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Forest biomonitoring of the largest Slovene thermal power plant with respect to reduction of air pollution

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Abstract

The condition of the forest ecosystem in the vicinity of the largest Slovene power plant [the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant (ŠTPP)] was monitored during the period 1991–2008 by determining the total concentration of sulphur, ascorbic acid and chlorophyll in Norway spruce needles. After 1995, the introduction of cleaning devices at the ŠTPP dramatically reduced the former extremely high SO2 and dust emissions. The most significant findings of this comprehensive, long-duration survey are as follows: (1) the chosen parameters are suitable bioindicators of stress caused by air pollution in Norway spruce needles; they reflect both spatial and temporal variations in air pollution as well as the degree of efficiency of the cleaning devices; (2) observations show that the physiological condition of Norway spruce in northern Slovenia has significantly improved since 1995, when the first desulphurization device at ŠTPP was built, together with a reduction in the area influenced by pollution from ŠTPP; (3) metabolic processes in spruce needles react to air pollution according to the severity of the pollution and the length of exposure; exposure to high SO2 ambient levels and/or spread over a long duration can damage the antioxidant defence mechanisms of spruce trees as well as diminishing the concentration of ascorbic acid; (4) a reduction in the exposure to air pollution improves the vitality of the trees (e.g. higher concentrations of total (a + b) chlorophyll), as well as restoring their defence capabilities as shown by higher concentrations of ascorbic acid; and (5) forest monitoring should be continued and focused on integrating the effects of multiple stressors, which can additionally affect a forest ecosystem.

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Acknowledgments

The study was financed by the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant. We are grateful to the staff in the laboratory at ERICo, Velenje who put a lot of effort into sampling, preparing and analysing the samples.

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  1. ERICo Velenje, Environmental Research & Industrial Cooperation, Koroška 58, 3320, Velenje, Slovenia

    Samar Al Sayegh Petkovšek

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Al Sayegh Petkovšek, S. Forest biomonitoring of the largest Slovene thermal power plant with respect to reduction of air pollution. Environ Monit Assess 185, 1809–1823 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2669-y

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