Peranan Stemflow dan Throughfall Vegetasi Hutan Kota dalam Menurunkan Kandungan Unsur Kimia Hujan Asam:

The Role of Stemflow and Throughfall of Urban Forest Vegetation in Reducing the Chemical Elements of Acid Rain

Abstract

Impact of acid rain on people's lives were studied but study of the vegetation role in reducing chemical elements of rainwater that reach the soil surface were limited. The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of urban forest vegetation around the Medan Industrial Zone to reducing acid rain that reached the soil surface through the mechanism of stemflow and throughfall. This research was conducted by analyzing the chemical content of stemflow and througfall water from Pterocarpus indica Will., Mangifera indica, and Gnetum gnemon plants. Parameters analyzed were water acidity (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), SO42-, NO3-, NH4 +, Ca 2+, Mg 2+ and Na +. Water analysis carried out in the Laboratory of the Environmental Agency of North Sumatra Province. The results indicate that the water that has been through the process of stemflow and throughfall consistently raises the pH, electrical conductivity, NH4 +, Ca 2+, Mg 2+ and Na + and reduce the content of anion SO42- and NO3 compared with water from open area. Stemflow and throughfall were able to reduce the content of acidic ions and increasing the content of alkali ions and reduced rain water acidity.