Deposition gradients and foliar and soil leachate concentrations of air pollutants in Scots pine stands of S.-E. Finland and the Karelian Isthmus,N.-W. Russia

Bulk precipitation and throughfall analyses in 50–100-year-old Scots pine stands revealed decreasing sulphur, nitrogen, calcium and magnesium deposition gradients, which extend from the St. Petersburg-Leningrad region and N.-E. Estonia to S.-E. Finland. The Ca and Mg deposition alleviate the acidifying effect of sulphur and nitrogen. The Scots pine canopies acted as a sink for ammonium and nitrate, while the canopy interactions increased sulphur, calcium and magnesium content in throughfall. Foliar S, N and Ca concentrations correlated positively with the corresponding deposition loads. In contrast, low foliar magnesium concentrations were detected in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. The results indicate that the sulphur and calcium deposition may have increased soil leachate S and Ca concentrations in the most polluted Scots pine stands.