Integrated Watershed Management

Integrated Watershed Management

A comprehensive overview of the effects of acid rain on different parts of the planet

Document Type : Technical Article

Author
Hamzeh Saeediyan
1Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research, Kerman Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Kerman, Iran.
10.22034/iwm.2023.1995634.1066
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Nowadays, the effects of acid rains in different regions of the world have been considered by most researchers as well as politicians around the world, such that acid rain has new dimensions and has become one of the key words in scientific circles around the world.
Materials and Methods
The present study investigated the effects of acid rain in different regions of the world and on soil, ranges and forests, seas and lakes and rivers, humans, buildings and structures as well as transportation industry and agricultural products according to national and international scientific documents.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that acid rain, which occurs naturally due to the combination of water and carbon dioxide, leads to the creation of a weak acid called carbonic acid, which is extremely useful for nature and does not cause any destructive effects on the environment and humans. However, what has disturbed this natural trend in recent decades is the unscrupulous and unthinking interference of human beings, which has caused natural acid rain to become artificial acid rain and has very destructive and dangerous effects for humans and the entire planet. The results also showed that soils around the world, despite the buffering state that is created and have an important defense device called calcium carbonate, are still severely affected by acid rains and there are significant changes in soil properties as well as accelerating its erodibility. Other categories such as ranges and forests, agricultural products, surface and non-surface waters, humans, buildings and structures, transportation, and wildlife do not usually have a good defense against the destruction caused by acid rain and can be far more effective. The results also showed that the biggest victim of acid rain is human, which appears to be weaker than other categories and has more influence than acid rain.
Conclusion
Due to the risks of acid rain around the world, various studies have been conducted on soil, vegetation and forests, agricultural products and surface and subsurface waters, but they are usually not comprehensive throughout the world. However, studies on the role of acid rain in various buildings and structures, transportation industry and onshore and marine wildlife as well as humans are very few. The strong recommendation of this research to researchers and politicians is that acid rain can even change civilizations, so it should be taken extraordinarily seriously, just as in the past water shortages have changed civilizations. In the future, acid rain and changes in water quality can transform civilizations around the world. Furthermore, considering that there are several methods around the world in all different sectors to deal with acid rain, but there is a pressing need to establish an important and comprehensive law to coordinate researchers and politicians and make the methods of dealing with acid rain more efficient, so it is recommended that the comprehensive law against acid rain be passed and implemented in Iran as soon as possible.
Keywords
Acid rain
Soil
Water
Vegetation

Subjects

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  • Receive Date 07 March 2023
  • Revise Date 09 May 2023
  • Accept Date 18 May 2023