Pollution control enhanced spruce growth in the “Black Triangle” near the Czech–Polish border

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 538; pp. 703 - 711
• Main Authors: Kolář, Tomáš, Čermák, Petr, Oulehle, Filip, Trnka, Miroslav, Štěpánek, Petr, Cudlín, Pavel, Hruška, Jakub, Büntgen, Ulf, Rybníček, Michal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.12.2015
• Subjects: Acid Rain; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Air Pollution - analysis; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Central Europe; Czechoslovakia; Dendroecology; Environmental Monitoring; Forest growth; Nitrogen - analysis; Norway spruce; Picea - growth & development; Picea abies; Poland; Sulfur - analysis; Poland; Czechoslovakia; ANE, Europe; Air pollution; Dendroecology; Norway spruce; Central Europe; Forest growth
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.105

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stands in certain areas of Central Europe have experienced substantial dieback since the 1970s. Understanding the reasons for this decline and reexamining the response of forests to acid deposition reduction remains challenging because of a lack of long and well-replicated tree-ring width chronologies. Here, spruce from a subalpine area heavily affected by acid deposition (from both sulfur and nitrogen compounds) is evaluated. Tree-ring width measurements from 98 trees between 1000 and 1350m above sea level (a.s.l.) reflected significant May–July temperature signals. Since the 1970s, acid deposition has reduced the growth–climate relationship. Efficient pollution control together with a warmer but not drier climate most likely caused the increased growth of spruce stands in this region, the so-called “Black Triangle,” in the 1990s. [Display omitted] •Long-term growth changes of Norway spruce are evaluated for the “Black Triangle.”•The ring width variations of Norway spruce reflect May–July temperatures.•Acid deposition reduced the growth–temperature relationships of Norway spruce.•This study suggests a complex interplay of multiple factors on forest decline.•Our results prove a recovery of forest growth in the 1990s.