UK: Recovery from acid rain hampered by climate change

The research by Cardiff University Professor Steve Ormerod and
biosciences researcher Isabelle Durance was undertaken in 14
middle-Wales rivers and involved assessing the number and variety of
stream insects present each year.

The scientists said they also
measured concentrations of acid and other aspects of stream chemistry.
With average acidity in rivers falling due to improvements in the
levels of acid rain, the researchers said they had expected up to 29
insect species to have re-colonized the less acidic waters. The
findings however, showed a large shortfall in biological recovery,
with just four new insect species added to the recovering rivers
sampled.  “Since the 1970s, there have been huge efforts to cleanup sources of
acid rain, and our research shows that rivers are heading in the right
direction,” said Ormmerod. “However, our results support the theory
that acid conditions during rainstorms kill sensitive animals.” The
study appeared in the Dec. 12 online edition of the Journal of Applied
Ecology. http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Climate_change_slows_acid_rain_recovery_999.html

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