The condition of tree stands in middle taiga Piceetum myrtillosum on automorphic soils in the plots affecting by aerotechnogenic pollution from the timber industry complex (the Komi Republic)

Long-term aerotechnogenic pollution from the Syktyvkar timber industry complex has paradoxically increased the radial growth of spruce trees within 11 km of its pulp-and-paper plant, despite initial signs of forest stand weakening. This counterintuitive finding was derived from tree-ring analysis of old-growth blueberry spruce forests at distances ranging from 4 to 50 km from the emission source. The study reveals that radial growth surged when the enterprise reached full capacity in the late 1980s, followed by a decline coinciding with Russia's economic downturn in the 1990s and subsequent emissions reductions during modernization (2008–2018). Beyond 11 km, spruce growth remained stable since the plant's inception in 1969. Visual crown assessments confirmed 'healthy' stands with subtle weakening near emission sources.

Manov, A. V., Robakidze, E. A.,. (2025). The condition of tree stands in middle taiga Piceetum myrtillosum on automorphic soils in the plots affecting by aerotechnogenic pollution from the timber industry complex (the Komi Republic). Theoretical and Applied Ecology, (1), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.25750/1995-4301-2024-4-073-083