Organic amendments potentially stabilize metals in smelter contaminated Arctic soils: An incubation study.

The long-term emission impacts of the nickel processing industry in the Kola Peninsula, the largest source of sulfur dioxide and heavy metals emissions in Northern Europe, have created vast technogenic barrens near the mineral industry complexes. The pace of rehabilitation using the improved remediation technologies to enhance sustainable environmental management and regional economic development is of crucial social and economic importance. In a 120-day incubation experiment, we evaluated the prospects for the restoration of two soils at different degradation stages via carbon pool regulation comparing to mineral ameliorants - NPK fertilizer, and liming agent.

[The response of forest ecosystems to reduction in industrial atmospheric emission in the Kola Subarctic].

In spite of reduction in atmospheric emission, current state of forest ecosystems within the impact zone of Severonickel enterprise still reflects the entire spectrum of anthropogenic digression stages. As the distance to the enterprise grows shorter, structural-functional changes in forest communities are manifested in dropping out of mosses and lichens, replacement of undershrub by Poaceae, worsening of timber stand and undergrowth conditions and their progressive dying-off, and, as a result, in forming of anthropogenic wastelands. Alterations of elemental composition of fir bark and needles due to exposure to pollutants consist in accumulation of nickel, copper, cobalt, arsenic, and sulfur along with depletion of calcium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.

[Impact of industrial pollution on emission of carbon dioxide by soils in the Kola Subarctic Region].

Soil emission of carbon dioxide, the key component of carbon cycle and the characteristic of soil biological activity, has been studied in background and polluted ecosystems in the Kola subarctic, the large industrial region of Russia. Long-term air pollution by emissions of "Pechenganikel" smelter, the largest source of sulphur dioxide and heavy metals in Northern Europe, has caused the technogenic digression of forest ecosystems. As a result of the digression, the tree layer was destructed, the number of plant species was diminished, the activity of soil biota was weakened, the soils were polluted and exhausted, biogeochemical cycles of elements were disturbed and productivity of ecosystems shrunk.

[Effect of emissions from a copper-nickel plant on soil microbial communities in forest biogeocenoses of the Kola Peninsula].

The effect of industrial pollution with emissions from the Severonikel Copper-Nickel Plant (SCNP) on soil microbial communities of forest biogeocenoses has been studied taking into account their relative location under tree crowns (near the stem, in the undercrown area, or under gaps in the canopy). The results show that increasing technogenic pollution results in a significant decrease in the microbial biomass, basal respiration, and maximum specific growth rate, as well as in dominance of K-strategists in the microbial communities of polluted soils. The effect of location under the crown, compared to the intercrown area, manifests itself in dominance of rapidly growing microorganisms with the r-strategy.

Heavy metals in soils near the nickel smelter: chemistry, spatial variation, and impacts on plant diversity.

Air pollution induced changes were observed both in plant communities and in soil chemistry in forest ecosystems near the nickel-copper smelter in the Kola Peninsula, Russia. All measured forest plant community parameters describing their floristic composition and structure were affected by pollution. Heavy metals were significantly concentrated in organic horizons of forest soils.