Air Quality
The chemical formula for sulfur dioxide.
SO2
The overall status of water quality in the park (increasing or decreasing).
increasing
These two types of animals are affected most by acidic streams and rivers.
Fish and amphibians
This high-elevation forest type relies on cloud coverage and fog to thrive and could be at risk with the warmer/drier climates.
Spruce-Fir Forest
This form of pollution creates the harmful haze responsible for limited visibility in the park.
Particulate matter
The main sources of water pollution.
Acid deposition and acid bedrock.
A symptom of foliar damage from ozone air pollution.
Purple, brown, or black spots on the surface of leaves.
Fish population that warming stream temperatures due to global warming would heavily impact.
Trout
This is responsible for 40% of the mercury emissions into the air in the United States.
Power plants
pH of this or less is considered acid rain.
4.5
The percentage of black cherry trees and milkweed plants in numerous park locations that show symptoms of ozone damage.
90%
The altered timing of seasonal changes is doing this to trees causing them to use their energy reserves to create replacements.
Causing cold snaps with frost that kill new leaves
The location in the United States where acid-forming pollutants most commonly originate (as referenced in the book).
the Ohio Valley and the midwest
Acidic water leaches this heavy metal from the surrounding soil.
Aluminum
In some cases this high elevation tree species has seen a lack in growth and even a gradual death that stems from acid rain.
Red Spruce
Increased temperatures in the air and water lead to stronger storms and more rain. This affects the park in the park in these ways.
Flooding, landslides, and erosion
The components for ozone, a harmful colorless gas that affects the health of plants and humans, to form.
nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons, and sunlight
The main parasite present in water in the Smokies.
Giardia Lamblia
This species of trout has seen significant decline over recent years due to acidic water.
Brook Trout
An action the park can take based on new model data to better adapt and respond to the changing climate. (from the slides)
- Implementing larger culverts under roads
- reducing woody fuel in drought-susceptible forests (close to homes)