German forest dieback : waldsterben 2
by Lewis, 6 December, 2019, 0 comments
In recent times, new or different threats have emerged to upset the balance of woodland and forest ecosystems. In the 1960’s and early 70’s concern focussed on the effects of air pollution, particularly the effects of acid rain. This type of pollution was characterised by the deposition / assimilation of sulphur dioxide and its derivatives (sulphuric & sulphurous acid), plus various nitrogen oxides. This air pollution was largely due to industry and traffic.
Some of the most striking effects of ‘acid rain’ pollution were seen in the coniferous forests of Germany - where it was termed : Waldsterben [Wald=forest plus sterben=to die]. Read more...
