Ordination of Plant Communities in Forest Biogeocenoses under Conditions of Air Pollution in the Northern Kola Peninsula

The species diversity and structure of the tree, herb–dwarf shrub, and moss–lichen layers in the biogeocenoses (BGCs) of pine forests of the Kola Peninsula were analyzed in the zone affected by the Pechenganikel Combined Works. Relationships of the diversity of phytocenoses with the amount of atmospheric fallout and the concentrations of accessible compounds of polluting elements (nickel and copper) and nutrients (potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen) in forest litters were revealed.     

Assessment of the risk of excess sulfur input into terrestrial ecosystems of the Kola Peninsula

The tolerance of terrestrial ecosystems of the Kola Peninsula to atmospheric deposition of acid-forming sulfur compounds and the risk of their excess input into these ecosystems have been assessed on the basis of the critical load concept. The most sensitive ecosystems (critical sulfur load <400 equiv/ha per year) occupy 58% of the total area of the peninsula. These are mainly pine, spruce, and birch forests (including open and crooked birch forests) growing on podzols formed on sandy boulder-pebble glacial deposits. The zones of ecological risk cover the northwestern and central parts of the peninsula near the Pechenganikel and Severonikel combined works (20% of the total area).     

Heavy metals in soils near the nickel smelter: chemistry,spatial variation,and impacts on plant diversity

Air pollution induced changes were observed both in plant communities and in soil chemistry in forest ecosystems near the nickel-copper smelter in the Kola Peninsula, Russia. All measured forest plant community parameters describing their floristic composition and structure were affected by pollution. Heavy metals were significantly concentrated in organic horizons of forest soils. The concentrations of ammonium acetate-extractable nickel and copper in organic horizons near the smelter were approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the background levels in the region. Based on pH values, air pollution has not resulted in a detectable topsoil acidification near the smelter. However, concentrations of extractable magnesium, potassium and nitrogen in organic horizons tended to be lower towards the smelter. The spatial variability of data obtained results in necessity of the two complementary, macroscopic and microscopic, approaches to ecosystem investigation. The macroscopic approach better revealed the influence of pollution. The ordination of the major species diversity indexes was highly related to soil properties, suggesting that the content of heavy metals and nutrients is the best soil related predictor of species diversity in polluted areas. Besides direct input of pollutants from the atmosphere, soil contamination and nutritional disturbance contribute significantly to the observed vegetation damage in subarctic forest ecosystems.     

Analysis of the Relationship between Soil and Vegetation in Forest Biogeocenoses by the Principal Component Method

Coordinated soil–geobotanical studies revealed a close correlation between the species diversity of phytocenoses and soil properties in the Russkii Sever National Nature Park (Vologda oblast). Soil acidity, together with the concentrations of exchangeable calcium, potassium, and magnesium, is a factor determining variations of species diversity indices for vascular plants and bryophytes in forest biogeocenoses.     

Multivariate statistical analysis of the response of forest litters to atmospheric pollution

The effect of atmospheric discharge from the Pechenganikel' Integrated Plant, the main source of sulfur dioxide in northern Europe, on changes in acidity and cation exchange properties of forest litters formed on podzol soils was estimated in forest ecosystems at the northern limit of their range. As the plant is approached, the contents of exchangeable potassium and acidity proved to decrease, whereas the contents of nickel and copper increased by two orders of magnitude and reached one-quarter of the total cation exchange capacity. The multivariate analysis of spatial interrelations revealed the natural structure of litter properties, including those concerning exchangeable bases, pollutants, and parameters of acidity.