Holzbiologische Untersuchungen an fluorgeschädigten Kiefern

Ten Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees were sampled from an air pollution area in upper Austria near an aluminium refining plant. In comparison with the lowly affected pines the highly affected one showed extraordinary high fluoride level in the needle-pairs, a decrease in sapwood area ratio, reduced sapwood and phloem/bark water content. Wood-anatomical fedatures have changed under high fluoride level. Wall thickness of the latewood tracheids decrease as well as tracheid length. A reduction of earlywood tracheid cross-area was also observed. Finally the number of resin ducts has significantly increased.