Rain and throughfall chemistry in a Norway spruce forest in the Western Prealps

Abstract From January 1987 to December 1989 precipitation was collected in an open field in a forested area of the Western Prealps. The site faces the intensely industrialized area of the Po Valley. In a Norway spruce plantation, next to the open field sampler, throughfall was collected from January 1987 to August 1989 for a period of 32 months. In the common sampling period median pH values of the open field precipitation and throughfall were 4·28 and 4·19 respectively. Open field precipitation has yearly deposition rates of acidity, Ca, S, and N of 0·81, 9·82, 24·83 and 32·81 kg/ha −1 respectively. The throughfall showed significant increases in the deposition rates for Ca, Mg, K, N and S, due to abundant dry deposition and, probably, to nutrient leaching contributed by the canopies of the spruce. On the basis of available data, an initial approach to atmospher— canopy interaction was made.