Climatic and air pollution gradient studies on coniferous trees health status, needles wettability and chemical characteristics

Air pollution level, concentration of mineral elements in Scots pine and Norway spruce needles and their wettability from six plots are discussed. Sulphur and nitrogen loads depend mainly on rainfall level and tree species. The contact angle values for both species ranged from 86° to 70° and were influenced more by age of needles than plot localisation. The poorest forest health and the highest sulphur concentration in needles were found for the pine from Katowice (0.18%). The most polluted site. Shift from overall nutritiional pattern was observed for spruce stands growing at the highest elevation and in deep peat.