he deadly clouds. (Encarta Acid Rain pg. 2) In the worst cases trees have physical damage to the roots and leaves, reduced canopy cover, crown dieback, a reduced growth rate and finally whole tree death. (EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN ON TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS) Crops are generally less at risk to acid rain than trees. Most farms are in thick topsoil conditions where alkalines can neutralize the acid. In Vermont this is not true, as said before we have thin soil because of our high granite content. Fertilizer and limestone are two prevention methods used by farmers. Thankfully fertilizer is a cheap resource to farmers. (Encarta) Metals such as aluminum are dissolved and dispersed into the topsoil. The crops in turn soak up the poisoned water and sometimes die depending on the severity of the poisoning. (Persephones Acid Rain Page)Fallen acid rain makes its way into streams, lakes, and wetlands. Melting snow is also a large factor. Acid is not limited to rain by any means; it can come in any form of precipitation, even fog. Crustaceans such as clams, and crayfish are the first to be affected by the acidic water, along with micro-organisms like plankton. As the food chain goes various other types of fish are affected, wildlife such as birds and mammals that feed on the dwindling number of fish are also threatened. Constantly changing, the ozone layer is being produced and destroyed in the same instance. Until the last few decades nature was keeping up with the depletion of the ozone layer. Nature used to successfully produce more ozone than that which was destroyed naturally. The ozone protects us from harmful UVB rays produced by the sun. All sunlight contains some UVB, even with normal ozone levels. These rays have been linked to skin cancer, cataracts, damage to materials like plastics, and harm to certain crops and marine organisms. (EPA Health Effects to Over Exposure To the Sun) CFCs release gasses that when mixed with the suns rays in the ...
