Long Island Botanical Society newsletter

Vol. 28 No. 2

Long Island
Botanical Society

The Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2018

Why Are Plants on the Stony Brook Campus Thriving
Despite Acid Rain and Acid Soil?

by Jeffrey E. Hudson and Gilbert N. Hanson, Stony Brook University

In this report we
present data relating
to the effects of
acid rain on the
soil and plants in
the wooded areas
of the Stony Brook
University campus.

The data include
soil pH with depth,
exchangeable 1
calcium (Ca) and
aluminum (Al) in
soil with depth, the
species distribution
of plants, pH of
soil and the Ca and
Al concentrations
of leaves and roots
on the Stony Brook
University campus
(Fig. 1). A more
complete presentation of these results is on the web at: www.
geo.sunysb.edu/reports.

Acid rain has been falling on Long Island for at least the last 70
years. The pH of rain was 5.6 before industrialization. By 1987
it was 4.3, an increase in acidity by a factor of 30. From that
low point in 1987 pH has increased to 5.0 in 2013 (Table 1).
So, things are getting better as a result of the Clean Air Act of
1963 and later amendments.

Wherry (1923) studied the plant distributions and the pH
of soil in a deciduous forest in Locust Valley some 40 km
west of the Stony Brook University campus. This forest is

on the Harbor Hill
moraine just as
the Stony Brook

campus is. Greller et
al. (1990) restudied
the pH of soil and
plant distributions
in 1985. They

found a significant
decrease in pH
compared to that
found by Wherry
(1923) (Table 2)
and concluded that
the decrease in soil
pH was a result of
acid rain. Greller

et al. (1990) also
found that there
were fewer species
of dominant plants
within the forest, an
increased dominance of acid-tolerant plants, and a loss of
acid-sensitive plants.

Hedin and Likens (1996) suggest that acid rain inhibits the
growth of plants because acid rain washes plant nutrients

(mainly exchangeable Ca) from the soil and makes available

toxic aluminum. However, atmospheric dust replenishes some
of the lost Ca.

When acid rain infiltrates the soil, it enriches exchangeable
hydrogen ions on soil particles. These hydrogen ions
promote the production of exchangeable aluminum and

(Continued on page 9)

Figure 1. Location of study sites on the Stony Brook University campus. The yellow five-pointed
star identifies the Ashley Schiff Park Preserve, location of soil-pH and leaf-collection sampling.
The four-pointed star is the location of cation exchange capacity (CEC) analysis of soil.

1 Exchangeable elements are available to plants in the soil. Exchangeable, positively-charged elements (cations) that are soil nutrients are calcium,
magnesium and potassium. Calcium is used as a proxy for all of these nutrients because it is usually the most abundant.

Page 8

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

Long Island
Botanical Society

Founded: 1986 • Incorporated: 1989

The Long Island Botanical Society is dedicated
to the promotion of field botany and a
greater understanding of the plants that
grow wild on Long Island, New York.

Visit the Society’s Web site

www.libotanical.org

Executive Board

President

Eric Lamont 631-722-5542
elamont@optonline.net
Vice President

Andrew Greller agreller2@optonline.net
Treasurer
Carol Johnston

johnljohnston2@optonline.net
Recording Secretary
Sue Avery suea483@gmail.com
Corresponding Secretary
Rich Kelly vze2dxmil@verizon.net

Committee Chairpersons

Flora

Eric Lamont elamont@optonline.net
Andrew Greller agreller2@optonline.net
Field Trips

Allan Lindberg ajlindberg@optonline.net
Programs

Rich Kellyvze2dxmil@verizon.net
Membership

Lois Lindberg lalindberg3@optonline.net
Conservation

Bill Titus btitus@optonline.net
John Turner redknot2@verizon.net
Education

MaryLaura Lamont
woodpink59@gmail.com

Hospitality

Kathleen Gaffney kg73@cornell.edu
Dorothy Titus btitus@optonline.net
Newsletter Editor

Margaret Conover
margaret.conover@gmail.com

with special thanks to
Skip & Jane Blanchard
Webmaster

Donald House libsweb@yahoo.com

Society News

Lois Lindberg, LIBS Membership Chair, offers the following report:

