Abstract
This study analyzed the effect of atmospheric deposition on canopy leaching processes in stands predominantly composed of Scots pines. The research was conducted in two stands: the first located in the southwestern part of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains in the area known as Białe Zagłębie (Malik), and the second in the northwestern part of Poland in Western Pomerania (Czarne). The study was conducted in the hydrological years 2010–2013. The goal of the study was to assess the chemical transformation of precipitation as a result of various human activities. In Malik, the main factor that determined the physicochemical and chemical properties of throughfall was the cement/lime dust emitted by nearby industrial plants, which not only affected the quantity of deposit but also contributed to the alkalization process of throughfall. By contrast, the main source of pollution in Czarne, where local emitters are absent, was long-distance transport. We conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) in both stands that produced components representing local pollution (Malik) and long-distance transport (Czarne). For the stand in Czarne, sea aerosols were an important source of Na+ and Cl− ions in precipitation. In both stands, the highest enrichment ratio (ER) values were recorded for K+ ions. The contribution of leaching processes to the bulk deposition of K+ ions in Malik was 85.8%, whereas in Czarne, it was 73.8%. Regardless of the degree of anthropopressure, the intensity of quantitative and qualitative transformation in pine stands was comparable.
Highlights
Atmospheric deposition is considered one of the controlling factors that determine the circulation of matter in forest ecosystems
Atmospheric pollutants affect the chemical composition of rain both directly, through their chemical properties, and indirectly, by leaching compounds deposited on the surface of needles or leaves
The first, Malik, is located in the southwestern part of the Świetokrzyskie Mountains in the area known as Białe Zagłebie, while the other, Czarne, is located in Western Pomerania (Figure 1)
Summary
Atmospheric deposition is considered one of the controlling factors that determine the circulation of matter in forest ecosystems. As a result of contact with the surface of plants, rainwater undergoes a transformation that depends on species composition (conifers, deciduous trees) and on the degree of atmospheric air pollution. In the temperate climatic zone, vegetation strongly affects the biogeochemical cycles of elements. These cycles are associated with water circulation and the chemical composition of water and dust that reaches tree stands, among other processes. As a result of alkaline pollutants emitted over the last 50 years, significant changes in rainwater occurred in Malik [1], altering the floristic composition of forest communities as well as other
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