Indication of Long-Range Transport of Heavy Metals Based on the Austrian Forest Soil Monitoring System

1998

S. 81-87

1 Abb., 3 Tab., 35 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200101971

The Austrian Forest Soil Monitoring System comprises 511 sample plots distributed over Austria and offers opportunities for all-Austrian investigations with respect to pollutant inputs through determination of heavy metal concentrations. They are differentiated between carbonate-influenced and carbonate-free soils. For most of the heavy metals there are either no or only weak indications of pollution by long range transport. Only Pb and Cd show remarkable enrichments in the organic top layer and upper layers of the mineral soil as compared to the subsoil. Moreover, Pb and Cd concentrations increase clearly with the altitude of sample plots. Depending on the location of the site and on stands, heavy metal inputs are estimated at 10-100 kg ha-Ü Pb and 0.1-1 kg ha-Ü Cd till now. These inputs can be related to long range transport and allow the conclusion that mountain regions, notably the Alps, are a sink of European air pollutants.