Changes in phytomass and nutrient partitioning in young conifers in extreme alkaline growth conditions

The impact of long-term dust pollution emitted from a cement works on the growth, nutrients content and allocation in conifers was investigated. It was found that alkaline cement dust (pH 12.3–12.6) and the resulting alkalization of the environment inhibit the height growth of trees, reduce the length of needles and shoots and the biomass of all organs. Based on the difference of morphological parameters from the control the following order of tolerance of conifers to dust was established: Pseudotsuga menziesii> Picea abies>Pinus sylvestris>Picea glauca>Picea mariana. An important reason for the reduced biomass of conifers is a disbalanced content of nutrients in tissues and changes in their partitioning. In the influence zone of the cement works at a distance up to 0.5 km, shortage of N, Mn and P develops, especially in roots, stem and shoots. Regression analysis revealed a dependence of the biomass of organs on N and K content in trees, and in the case of those growing in a polluted area, also on the content of Ca, Mg and P.