Annual Report 2005 - Forest ecosystems and social significance of forests

Only slight indication of acidification in upland forest soils was detectable in samples taken during the past few decades. Hence, sulphur and nitrogen depositions due to emissions from industry and traffic do not seem to have a noticeable effect on soil properties.

The aim of the research was to establish, if upland soil properties have changed during a follow-up period of 12 - 28 years.

The concentrations of soil organic matter in the organic and mineral layers was found to have increased, which caused changes in most of the examined soil variables. Acidification of forest soil was manifested as, for example, a slight drop of pH and as an increase in aluminium concentrations in the mineral soil layer. On the other hand, the pH values measured from silt soil in the samples did not indicate a change trend that would suggest soil acidification.

The changes in soil properties, except for sulphur concentrations, could not be explained to be due to sulphur or nitrogen emissions. The reduced sulphur concentrations in the organic layer are likely to be connected with the reduction in sulphur emissions since the 1980s. Unchanged or decreased soil nitrogen concentrations suggest that there is no threat of excessive nitrogen deposition in forests of southern Finland in the foreseeable future.

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Updated:	18.09.2006 / SKon	Metla : Annual Report : Annual Report 2005

Only slight indication of forest acidification