Sensitivity to acid deposition of dystrophic peat in Great Britain

The effects of acid deposition on dystrophic peat are analyzed with a series of laboratory experiments. In the tests, water having a variety of concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and hydrogen ions is equilibrated with peat samples. Atmospheric calcium and hydrogen-ion inputs profoundly affect the equilibrium pH of surface levels of dystrophic peat. Attempts to quantify the effects of hydrogen-ion load on the pH of peat are described. These results can then be used to determine the acid load that would cause a measurable shift in the pH of the surface peat.