Introduction:
Plant growth is affected by various environmental factors, and pH is one of those. The pH of soil and the water that plants receive can have an impact on whether they obtain nutrients or not. Ph impacts the chemical reactions that take place within a plant, if the pH of the soil or water that the plant receives is too low (acidic),the nutrients that the plant requires may become extremely soluble to the point where ion levels are high enough to harm the plant. Acid rain is an environmental factor that greatly alters the pH of both the soil and the water that a plant obtains. Acid rain is a form of precipitation that has a pH level of 4.3. Due to its high acidity acid rain has grave impacts on the environment. Acid rain has the capability to reduce the biodiversity of an environment by polluting lakes and by reducing the defences of vegetation and plants in the ecosystem. When animals, such as fish, are exposed to acid rain they are usually unable to survive. Acid rain can affect lakes and other watery environments in two ways, chronic and episodic. The chronic effect is a long term effect caused by constant acidic precipitation throughout years, this causes an increased acidity of water while reducing the availability of nutrients for the inhabitants of this ecosystem. The episodic effect , however, is a sudden increase in the acidity of a body of water. This is usually caused by heavy amounts of acidic precipitation during a short period of time. Episodic effects also occur in the spring, in areas where winter snow has melted and releases sulfates and nitrates concentrated within it. This type of acidification causes changes in water chemistry that can be fatal to animals within the body of water. However, when plants are exposed to acid rain they grow at a slower rate and their defences can be lowered due to the high acidity of this precipitation. Acid rain also impacts
Cited: "AZ Master Gardener Manual: Water." AZ Master Gardener Manual: Water. The University of Arizona, 1998. Web. 01 June 2013. Braley, Heide. "What Kinds of Liquids Affect Plant Growth?" EHow. Demand Media, 08 July 2011. Web. 01 June 2013. Brennan, John. "The Effect of Household Ammonia on Plant Growth." EHow. Demand Media, 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 01 June 2013. Conrad, Jamie. "How Do Different Types of Liquid Affect Bean Plant Growth? | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 05 Sept. 2011. Web. 01 June 2013. "Environmental Effects of Acid Rain." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 9 Mar. 2012. Web. 01 June 2013. Lapierre, Lori. "How Does Soapy Water Affect Plants?" EHow. Demand Media, 28 Nov. 2009. Web. 01 June 2013. Shields, Brenton. "Do Different Liquids Affect Flower Growth?" EHow. Demand Media, 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 June 2013. "Why Is Acid Rain Harmful." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 01 June 2013.