LIBS Membership by the Numbers

As the long-time membership chair, I recently reviewed some noteworthy
facts about our 30-plus year history. The Society currently has a
membership of approximately 175, with 18 professional organizations
represented. Although most of our members hail from New York, people
have joined from 14 states across the country, and Canada. Our first
Life Member signed up in 1998, and now 29 people are part of that
elite group. Looking back to the Society’s beginnings, ten of the original
“class of 1986” are still members today. And LIBS certainly builds a loyal
following: almost 70 of you folks have been members for at least twenty
years — Wow! And such diverse professions and interests - teachers, field
researchers, ecologists, gardeners, authors, artists, citizen scientists - all
with a common goal to protect our botanical heritage. Thank you to
everyone for your support of LIBS.

JOIN LIBS TODAY!

Annual Membership is $20 payable to:
Long Island Botanical Society

Mail your dues to:

Carol Johnston, LIBS Treasurer
347 Duck Pond Road
Locust Valley, NY 11560

Announcements:

April 13-15, 18th Northeast Natural History Conference (NENHC),
Burlington, VT

This conference has been the largest regional forum in which researchers,
natural resource managers, students, and naturalists can present current
information on the varied aspects of applied field biology (freshwater,
marine, and terrestrial) and natural history of the Northeastern United
States and adjacent Canada. By bringing together people with diverse
backgrounds it will serve as a premier venue for identifying research and
management needs, fostering friendships and collegial relationships, and
encouraging a greater region-wide interest in natural history. https://www.
eaglehill.us/NENHC_2018/NENHC2018.shtml

The Town of North Hempstead offers classes in: Composting, Installing
and Using a Rain Barrel, Sustainable Yard Care, Creating a Rain Garden,
and Native Plant Gardening, http://www.northhempsteadny.gov/
Composting-Rain-Barrels-and-Gardens

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

Page 9

(Why Are Plants Thriving, continuedfrom cover)

Table 1. pH of rain on Long Island

Date

PH

1955-56 1

4.8

1987 2

4.3

2005 2

4.6

2013 3

3.0

1 Mackenzie & Mackenzie, 1995

2 NYSDEC, 2005

3 Extrapolation based on pH of rain in Washingon Crossing, NJ
which also had a pH of 4.3 in 1987 and a pH of 4.5 in 2005.
In 2013 the pH of rain had increased to 5.0 New Jersey DEP,
2016.

replace the exchangeable Ca on the soil particles (Hedin
and Likens, 1996). Exchangeable Ca ions are essential for
healthy plant growth, whereas exchangeable species of Al
impede plant growth (Ericsson 1995). Cronan and Grigal
(1996) found that there is a greater than 50% risk of
adverse impacts on plant growth if the Ca/Al molar ratio
is less than 12.5 in plant leaves, 1.0 in soil solution and
0.2 for fine root tissue.

Results

All the plants in the Stony Brook study areas (Table 3)
are considered acid tolerant (Gawler and Sneddon 2015).
Maple-leaved viburnum ( Viburnum acerifolium ) is the most
abundant species by groundcover. These species were also
found by Greller (1990) and Wherry (1923).

Soil pH was determined in the Ashley Schiff Park Preserve
in October 2017 by Karim Hanna (pers.comm.) (Fig.
2). The pH of the soil on the ridge and along the slope
is less than that in valley floor (bottomland) even though
the change in elevation is only three meters. For each site
the pH value of the organic matter in the O-horizon (0 to
+5 cm) is significantly higher than at the boundary with
the underlying topsoil. These data suggest that as the rain
passes through the O-horizon it releases organic acid.

We collected leaves in the Ashley Schiff Park Preserve for
chemical analysis at three different times, newly fallen
leaves in November 2015, leaves on the plants in July 2016,
new buds In April 2017.

Table 2. Soil pH using distilled water 1 in
a forested area in Valley Stream, NY.

