HISTORY OF FOREST DAMAGE IN MONCHEGORSK, KOLA - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS BASED ON TREE-RINGS

Emissions from a nonferrous smelter have damaged forest ecosystems in the vicinity of the city of Monchegorsk located in northwestern Russia . We analyzed the timing and rate of growth reductions of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) as well as the timing of the eventual cessation o f radial growth using the methods of tree-ring analysis. The study mat erial consisted of 304 dead and living Scots pines, sampled between 2 and 130 km south and southwest of the smelter. Near the smelter, growt h declined abruptly and ceased within 12 years after the smelter start ed operation in 1939. The area where the studied mature Scots pines no longer form annual rings has expanded at a rate of approximately 0.5 km per year since 1951.