EDUCATION (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Nutrient leaching occurs when acid rain adds hydrogen ions to the soil which interact chemically with existing minerals. This displaces Ca, Mg and K from soil particles and deprives trees of nutrition.

Detailed explanation-2: -In agriculture, leaching is the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to rain and irrigation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Acid rain is thought to be acidifying soils and freshwaters, dissolving and releasing aluminum in concentrations toxic to fish and plants. Acid rain is also thought to be leaching nutrients from soils, thereby lowering their fertility.

Detailed explanation-4: -The negatively charged sulfate and nitrate ions in the acid rain can act as “counter-ions”, which allow cations to be leached from the soil. Through a series of chemical reactions, cations such as K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ are leached out and become unavailable to plants as nutrients [9], [10].

Detailed explanation-5: -Leaching happens when excess water, through rainfall or irrigation, takes water-soluble nutrients out of the soil. When water carries these nutrients away, they need to go somewhere.