Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2024 number 1

The purpose of this work was to analyze the state of Scotch pine forests polluted by technogenic emissions from the Irkutsk aluminum smelter (IrkAZ) from the moment it was launched to the present (more than 50 years). The level of the forest pollution was assessed based on the content of inorganic elements in the pine needles. The trees vital state was estimated using the life status index (LSI). A direct dependence of the vital state of pine stands on the dynamics of emissions from the IrkAZ was revealed. Thus, the rapid development of visual signs of needle damage (necrosis and chlorosis), an increase in the level of tree crowns defoliation up to 70 %, the appearance of drying trees in local areas near IrkAZ were observed in the late 1970s and early 1980s (period of maximum emissions, 90-100 thousand tons/year). The fluorine content in the needles reached 210 mg/kg of dry weight. LSI of trees did not exceed 2-3 points, which indicated a strong deterioration in the parameters of pine stands. The area of heavily oppressed tree-stands reached 20 thousand hectares. The level of technogenic emissions from IrkAZ decreased at the end of the 1990s, and the state of pine stands began to improve, LSI of trees increased to 4,9 points. In the last 5 years, the amount of emissions from IrkAZ has remained unchanged (about 35 thousand tons/year), the level of fluorine in the tree needles near the plant is quite stable (70-80 mg/kg of dry weight). LSI of trees has increased to 5,3 points, there are no drying tree-stands. The area of heavily weakened forests does not exceed 2 thousand hectares. Despite the positive dynamics in the change in the state of pine stands, further monitoring of their state is required to predict changes in sustainability of forests in the polluted areas of the region.