Scots pine needle injuries at subarctic industrial sites

• Published in: Trees (Berlin, West) West), 1997-06, Vol.11 (6), p.378-387
• Main Authors: KUKKOLA, E, HUTTUNEN, S, BÄCK, J, RAUTIO, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid deposition; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; Epidermis; Frost; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metals; Injuries; Nickel; Non agrochemicals pollutants; Ozone; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Pine needles; Pine trees; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; Smelters; Soil nutrients; Stomata
• ISSN: 0931-1890; 1432-2285
• DOI: 10.1007/s004680050099

Injuries to needles of Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in nutrient-poor soils on the Kola Peninsula collected in April 1991 were studied on a gradient of increasing distances (10-115 km) from the Monchegorsk nickel smelter, Russia, which emits SO^sub 2^, Ni and Cu. The condition of the mesophyll cells was quantified from needles of the two latest age classes using a light and an electron microscope. The damage to the ultrastructure consisted of multistress symptoms caused by excess sulphur, heavy metals, frost, acidic precipitation and ozone. Injuries were most commonly manifested in the form of dark, irregularly shaped chloroplasts with protrusions and light thylakoids and plastoglobuli. These symptoms gradually disappeared with increasing distance and decreasing deposition rate. Concentrations of sulphur, copper and nickel decreased towards more distant sites where normal levels of the latter two elements were reached. Sulphur concentrations remained above background throughout the distance gradient. In the closest plots to the smelter area, cell collapse under the stomata and epidermis related to acute SO^sub 2^ and heavy metal effects was found, whereas further away symptoms were more diverse, pointing towards the effects of ozone, acidic deposition and thereby decreased frost tolerance. The additive multistress symptoms were clearly seen in the area up to 40 km from the smelter where needle Cu concentration was above 110 ppm, Ni concentration above 39 ppm and S concentration above 1343 ppm.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]