Ridgetop

Slope

Bottomland

4.5

3.5

6.5

Greller et al

(1990)

3.8

3.9

4.1

1 Distilled water gives a pH about 0.6-0.7 pH units greater than that
given by using 0.01 m CaCI2 (Bauch, 2007).

Table 3. Estimated plant cover

Fagus grandifolia

American Beech

1%

Viburnum acerifolium
Maple-leaved Viburnum

44%

Thelypteris noveboracensis
New York Fern

3%

Toxicodendron radicans
Poison Ivy

6%

Acer rubrum

Red Maple

1%

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras

5%

Gaultheria procumbens
Wintergreen

2%

Total

62%

There are, however, not enough samples to show a seasonal
pattern of changes in the Ca/Al ratio for the various species
(Table 4). Maple-leaved viburnum, the most abundant
groundcover plant, has the lowest Ca/Al ratio. It is not clear
if the deviations are related to changes in leaf chemistry
associated with the season of collection or to other factors.
For both sassafras and black birch, the only two species

(Continued on page 10)

Page 10

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

(Why Are Plants Thriving, continued from page 9)

Figure 2. Depth versus soil pH above and below the organic-
mineral boundary at the top of the soil horizon

sampled in more than one season, the fallen leaves collected in
November have a lower Ca/Al ratio than those collected in the
spring or summer.

The lowest value for molar Ca/Al found in foliar tissues is 17.2
for Maple-leaved viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium-, Table 4).
The mixed fine root tissue shows a Ca/Al molar ratio of 0.92.
Both values are well above the 50% risk ratio determined by
Cronan and Grigal (1990) and show that the plants are in
favorable conditions for growth.

The soil pH and exchangeable cation concentrations (CEC)
were determined for a small wooded area near the Earth and
Space Sciences building (Fig. 1) by Jovet Llanos (pers.comm.)
in 2015 (Fig. 3). The paucity of exchangeable soil calcium
and low Ca/Al ratios at 15 cm and greater depths suggest that
plants are absorbing essentially all their calcium within the
upper 15 cm of soil.

Table 4. Chemical analysis of leaves

Date

collected

Ca/Al

molar

Fagus grandifolia

Beech

April 2017

56.2

Betula lenta

Black Birch

April 2017

220

Betula lenta

July 2016

121

Betula lenta

Nov. 2015

78.5

Acer sp?

Maple

July 2016

195

Viburnum acerifolium
Maple-leaved Viburnum

July 2016

17.2

Acer rubrum

Red Maple

July 2016

193

Sassafras albidum
Sassafras

July 2016

62.6

Sassafras albidum
Sassafras

Nov. 2015

22.6

Average

107

pH of soil Ca meq/100 g soil

molar Ca/Al ratio in soil

0 2 4 6 S 10 12 14

Figure 3. pH of soil, Ca in meq/100 grams of soil, and molar Ca/Al ratio in soil with depth from the organic-mineral horizon near the
Earth and Space Sciences building (Fig. 1).

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

Page 11

Table 5. Molar Ca/Al ratio of bulk samples with
depth in woods in Cathedral Pines County Park
(Boguslavsky 2000).

Depth

Molar

Ca/Al

0 to 30 cm

0.16

30 to 60 cm

0.05

60 to 90 cm

0.12

While the uppermost soil has a high Ca/Al molar ratio
(12.8) the fine roots, which are around this depth, exhibit a
much lower Ca/Al ratio of 0.92. Cronan and Grigal (1995)
identified a similar trend and attributed the ratio difference
to the aging of fine roots, suggesting that the fine-root filters
prevent the aluminum from entering the tree sap so that over
time aluminum accumulates in the root tissue.

Boguslavsky (2000) analyzed exchangeable Ca and A1 in forest
soil in Cathedral Pines County Park on Long Island. She
found the Ca/Al molar ratios for bulk samples representing
intervals of 0 to 30 cm, 30 to 60 cm and 60 to 90 cm depths
(Table 5). These data are consistent in suggesting that the
molar Ca/Al ratios in soil water at depths greater than 15 cm
are much less than 1.

