engleski

ASSESSMENT OF IONS CONCENTRATION IN ALEPPO AND BLACK PINE FORESTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN PART OF CROATIA

Atmospheric deposition is considered one of the controlling factors that determine the circulation of matter in forest ecosystems. Also, is a very important transport process for gases and particles from the atmosphere to terrestrial and aquatic surfaces. The chemistry of atmospheric deposition and its transformation in contact with vegetation are of great importance for understanding its effects on forests. In order to better understand the chemical transformation of rainfall after it has passed through the canopy, throughfall and open-field bulk precipitation were measured, during 2020. The study was conducted in different Mediterranean forest ecosystems along the eastern Adriatic coast on the most dominant conifer species: black pine (Pinus nigra) and Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis). Sampling, measurements and concentration analyses were carried out according to the ICP methodology. Ion chromatography was used to determine the concentrations of ions, i.e. chloride, nitrate, sulphate, ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The results showed that total precipitation was lower in throughfall than in open-field bulk during the studied period. The ions concentration of open-field bulk precipitation and throughfall in the Aleppo pine forest were many times higher than the concentrations observed in the black pine forest. After passing the canopy, the pH of the throughfall in both forests were decreased. The difference between two samples indicates leaching of dry deposited particles and exchange with leaf surfaces. Our results will fill the knowledge gap in understanding how Mediterranean pine forests modify the chemical properties of precipitation.

open-field bulk ; pinus nigra ; pinus halepensis ; precipitation ; throughfall

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