Magister Scientiae - MSc (Botany)

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Effect of simulated acid rain on seed germination and on growth and mineral nutrition of Lycopersicon esculentum var. Red kaki
(University of the Western Cape, 1993) Marsh, Frans A; Raitt, L.M; Aalbers, J
The phenomenon of acid rain is not new. It has been active for more than a billion years (Abelson, 1983). The term "acid rain" was introduced as early as 1872 by Robert Angus Smith, the world's first air pollution control inspector, who measured pH values of precipitation considerably lower than 5,6 (the pH of distilled water in equilibrium with atmospheric CO2) in and around northern English industrial cities. At this time relatively little interest was shown in the topic (Anon, 1984;BeI1, 1988). Widespread interest in the topic began in the mid - 1970's, when Scandinavian studies identified a downward trend in pH of precipitation in southern Norway and Sweden accompanied by an increase in acidity of lakes and rivers (Bell, 1988). At the same time' predictions were made that Swedish soils would become progressively acidified, with a concommitant fall in timber production. Initially there appeared to be little evidence to support the latter contention and research concentrated on the causes of the loss of fish, untill the early L980's when a serious forest decline was observed in Central Europe, which has been popularly ascribed to acid rain (Bell, 1988)'