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Notes: Abstract A joint US-Russian cross calibration study was undertaken in 1989 and 1990. Side-by-side air samples were collected, along with samples of soil, vegetation, and forest litter. These samples were analyzed for a variety of elements in laboratories in the two countries. The results of these cross check analyses are presented in this paper, as well as internal quality assurance results for the laboratories involved. The results indicate that future cooperative international studies will require careful and continuous attention to chemical analyses performed on environmental samples to assure that results are comparable.

Notes: Abstract This paper describes the application of simple linear models to help design environmental monitoring systems. This process involves five steps: (1) The derivation of a schematic of the identified pollutant's transport and fate. (2) The derivation of the equation in the schematic. (3) Estimation of input data and numerical solution. (4) Comparison with initial field data. (5) Design of a monitoring system. Two examples of how this system was applied under field conditions are given. Advantages of this approach are: (1) It forces a consideration of the system as a whole rather than a series of distinct environmental components. (2) It forces a consideration of the physical-chemical and biological factors effecting pollutant transport in the system. (3) It sets up an analytical procedure for data analysis at the time the monitoring system is designed. (4) It helps show the functional relationship between pollutant levels in different environmental media. (5) It identifies points where sampling design could be changed to provide for a more efficient monitoring system. (6) It identifies gaps in our knowledge base.

Notes: Abstract Foliar chemistry was examined in mature sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), and red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in response to chronic, watershed-level additions of ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4]. Following four years of treatment, N concentrations were significantly higher in foliage from the treated watershed for all four species, with increases ranging from 6% in American beech to 33% in sugar maple. Sugar maple foliage from the treated watershed had significantly lower Ca concentrations (18%). Concentrations of K were significantly lower in beech (13%) and red spruce (9%) from the treated watershed. Foliar Mg was not different between watersheds. Aluminum concentrations were significantly higher in the foliage from the treated watershed for beech (18%), red maple (33%), and sugar maple (65%), but no differences in Al concentration occurred in current year red spruce foliage. Red spruce foliage resampled following a fifth year of treatment contained higher concentrations of N and Al and lower concentrations of Ca and Mg in the treated watershed. Despite these differences in red spruce foliar chemistry, wood production and density did not appear to be affected by the treatment. Differences in the foliar chemistry between the treated and untreated watershed may reflect the temporal and spatial integration of changes taking place in the soil of the treated watershed. Increased N is likely directly due to the N contained in the (NH4)2SO4 treatment. Labile Ca and other cations in the treated watershed would be expected to initially increase and then decrease in response to the treatment, with these changes beginning at the top of the forest floor. Thus, lower cation concentrations in foliage from the treated watershed may reflect the fact that cations in the uppermost portions of the soil were rapidly depleted, even though deeper soil layers were experiencing increased Ca release due to cation exchange effect of the acidification. The generally higher Al in foliage from the treated watershed is likely due to the mobilization of inorganic Al in the soil as has been reported previously for the treated watershed. Collectively these results suggest that the long-term deposition of acidifying substances containing N and S not only influence the cycling of N within these systems, but may also alter the cycling of other important nutrients and Al.

Notes: Abstract Kinetic Analysis has been successful for metallic elements in relatively isolated areas. In this study it is applied to a complex organic compound in a geographical area with a large urban component. Ten media compartments are included, with man as the ultimate receptor. Field data were collected for only 6 of the media and were not used in the analysis but were compared to the calculated steady state concentrations. The greatest differences between calculated and observed values were 4.8-fold for soil and 5.4-fold for sediment. The field sampling regime for soils was biased towards areas of industrialization and probably explains the higher observed value. The lower observed value for sediment is likely due to unknown variables necessary for the estimation of the compartment size and/or the associated transfer rate constants. This study indicated that the Kinetic Analysis technique can be applied successfully to the pre-sampling estimation of the distribution of organic pollutants in environmental systems.

Notes: Abstract Integrated ecosystem and pollutant monitoring is being conducted at prototype global baseline sites in remote areas of the Noatak National Preserve, Alaska, the Wind River Mountains, Wyoming, and Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. A systems approach has been used in the design of these projects. This approach includes: (1) evaluation of source-receptor relationships, (2) multimedia (i.e., air, water, soil, biota) monitoring of key contaminant pathways within the environment, (3) the use of selected ecosystem parameters to detect anthropogenic influence, and (4) the application of a systems conceptual framework as a heuristic tool. Initial short-term studies of air quality (e.g. SO2, NO2) plus trace metal concentrations in mosses generally indicate pristine conditions at all three of the above sites as expected although trace metals in mosses were higher at the Wyoming site. Selected ecosystem parameters for both terrestrial (e.g. litter decomposition) and aquatic (e.g. shredders, a macroinvertebrate functional feeding group) habitats at the Wyoming site reflected baseline conditions when compared to other studies. Plans also are being made to use U.S. Department of Energy Research Parks for global change monitoring. This will involve cross-site analyses of existing ecological databases and the design of a future monitoring network based on a systems approach as outlined in this paper.