How do acidic water systems affect organisms and the environment?
Acid rain normally does not directly kill trees, but weakens them. Acid rain destroys trees because they react with many nutrients that the trees need, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. This causes the trees to starve and it damages the fruit that are growing. Acid rain also damages the leaves of the trees. The acid rain makes the trees much weaker to other forms of damage such as breaking under the weight of snow, and being blown down. Acid rain also obstructs the soil’s ability to buffer trees from toxic substances such as aluminum and other heavy metals. The most important effect on aquatic systems is the decline in fish populations. Low pH in rainwater eventually results in acid lakes. Normal lakes have a pH of 6.5 to 9; lakes affected by acid rain have a pH ranging from 4.5 to 6.0. When the pH falls below 6 for a prolonged period of time, a reduction in certain species of zooplankton, algae and aquatic plants will occur. This in turn will disrupt the overall food chain in
