Soil acidification

**Causes of Soil Acidification:**
– Acid rain deposition due to sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
– Agricultural practices like excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers
– Mining activities
– Industrial emissions
– Deforestation

**Biological Factors Contributing to Soil Acidification:**
– Plant roots releasing protons and organic acids
– Decaying plant remains adding to soil acidity
– Acidification from leaf litter, especially under coniferous trees
– Influence of vegetation on soil pH
– Calcium accumulation in biomass affecting soil pH

**Parent Materials and Soil Acidity:**
– Granites and igneous rocks producing silicic acid
– Sedimentary rocks like shale and coal producing sulfuric acid
– Influence of parent materials on soil acidity
– Marine clays becoming acidic when oxidized
– Coal soils being too acidic for vigorous plant growth

**Impact and Mitigation of Soil Acidification:**
– Effects on plant health like reduced nutrient availability and impaired root growth
– Mitigation strategies such as liming, organic amendments, and planting acid-tolerant crops
– Research focus on microbial communities, liming effects, and long-term ecosystem dynamics
– Environmental impacts like altered nutrient cycling and water quality
– Management practices to prevent acidification and restore soil health

**Pollution and Prevention of Soil Acidification:**
– Nitrogen emissions and ammonia from animal livestock contributing to soil acidification
– Fossil fuels and motor exhaust emissions adding to sulfuric gases and nitrogen oxides
– Aluminum in soils increasing acidity and inhibiting root growth
– Prevention and management strategies including lime application, organic amendments, and reducing anthropogenic sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide sources
– Successful examples of improving water pH and alkalinity in regions like Ontario, Canada