The most likely reason that the Ca is restricted to the
uppermost layer of the soil column is that the quartz-rich
and calcium-poor soils on Long Island are not an important
source of Ca in the soil (Kundic 2005, Xin and Hanson
1994). The source for Ca in the upper layer of the soil is
primarily from recycled Ca in decaying plant litter and the
continuous supply of Ca in airborne dust (Hedin and Likens
1996).

This data set suggests that, for this wooded area, acid-loving
plants are tolerating the effects of acid rain on the soil
because their roots are getting Ca from the uppermost layer
of soil where there is a relatively high Ca concentration and
a high Ca/Al ratio.

If the pH of rain continues to increase, this should reduce
the amount of exchangeable, toxic A1 in the soil. And, if
enough Ca is continuously added to the soil from airborne
dust, perhaps the plants less tolerant to acid rain will return.

References Cited

Bauch, M.D. 2007. A study of soil pH in a woodland at
Stony Brook University. Undergraduate Research Project,
Stony Brook University, http://www.geo.sunysb.edu/reports/
mbauch.pdf

Boguslavsky, S. 2000. Organic sorption and cation exchange
capacity of glacial sand, Long Island. M.S. Thesis, Stony
Brook University. http://www.geo.sunysb.edu/reports/bo-
guslavsky/

Cronan, C.S. and D.F. Grigal. 1995. Use of calcium/
aluminum ratios as indicators of stress in forest ecosystems. J.
Environm. Qual. 24:209-226.

Ericsson, T., A. Goransson, H. Van Oene and G. Gobran.
1995. Interactions between aluminium, calcium and magne¬
sium - Impacts on nutrition and growth of forest trees. Ecol.
Bull. 44:191-196.

Gawler, S.C. and L.A. Sneddon. 2015. Ecological
system comprehensive report: Northeastern Interior

Dry-Mesic Oak Forest. http://explorer.natureserve.
org servlet/NatureServe?searchSystemUid=ELEMENT
GLOBAL.2.723014

Greller, A.M., D.C. Locke, V. Kilanowski, and G.E. Lotowycz.
1990. Changes in vegetation composition and soil acidity
between 1922 and 1985 at a site on the North Shore of Long
Island, New York. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 117: 450-458.

Hedin, L.O. and G.E. Likens. 1996. Atmospheric dust and
acid rain. Sci. Amer. 275: 88-92.

Kundic, V. 2005. Age and provenance of Long Island loess.
M.S. Thesis, Stony Brook University. http://www.geo.sunysb.
edu/ reports/kundic-thesis.pdf

Mackenzie, F. T. and J. A. Mackenzie. 1995. Our changing
planet. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 387 pp.

New Jersey DEP. 2016. Atmospheric deposition: Acidity
and nutrients. http://www.nj.gov/dep/dsr/trends/pdfs
atmospheric-dep-acid.pdf

New York State DEC 2005, Eisenhower Park Air Monitoring
Site Trends (1987-2007).

https://web.archive.org/web/20110827024804/http://www.
dec.ny.gov/chemical/24711 .html

Wherry, E.T. 1923. A soil acidity map of a Long Island wild
garden. Ecology 4: 395-401.

Xin, G. and G. N. Hanson. 1994. Strontium isotope study of
the Peconic River watershed, Long Island, New York.
http://www.geo.sunysb.edu/reports/peconic.pdf

Page 12

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

Field Trips

April 7, 2018 (Saturday) 10 AM

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Oyster Bay, NY
Hunting for Marine Algae at Sagamore Hill National Historic
Site

Trip Leader: Andrew Greller
E-mail: agreller2@optonline.net

We will hike down to the shore to identify the marine algae
that wash up at high tide. Pick up a guide to Marine Algae of
the Northeastern Coast of North America , and bring it along to
help with identification. There may be spring wildflowers out
and we will look for them, as well as for the remnants of plants
of the coastal sands. Dress for the weather; rubber boots will
be useful. Bring a liquid and snacks. A hand lens may be
useful. Meet at the parking lot.

