Preserving air pollution forest archives accessible through dendrochemistry

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Chemistry

Background:

• Trees absorb air pollutants, storing them in their annual growth rings.
• Dendrochemistry, a science combining dendrochronology and chemistry, can access this historical pollution data.
• Existing environmental monitoring networks may not capture long-term pollution events effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the existence and suitability of trees as environmental monitoring archives.
• To assess the potential of integrating forest archives into existing pollution monitoring networks.
• To propose planning actions for utilizing forest archives in environmental management.

Main Methods:

• Case study in the Veneto region, Italy, focusing on trees near 28 industrial plants.
• Spatial analysis within a 1-km radius of industrial sites.
• Assessment of tree canopy cover, composition, existing air monitoring stations, and land use patterns.

Main Results:

• Forest archives with suitable tree cover and composition for dendrochemistry exist near industrial plants.
• Artificial monitoring stations are often too distant or too recent to provide historical pollution data.
• Trees offer a viable alternative source for historical pollution data, complementing conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• Forest archives are a valuable, yet underutilized, resource for environmental monitoring.
• Environmental protection agencies should preserve and utilize these forest archives.
• Similar studies and integration into planning are recommended for other industrialized regions globally.