What Are Some Causes of Pollution in the Coniferous Forest?

Coniferous forests are jeopardized by human activities in the form of air, water and soil pollution. Caustic materials released from automobiles, homes and industrial facilities are readily detectable in the needles of conifers. The accumulation of these pollutants diminishes the variety and quantity of vegetative growth in adjacent coniferous forests

Organochlorine

• Organochlorine is a byproduct of pesticides. It creates an important source of environmental pollution and a significant health concern. According to a study appearing in the November 2010 issue of "The Science of the Total Environment," organochlorines persist in soil, water and sediments for extended periods, and can be detected in pine needles in coniferous forests. The study proposed a model for the recycling of organochlorine and showed that this noxious compound reacts in the environment to form trichloroacetic acid, which is absorbed by vegetation.

Ozone and Nitrogen

• The forests of the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California are subject to the ramifications of human development in the form of ozone and nitrogen. An article appearing in the November 2010 issue of "The Science of the Total Environment" investigated the amount of air pollution in six sites of the forests from 1973 through 2003. The study found that air pollution has been increasing in these areas for the past 30 years due to urbanization; as a consequence, 20 to 40 percent of native plant species no longer grow in these forests.

Car Exhaust

• Automobile traffic has been identified as a major source of air pollution that affects coniferous forests in southern Germany. A study published in the January 2006 issue of "Environmental Pollution" estimated the effects of automobile emissions on the composition of vegetation in the Munich area. The researchers evaluated three areas along the autobahn and found that vegetation was diminished up to 250 yards from the roadway. The study concluded that nitrogen deposits from exhaust were the most likely cause of the diminished vegetation.

Heavy Metals

• Heavy metal pollution has devastating effects on conifers due to compromised microorganisms in the soil, which degrade pine needles. A study in the June 2001 issue of "Environmental Pollution" examined heavy metal contamination along a 10-mile route from a smelting plant in Finland. The researchers found that copper and nickel deposits were correlated to diminished soil quality, and could offer an explanation for the reluctance of microorganisms to degrade litter on the forest floor from pine trees.