Question

Explain nutrient leaching.

Answer 1

Nutrient leaching:

• Acid rain affects soil chemistry and water bodies.
• The most important effects of acid rain on forests are due to nutrient leaching, accumulation of toxic metals, and the release of toxic aluminium.
• Nutrient leaching occurs when acid rain adds hydrogen ions to the soil which interact chemically with existing minerals.
• This displaces Ca, Mg and K from soil particles and deprives trees of nutrition.
• Thus, it washes a number of essential minerals from the soil and the depletion of these minerals is not good for the growth of plants.