The magnitude of these impacts is very dependant upon the type of bedrock and soil in a specific region. This is because the carbonate material acts to neutralize the acidity of the precipitation. The amount of damage to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems is therefore dependant upon both the amount of acid deposition, and the type of soil and bedrock. Soils, surface waters such as lakes and rivers, and forests can all be damaged by acid rain. In Canada, thousands of lakes are found in regions such as the Canadian Shield which are highly sensitive to changes in the pH of precipitation.
Acidification can hinder the ability of aquatic organisms to reproduce.
This is especially true for fish and amphibians that spawn in streams or shallow bays in the early spring. Many species of frogs and salamanders, for example, can't reproduce when the acidity of their breeding habitat goes below a pH of 5. In addition to reproductive failures, acidification can reduce the amount of calcium available to vertebrates such as fish, as well as increasing the concentration of toxic heavy metals in surface waters. Both of the above can result in deformed bone structures, and poor growth in fish. The decline of any one member of a food chain impacts on many other species.