title: Impact of artificial ammonium-enriched rainwater on soils and young coniferous trees in a greenhouse. Part I-effects on the soils.
abstract: A pot experiment was used to investigate whether ammonium sulphate, when applied in amounts comparable to those deposited in the Dutch forests, is detrimental to trees. Young coniferous trees were planted in pots and treated with artificial ammonium-enriched rainwater in a greenhouse. The deposition of ammonium resulted in a strong acidification of the soil solution, leaching of base cations and an increased solubility of aluminium, manganese and zinc. Ammonium accumulated in the soil solution, causing severe imbalances between plant nutrients. The effects of these chemical changes in the soil on tree performance are described in a second paper.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Biogeology, Faculty of Science, Catholic University, Toernooiveld, NL-6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Van Dijk
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Creemers
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rijniers
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Roelofs