Use of Wood Ash in the Forest and its Effect on the Concentration of Essential and Heavy Metallic Elements in Soil and Blueberries <i>(Vaccinium myrtillus L.)</i>

Abstract

The aim of this research is to evaluate the influence of wood ash as an additive fertilizer to forest soil and growing blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) in terms of metallic element content. To evaluate the effect of wood ash on the forest ecosystem, was selected two forest areas which was fertilized with a certain amount of wood ash (bottom ash and fly ash). The selected forest areas were divided into two types of sampling plots (fertilized with ash and control). Obtained results showed that in the bottom ash dispersion area the concentration of Ca, K, Ni, Cu is almost twice higher in the fertilized plots than control plots. In the blueberries, metallic element content is similar and does not depend on the type of sampling plot.