Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees
Abstract Often termed “acid rain,” combined nitrogen and sulfur deposition can directly and indirectly impact the condition and health of forest ecosystems. Researchers use critical loads (CLs) to describe response thresholds, and recent studies on acid‐sensitive biological indicators show that fore...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1857 |
| _version_ | 1818564340024868864 |
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| author | Irina C. Irvine Tara Greaver Jennifer Phelan Robert D. Sabo George Van Houtven |
| author_facet | Irina C. Irvine Tara Greaver Jennifer Phelan Robert D. Sabo George Van Houtven |
| author_sort | Irina C. Irvine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Often termed “acid rain,” combined nitrogen and sulfur deposition can directly and indirectly impact the condition and health of forest ecosystems. Researchers use critical loads (CLs) to describe response thresholds, and recent studies on acid‐sensitive biological indicators show that forests continue to be at risk from terrestrial acidification. However, rarely are impacts translated into changes in “ecosystem services” that impact human well‐being. Further, the relevance of this research to the general public is seldom communicated in terms that can motivate action to protect valuable resources. To understand how changes in biological indicators affect human well‐being, we used the STEPS (Stressor–Ecological Production function–final ecosystem Services) Framework to quantitatively and qualitatively link CL exceedances to ecosystem service impacts. We specified the cause‐and‐effect ecological processes linking changes in biological indicators to final ecosystem services. The Final Ecosystem Goods and Services Classification System (FEGS‐CS) was used within the STEPS Framework to classify the ecosystem component and the beneficiary class that uses or values the component. We analyzed two acid‐sensitive tree species, balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and white ash (Fraxinus americana), that are common in northeastern USA. These well‐known species provide habitat for animals and popular forest products that are relatable to a broad audience. We identified 160 chains with 10 classes of human beneficiaries for balsam fir and white ash combined, concluding that there are resources at risk that the public may value. Two stories resulting from these explorations into the cascading effects of acid rain on terrestrial resources are ideal for effective science communication: the relationship between (1) balsam fir as a popular Christmas tree and habitat for the snowshoe hare, a favorite of wildlife viewers, and (2) white ash because it is used for half of all baseball bats, fine wood products, and musical instruments. Thus, rather than focusing on biological indicators that may only be understood or appreciated by specific stakeholders or experts, this approach extends the analysis to include impacts on FEGS and humans. It also lays the foundation for developing stakeholder‐specific narratives, quantitative measures of endpoints, and for conducting demand‐based valuations of affected ecosystem services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T01:27:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5726a685f7394386a4380229bc34dbc8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T01:27:45Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-5726a685f7394386a4380229bc34dbc82022-12-21T23:22:08ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252017-06-0186n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.1857Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas treesIrina C. Irvine0Tara Greaver1Jennifer Phelan2Robert D. Sabo3George Van Houtven4Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Division of Planning Science and Resource Management US National Park Service Thousand Oaks California 91360 USAOffice of Research and Development National Center for Environmental Assessment US Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 USARTI International Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 USAOffice of Research and Development National Climate Assessment Global Change Impacts and Adaptations Environmental Protection Agency Crystal City Virginia 22202 USARTI International Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 USAAbstract Often termed “acid rain,” combined nitrogen and sulfur deposition can directly and indirectly impact the condition and health of forest ecosystems. Researchers use critical loads (CLs) to describe response thresholds, and recent studies on acid‐sensitive biological indicators show that forests continue to be at risk from terrestrial acidification. However, rarely are impacts translated into changes in “ecosystem services” that impact human well‐being. Further, the relevance of this research to the general public is seldom communicated in terms that can motivate action to protect valuable resources. To understand how changes in biological indicators affect human well‐being, we used the STEPS (Stressor–Ecological Production function–final ecosystem Services) Framework to quantitatively and qualitatively link CL exceedances to ecosystem service impacts. We specified the cause‐and‐effect ecological processes linking changes in biological indicators to final ecosystem services. The Final Ecosystem Goods and Services Classification System (FEGS‐CS) was used within the STEPS Framework to classify the ecosystem component and the beneficiary class that uses or values the component. We analyzed two acid‐sensitive tree species, balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and white ash (Fraxinus americana), that are common in northeastern USA. These well‐known species provide habitat for animals and popular forest products that are relatable to a broad audience. We identified 160 chains with 10 classes of human beneficiaries for balsam fir and white ash combined, concluding that there are resources at risk that the public may value. Two stories resulting from these explorations into the cascading effects of acid rain on terrestrial resources are ideal for effective science communication: the relationship between (1) balsam fir as a popular Christmas tree and habitat for the snowshoe hare, a favorite of wildlife viewers, and (2) white ash because it is used for half of all baseball bats, fine wood products, and musical instruments. Thus, rather than focusing on biological indicators that may only be understood or appreciated by specific stakeholders or experts, this approach extends the analysis to include impacts on FEGS and humans. It also lays the foundation for developing stakeholder‐specific narratives, quantitative measures of endpoints, and for conducting demand‐based valuations of affected ecosystem services.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1857acid depositionbalsam fircritical loadecosystem servicesforestsnitrogen |
| spellingShingle | Irina C. Irvine Tara Greaver Jennifer Phelan Robert D. Sabo George Van Houtven Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees Ecosphere acid deposition balsam fir critical load ecosystem services forests nitrogen |
| title | Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees |
| title_full | Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees |
| title_fullStr | Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees |
| title_short | Terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services: effects of acid rain on bunnies, baseball, and Christmas trees |
| title_sort | terrestrial acidification and ecosystem services effects of acid rain on bunnies baseball and christmas trees |
| topic | acid deposition balsam fir critical load ecosystem services forests nitrogen |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1857 |
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