Epsilon Open Archive

Abstract

The influence of SO2 on pine ( Pinus silvestris) and spruce (Picea abies) has been studied as well in laboratory experiments with different doses of the gas and under different environmental conditions as in field experiments in some industrial districts and in a built-up area near Stockholm. The purpose of the investigation was to try to find out whether it is possible to improve the conditions of the trees by fertilizing so that the susceptibility to gas damages can be reduced. The fertilizers were N and NPK respectively. An evident tendency to recovery of the trees could be seen after fertilizing of stands that were continuously exposed to SO2. Any recovery of the trees in shallow soils which had been fertilized with nitrogen could not be observed. In heavily SO2-damaged stands one can very often find single trees not having been affected at all. Further experiments on genetic resistance in pine populations exposed to SO2 are going on.