Abstract
The effects of simulated acid rain (nitric and sulphuric acid alone and combined) on the quantity of phyllosphere fungi on birch ( Betula pubescens subsp. tortuosa and pine ( Pinus sylvestris ) foliage were investigated. The study was done in a mixed mountain birch and Scots pine woodland in Finnish Lapland, where background pollution values are low. There were eight treatments: dry control, irrigated control, two levels of sulphuric acid treatments, two levels of nitric acid treatments and combinations of both. Culturing of the fungi inhabiting pine needle surfaces was performed twice and that of birch leaves once. The predominant fungal group on pine needles and birch leaves was the taxonomically difficult complex of two genera Aureobasidium and Hormonema (86% of all fungi isolated). Therefore the results concern primarily the effects of irrigation treatments on quantity of this fungus complex. Acid treatments had significant effect on colony forming units (cfu) of phyllosphere fungi of pine needles on both sampling times. On birch leaves cfu were decreased on sulphuric and on combination of sulphuric and nitric acid treatments compared to irrigated control, but the differences among treatments were not significant. Cfu of phyllosphere fungi were reduced when the pH of simulated acid rain was below 3·5 on both tree species.
Published Version
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