Dry deposition of sulphur and nitrogen to urban and suburban coniferous stands

Abstract

The investigations of atmospheric deposition of sulphur and nitrogen (nitrates and ammonium) by the means of throughfall estimates were carried out in 2001-2004 in urban and suburban Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands. The main aim of this study was to investigate dry deposition of sulphur and nitrogen at differently exposed to local pollution source coniferous stands. Bulk deposition of sulphates and nitrates were significantly higher in suburban sites, the difference for sulphates consisted of 30 %, for nitrates – for 37 %. Results show that dry deposition is the main reason leading to enrichment of throughfall in ions of anthropogenic provenance (SO42-, NO3- and NH4+). The results suggest that the forests situated in the suburbs in the direction of the prevailing winds receive higher amounts of dry sulphur and nitrogen deposition than the forests growing in city territories.