acid Rain Drops on Leaf Surfaces

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Acid Deposition at High Elevation Sites

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 252))

Abstract

The results of research on factors directly influencing the impact of acid rain on plants are reviewed. Foliage wettability determines the retained amount and the contact area of rain on leaf surfaces. Contact angles between drops and surfaces have been used as a measure of wettability, but recent studies show that physico-chemical techniques for analysis of surface tensions may provide more detailed information on surface forces complementing microscopy and chemical analysis of leaf cuticles. Results of surface tension studies on agricultural crops related to impacts of acid rain are described.

Leaf surfaces may neutralise acid rain drops. The processes involved have been investigated by many workers and include cation exchange, leaching, dissolution of surface deposits and evaporation of rain water. The state of the art is reviewed.

A modern approach to the acid rain problem is to consider acid rain as one among many plant stresses. The results of recent experiments with quantification of plant stress are summarized, together with the possible role of stress in changing leaf surface characteristics.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Energy Technology, RISO National Laboratory, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    B. Richter Larsen

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  1. B. Richter Larsen
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Edinburgh, Scotland

    M. H. Unsworth  & D. Fowler  & 

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© 1988 Kluwer Academic publishers

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Larsen, B.R. (1988). Chemical and Physical Processes in Acid Rain Drops on Leaf Surfaces. In: Unsworth, M.H., Fowler, D. (eds) Acid Deposition at High Elevation Sites. NATO ASI Series, vol 252. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3079-7_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3079-7_40

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7883-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3079-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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