Extra 9 AM attraction: Sagamore Hill is offering LIBS
members an early-bird first-floor walk-through of Theodore
Roosevelts home prior to the algae field trip. Entrance to the
home is limited to 15 people, so if you are interested, please
RSVP to Lois Lindberg, email lalindberg3@optonline.net

Directions: Take either the Northern State Parkway to Exit
35N or the Long Island Expressway (1-495) to Exit 4IN. At
those exits, take Route 106 North for approximately 6 miles
to downtown Oyster Bay. Turn right onto East Main Street (at
Nobman's Hardware Store) and travel 2 miles on East Main
Street/Cove Road. Turn left onto Cove Neck Road and drive
1.5 miles to Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.

May 5, 2018 (Saturday) 10 AM

Welwyn Preserve, 100 Crescent Beach Rd, Glen Cove, NY
A Spring Walk Through Welwyn

Trip Leaders: A1 Lindberg, Lois Lindberg, and Lisa Synoradzki
E-mail: ajlindberg@optonline.net

We will explore Welwyn’s diverse habitats, from its tuliptree
swamp forest, freshwater streams through the saltmarsh,
and down to its sandy beach on Long Island Sound, while
searching for an assortment of spring ephemerals and Long
Island rarities. Rarities will include striped maple (Acer
pensylvanicum ), Ohio buckeye (Aesculusglabra) , yellow birch
(Betula alleghaniensis) and American bladdernut ( Staphylea
trifolid). Dress for the weather and please bring a beverage,
snacks or lunch, and sunscreen. Welwyn has been noted for
its ticks so please also bring insect repellent.

Directions: From the East: Long Island Expressway to Exit
41 North - NY-106/107 N. Bear left where the two roads
split to stay on Route 107N, continue for approx. 7 Vz miles
into Glen Cove. Where Rte. 107 ends at the Glen Cove Fire
Dept, turn right onto Brewster St. Continue for Vi mile,
turn left onto Dosoris Lane. Go 44 mile, turn left on New
Woods Rd. and take it to the end. Turn right onto Crescent
Beach Rd, Welwyn Preserve is the first driveway on the right.
Continue along the driveway to the main parking lot.

From the West: Long Island Expressway to Exit 39 North -
Glen Cove Road. After 4 miles, Glen Cove Rd. merges with
Route 107N. Continue north on Rte. 107 into Glen Cove
and follow the above directions.

June 16, 2018 (Saturday) 9 AM

Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY
Forest and Fuels Management Area/Wildfire Area
Trip Leader: Kathy Schwager

Trip is limited to 18 people.

^Registration is REQUIRED by June 14*

Brookhaven Lab is located in the Central Pine Barrens region of
Long Island, which has evolved over thousands of years in the
presence of frequent fires. As a result, plant and animal species
of the pine barrens have adapted to such conditions. A wildfire
burned through a portion of the lab site in 2012. Prescribed fire
has been implemented to not only reduce fuels, but to promote
forest regeneration by helping remove vegetation and leaf litter
that prevent seeds of pines, oaks, and other native species from
germinating.

We will meet first in Building 860 for a brief introductory
presentation. We will then proceed to the prescribed-burn units
and Crescent Bow wildfire area to look at post-fire regeneration
and the differences between burned and unburned areas as well
as the effects of different kinds of fire on the ecosystem (See Fig.
1). Please bring sufficient food and water, and wear long pants
and appropriate footwear. Tick repellent is advised.

Directions to the lab can be found at https://www.bnl.gov/
maps/index.php at the bottom of the page. Specific directions
to Building 860 from the front gate can be found by clicking
on the “Building Locations & Custom Map Points” tab. You
will be required to go through security at the front gate so please
make sure you have valid identification (drivers license or such)
to present. Anyone who has not pre-registered will be turned
away at the gate.

For further information and to register, please contact Kathy
Schwager at kschwager@bnl.gov.

