Survival rate of tree and shrub seedlings under extreme environmental nitrogen pollution

Abstract

In 1966 and 1967 a N fertilizer plant started to operate in a large complex of pine plantations. In the dominant Vaccinio-myrtilli Pinetum Forest, plants were dying at a high rate. By 1983, acute desertification had occurred within 1.7 km of the emitter. In 1972, in the immediate surrounding of the emitter, there was a 22- to 35-fold increase in the content of mineral N in the organic horizon, and an 11-fold increase in the mineral horizons of podzolic brown earth soils. From 1972 to 1982, a stationary study was performed on the dynamics of soil properties to a depth of 4 m at 3 points distributed in the direction of prevailing winds over the distance of 2.5 km from the emitter. At the same time, from 1972 to 1983, a field study' was carried out on the reaction and relative resistance of seedlings of 19 tree and 13 shrub species to the continued high N pollution. In the second year after planting, a significant difference in survival rate of tree and shrub species was observed. Survival tendency can be arranged in 4 groups:(1) not surviving, (2) surviving a short period, about 5 to 8 yr, (3) surviving a longer period, about 12 yr, and (4) long survival - more than 12 yr. Peat added to the soil increased survival by 10 to 20%.