Acid Rain Effects

The pH of rain or any precipitation decreases as it combines with sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Thus, when it falls onto the ground or water bodies, it changes the chemical properties of the surface which has a dangerous impact on the ecosystems including all animals and plants. This acidification phenomenon of the environment has several adverse effects which are as follows:

• Ecological Effects: An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals along with their environment including the air, water, and soil which are interconnected with each other. If one part of an ecosystem i.e. one species of animal or plant or soil or water is affected, it will have an impact on others in the ecosystem.
• Effects on Fish and Wildlife: The adverse effects of acid rain are mostly observed in aquatic environments which include streams, lakes, and marshes. Acidic rainwater flows through the soil and leaches aluminum from soil clay particles into the water bodies which is harmful for aquatic animals including fishes and other wildlife.

• Effects on Plants: The areas affected by acid rain are found to have dead or dying trees. Acid rain removes minerals and nutrients from the soil which are essential for the growth of plants.
• Episodic Acidification: Melting acidic snow and heavy acidic rain can result in episodic acidification of lakes and waterbodies which normally do not have a high level of acidity.
• Nitrogen Pollution: Acid rain contains nitrogen which badly affects some ecosystems. For example, nitrogen in Acid Rain may cause nitrogen pollution in coastal waters which is partially responsible for declining fish and shellfish populations in those areas.
• Effects on Human Health: Acid rain effects on human does not directly affect health. However, the gases (SO₂ and NOx) and particles (sulfates and nitrate) present in the air that are responsible for acid rain are harmful to human health.
• Effects on Human-Made Structures: Acid rain also affects human-made structures such as historical structures, monuments, statues, gravestones, and buildings. Sulfur dioxide present in acid rain directly reacts with limestone in the presence of water to form gypsum. Thus it flakes off from the structures.

Acid Rain is rainfall or any precipitation mixed with elements and gases that make them more acidic than normal. Acid rain effects include soil degradation, infrastructure corrosion, vegetation damage, health risks, etc. Acid rain causes acidification of the earth and surface water acid rain has detrimental effects on plants and animals along with the whole ecosystem and poses a serious threat to living beings. In this article, we will study acid rain definition, effects, causes, and prevention in detail.