(Continued on top of page 13)

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

Page 13

Figure 1. General aerial view of the Brookhaven Lab field trip area

Other field trips to look forward to:

July 14, 2018 (Saturday) 10 AM

Shore Road to Wawapek, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Trip Leaders: Jane Jackson and Amanda Furcall

September 8, 2018 (Saturday) 10 AM

Hempstead Plains, East Garden City, NY
(Co-Sponsored with NYFA)

Trip Leader: Steve Young

♦> ♦> ♦>

Upcoming Programs (continued from back cover)

(May 8 Program continued from back cover)

and gained an interest in bio-geochemistry during his
undergraduate career. Between his undergraduate
and graduate studies, Jeff was an educator and Peace
Corps volunteer.

Gilbert N. Hanson: "The Natural Surface of
Long Island is Covered by Pebbly Loess." The

uppermost layer of much of Long Island’s natural
surface appears to consist of a dun-colored,
unlayered, heterogeneous mixture of clay, silt, sand,
and pebbles. This deposit is not directly related to
glacial activity. The glaciers left Long Island some
20,000 years ago. At two sites, one on Stony Brook
campus, dating indicates that the time of deposition
was about 13,000 years ago. The hypothesis is
that variations in the silt-to-sand ratio in this surficial
layer are determining the type of soil and whether
deciduous forest, pine barrens, or dwarf pine plains
are found. The most important factor may be how
small changes in the ratio of silt-plus-clay to sand
affect the infiltration rate of precipitation through soil.

Pre-Meeting Field trip to see Pebbly Loess. Meet
at 6:30 PM at our regular meeting room. This field
trip on the Stony Brook University Campus will be
within a quarter of a mile of the Earth and Space
Science Building where we will see the pebbly loess
in an exposed section in a small stream valley and in
forest soil. Walking total of about one-half mile along
mostly paved areas.

Location: Earth and Space Science Building
Gil Hanson Room (Room 123)
Stony Brook University, Stony Brook

June 12,2018 Tuesday, 5:30 PM

(please note early start time for the barbecue)

Annual Barbecue: The annual barbecue, featuring
Chef Eric's made-to-order hot dogs and hamburgers.
Salads, deviled eggs, desserts, etc. gladly accepted.
The traditional location—on the green behind the
Muttontown Preserve meeting house.

Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown

Preserve, East Norwich

Long Island Botanical Society
PO Box 507
Aquebogue, NY 11931

Page 14

Long Island Botanical Society Vol. 28 No. 2

Upcoming Programs

Aprill 0, 2018* Tuesday, 7:30 PM

Lisa Synoradzki: "Welwyn Preserve’s Forest:
To Restore or Do Nothing.” Years ago, "ancient,"
"magnificent," and “spectacular” were used to describe
the 40-acre woodland in Welwyn Preserve, known for
its grove of enormous oak and tulip trees. Today, sadly,
invasive species, such as creeping euonymus and
Japanese knotweed, are spreading unchecked from
adjacent yards, threatening to give the forest habitat a
new descriptor, "degraded," if nothing is done. Lisa will
talk about her study of Welwyn’s plants in the context
of the ecological restoration debate. Lisa is Senior
Development Officer at The New York Botanical Garden
(NYBG). She has a Certificate in Botany from NYBG
and is a certified NYBG Urban Naturalist.

Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center
Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

May 8, 2018* Tuesday, 7:30 PM

Jeffrey E. Hudson and Gilbert N. Hanson: "Why are
Plants Thriving in Spite of Acid Rain and Acid Soil?"

Due to acid rain, natural Long Island soils are depleted in
the nutrient calcium (Ca) and enriched in toxic aluminum
(Al). In a limited study, the speakers found that Ca is
restricted to the uppermost layer of the soil where there
is less soluble Al. Could it be that plant roots are getting
most of their nutrient Ca in that uppermost layer of soil
where the Ca is derived from decaying plant litter and
atmospheric dust? Gil Hanson is a Professor of Geology
at Stony Brook University who spent most of his career
in isotope and trace element geochemistry of rocks. In
the last 20 years he has become more interested in the
geology and ecology of Long Island. Jeff Hudson is a
current Stony Brook Masters student in the Geo-science
Department. He studied biology and science education
(Programs continued inside on page 13)

* Refreshments and informal talk begin at 7:30 p.m. Formal meeting starts at 8:00 p.m.
Directions to Muttontown or Stony Brook: 516-354-6506