Which mechanism alters stream flow acidity after acid rain due to surface runoff?

💡 Explanation

When acid rain occurs, cation exchange in soil buffers the initial acidity; however, prolonged exposure saturates exchange sites, reducing buffering capacity via runoff, leading to decreased stream pH. Therefore cation exchange dominates, rather than weathering, photosynthesis, or thermal stratification effects at typical acid runoff timescales.

• Which sediment sorting mechanism creates lateral moraine ridges along proglacial lake shorelines?
• Which mechanism causes surface water to sink in the North Atlantic region forming North Atlantic Deep Water?
• Which seismic outcome characterizes regions near strike-slip faults experiencing tectonic creep?
• Which risk increases greatly when heavy rainfall saturates volcanic ash depositions?
• Which feedback mechanism accelerates cirque formation in alpine glacial environments?
• Following extensive volcanic eruption, which process initiates pedogenesis?