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dc.contributor.authorDunnink, J.A.
dc.contributor.authorBeukes, J.P.
dc.contributor.authorVan Zyl, P.G.
dc.contributor.authorSwartz, J.
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-23T12:33:39Z
dc.date.available2017-01-23T12:33:39Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.identifier.citationDunnink, J.A. et al. The sensitivity of Afromontane tarns in the Maloti-Drakensberg region of South Africa and Lesotho to acidic deposition. African journal of aquatic science, 41(4):413-426. [https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2016.1244509]en_US
dc.identifier.issn1608-5914
dc.identifier.issn1727-9364 (Online)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/19854
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/16085914.2016.1244509
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2016.1244509
dc.description.abstractDespite their remoteness from sources of atmospheric pollutant emissions, the Afromontane tarns in the Maloti- Drakensberg region are perfect candidates to study the negative effects of acidifying atmospheric pollution, because mountain lakes are widely recognised as sentinel ecosystems, unimpacted by direct human disturbance within their catchments. Thirty-four tarns were sampled in the Maloti-Drakensberg region and most were found to be extremely sensitive to acidic deposition, as indicated by their low acid neutralising capacity. There are very few studies of freshwater critical loads for any region within South Africa. The steady-state water chemistry model (SSWC) was adapted and used to determine critical loads, whereas exceedance was estimated relative to modelled regional deposition data, in order to understand the risk of harmful effects to aquatic ecosystems. Seventy-six percent of sampled sites across the Maloti-Drakensberg would exceed critical loads even at the lowest modelled deposition levels, but there are no current measured deposition data for the region. The sensitivity of the Maloti- Drakensberg tarns needs to be considered in future policy formulation regarding acceptable levels of acidifying atmospheric pollution from South Africa’s energy sector and indicates the need for assessing aquatic ecosystem impacts in other regions of South Africaen_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_US
dc.subjectAcid neutralising capacityen_US
dc.subjectCritical loadsen_US
dc.subjectHydrochemistryen_US
dc.subjectMountain lakesen_US
dc.subjectSteady-state water chemistry modelen_US
dc.titleThe sensitivity of Afromontane tarns in the Maloti-Drakensberg region of South Africa and Lesotho to acidic depositionen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.contributor.researchID10092390 - Beukes, Johan Paul
dc.contributor.researchID10710361 - Van Zyl, Pieter Gideon


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