Response of Scots pine stand vitality to changes in environmental factors in Poland, 1991-1995

Abstract

Vitality inventories of Scots pine stands, the most common species in Poland, have been done since 1991 by using the ICP-Forest methodology. In Scots pine stands older than 40 years, 1,040 observation plots were established. Defoliation was used as the primary indicator of stand vitality. During 1991 to 1995, SO₂ and NO_x were measured at 1,417 forest locations using passive samplers. The interrelation between changes of precipitation amounts during the growing season and vitality of Scots zones with different air pollution levels was studied. The analysis was done in three zones of Poland: north Poland is considered a relatively clean area; the central part of Poland is characterized as having an average level of pollution; and south Poland has the highest pollution. In each of these zones, decreasing concentrations of SO₂ and NO_x were observed during the past 5 years. Changes of vitality in Scots pine stands caused by the amount of precipitation and air pollution level in the growing season were studied for each of the three zones.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the International Symposium on Air Pollution and Climate Change Effects on Forest Ecosystems

Citation

Wawrzoniak, Jerzy. 1998. Response of Scots pine stand vitality to changes in environmental factors in Poland, 1991-1995. In: Bytnerowicz, Andrzej; Arbaugh, Michael J.; Schilling, Susan L., tech. coords. Proceedings of the international symposium on air pollution and climate change effects on forest ecosystems. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-166. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 255-258