The response of forest ecosystems to increased atmospheric CO₂is constrained by nutrient availability. It is thus crucial to account for nutrient limitation when studying the forest response to ...climate change. The objectives of this study were to describe the nutritional status of the main European tree species, to identify growth‐limiting nutrients and to assess changes in tree nutrition during the past two decades. We analysed the foliar nutrition data collected during 1992–2009 on the intensive forest monitoring plots of the ICP Forests programme. Of the 22 significant temporal trends that were observed in foliar nutrient concentrations, 20 were decreasing and two were increasing. Some of these trends were alarming, among which the foliar P concentration in F. sylvatica, Q. Petraea and P. sylvestris that significantly deteriorated during 1992–2009. In Q. Petraea and P. sylvestris, the decrease in foliar P concentration was more pronounced on plots with low foliar P status, meaning that trees with latent P deficiency could become deficient in the near future. Increased tree productivity, possibly resulting from high N deposition and from the global increase in atmospheric CO₂, has led to higher nutrient demand by trees. As the soil nutrient supply was not always sufficient to meet the demands of faster growing trees, this could partly explain the deterioration of tree mineral nutrition. The results suggest that when evaluating forest carbon storage capacity and when planning to reduce CO₂emissions by increasing use of wood biomass for bioenergy, it is crucial that nutrient limitations for forest growth are considered.
Mercury in wood is an important pool of this heavy metal in forest ecosystems because of its relatively high proportion in the biomass compared to other pools. This paper describes the successful ...application of a modified methodology for stem disk sampling based on wood particles from stem disks from Donawitz (Styria, Austria; pig iron production), from Brixlegg (Tyrol; former copper and silver mining, copper ore processing and copper recycling), and from Gmunden (Upper Austria; cement production). The maximum mercury concentration in the stem disks from Donawitz (Hinterberg: 20.5 ppb, St. Peter: 9.3 ppb) was recorded in the early 1970s. Several maxima were obtained from the stem disks from Brixlegg: the first was in 1813 (149.9 ppb), potentially even earlier, a second (37.6 ppb) in the late nineteenth century until the late 1920s, and a third local maximum in the 1970s (9.1 ppb), followed by a tendency to decline until the present. A stem disk from Gmunden in Upper Austria showed values of mercury concentrations indicating no increases compared to literature about background sites (≤ 3.2 ppb). This method revealed trends in mercury concentrations in tree rings originating from several different mercury emission sources in Austria coinciding with information about industrial history (where available) together with a justifiable effort. We therefore recommend it for further investigations on mercury concentrations in tree rings and their changes over time.
We evaluated the effect of acidic deposition and nitrogen on Austrian forests soils. Until thirty years ago air pollution had led to soil acidification, and concerns on the future productivity of ...forests were raised. Elevated rates of nitrogen deposition were believed to cause nitrate leaching and imbalanced forest nutrition. We used data from a soil monitoring network to evaluate the trends and current status of the pH and the C : N ratio of Austrian forest soils. Deposition measurements and nitrogen contents of Norway spruce needles and mosses were used to assess the nitrogen supply. The pH values of soils have increased because of decreasing proton depositions caused by reduction of emissions. The C : N ratio of Austrian forest soils is widening. Despite high nitrogen deposition rates the increase in forest stand density and productivity has increased the nitrogen demand. The Austrian Bioindicator Grid shows that forest ecosystems are still deficient in nitrogen. Soils retain nitrogen efficiently, and nitrate leaching into the groundwater is presently not a large-scale problem. The decline of soil acidity and the deposition of nitrogen together with climate change effects will further increase the productivity of the forests until a limiting factor such as water scarcity becomes effective.
Despite the importance of vegetation uptake of atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury (Hg(0)) within the global Hg cycle, little knowledge exists on the physiological, climatic, and geographic factors ...controlling stomatal uptake of atmospheric Hg(0) by tree foliage. We investigate controls on foliar stomatal Hg(0) uptake by combining Hg measurements of 3569 foliage samples across Europe with data on tree species' traits and environmental conditions. To account for foliar Hg accumulation over time, we normalized foliar Hg concentration over the foliar life period from the simulated start of the growing season to sample harvest.
With the help of the Austrian Bioindicator Grid, the annual and regional development of the impact of sulphur could be assessed all over the country.
In Austria, the impact of sulphur has been ...assessed since 1985 with the help of the Austrian Bioindicator Grid on 760 sample plots with
Picea abies as the main tree species (90%). The annual sampling allows a precise evaluation of the temporal and regional development of the impact of sulphur on the basis of legal standards. Despite the reduction of SO
2 emissions in Austria, the legal standard is still exceeded on 8% of the plots. These plots are mainly located near large Austrian emittors, but also in areas affected by transboundary sulphur emissions from neighbouring countries. The present paper describes how the Bioindicator Grid can be applied for the control of legal requirements to enact effective clean air measures in Austria and take supportive measures that reduce the impact of sulphur from emittors in neighbouring countries.
37Cs and
90Sr concentrations in spruce needles have been determined in samples gathered from Norway spruce trees at various locations the northern part of Austria. In needles from 1985
137Cs ...concentrations ranged between ⩽5 and 160
Bq/kg. After the Chernobyl accident a maximum of 1466
Bq/kg can be seen in needles of age group (I), harvested in September 1986 and up to 3800
Bq/kg for those of the age group (II), which are one year older, when collected also in September 1986. Right after the Chernobyl contamination of 1986,
90Sr concentrations in spruce needles of the age group (II) reached 25–50
Bq/kg, which was about twice as high as the values before, in 1985. A maximum value of 66
Bq/kg was measured. Radionuclide ratios of
90Sr/
137Cs amounted to approximately 0.10 in less contaminated areas according to a lower
137Cs deposition. In the higher contaminated areas, these ratios remained ⩽0.05 or even ⩽0.02, if corrected for the background levels of
90Sr from 1985. These values corresponded with the ratios of 0.012 and 0.014 determined in air filter samplings from Vienna and Linz, respectively.
Ein šein nai lid fun Ofen Fürst, Alfred
Monatsschrift für Geschichte und Wissenschaft des Judenthums,
03/1937, Volume:
81 (N. F. 45), Issue:
2
Journal Article
PDF
