Forest decline from air pollution
Scientists in West Germany and the USA are involved in intensive efforts to ascertain the cause or causes of the declines in their forests. Ongoing research was discussed at an October 1983 symposium on air pollution and forest productivity, held in Washington, D.C., and sponsored by the Izaak Walton League of America and Pennsylvania State University. The dieback of spruce in the Northeast is relatively well-known. It was revealed at the symposium, however, that forests in other areas of the U.S. may be showing signs of stress and damage and that species other than spruce are affected. Samuel B. McLaughlin of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) pointed out that red spruce, shortleaf pine, hickory, yellow birch, pitch pine, hemlock, and Fraser fir are declining in East Tennessee. He noted that these decline together with those in New England suggest that decreased productivity in several tree species has been occurring over a broad scale during the past two decades. One commonly held view is that acid deposition is causing the decline of forests in both Europe and the U.S. At the symposium, a number of different opinions about possible causes were expressed, ranging from drought to ozone to combinations of pollutants, including acid deposition, ozone and trace metals. Possible causes that were not subjects of active inquiry were disease and insects. Most researchers in the field believe there is little evidence that one of these is the primary damaging agent.
- OSTI ID:
- 6808890
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 18:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Forest declines: Some perspectives on linking processes and patterns
Acidic deposition: State of science and technology. Report 16. Changes in forest health and productivity in the United States and Canada. Final report
Related Subjects
AIR POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FORESTS
PRODUCTIVITY
ACID RAIN
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
METALS
OZONE
TRACE AMOUNTS
USA
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
ELEMENTS
EUROPE
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
RAIN
WESTERN EUROPE
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)