Chemical Weathering in Small Catchments: Climatic and Anthropogenic Influences

Citation

Johnson CE, Litaor MI, Billett M & Bricker OP (1994) Chemical Weathering in Small Catchments: Climatic and Anthropogenic Influences. In: Moldan B & Cerny J (eds.) Biogeochemistry of Small Catchments: A Tool for Environmental Research. SCOPE series, 51. SCOPE Workshop, November 1990, Most, Czech Republic. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 323-341. http://dge.stanford.edu/SCOPE/SCOPE_51/SCOPE_51.html

Abstract
First paragraph: Chemical denudation through weathering of soil and rock minerals is an important component of the biogeochemistry of ecosystems (Chapter 4). In virtually all environments, weathering results in the neutralization of hydrogen ion (H+) and the production of soluble basic cations (CB:Ca, Mg, K and Na), aluminium and silica (H4Si04). Thus, it has been recognized that weathering plays an important role in the buffering of surface waters (e.g. Johnson, 1984; Bricker and Rice, 1989) and the supply of nutrient cations (Ca, Mg and K) to the soil (e.g. Likens et ai., 1977).