Effects of wood ash on bryophytes and lichens in a Swedish pine forest

The short-term effects of different wood ash products and lime on four comm on forest bryophytes and two reindeer lichens were investigated in a held e xperiment. Visible damage to and cover of the species were observed over a period of three years after treatment. Three of the four bryophytes showed visible damage during the first year after application of loose wood ash an d crushed hardened wood ash, even at low doses. Two bryophytes decreased in cover for three years when treated with crushed ash at 4 to 8 t ha(-1). Gr anulated wood ash and lime had no visible effect. The two reindeer lichens showed no visible negative response to any treatment. In a greenhouse exper iment, the effect of different doses of crushed ash on the photosynthetic c apacity of one of the bryophytes (Dicranum polysetum) was investigated. The re was a highly significant negative relationship between the visually esti mated degree of damage and the photosynthetic capacity.