Evaluation of the exposure to a ferroalloy plant for forest ecosystemsby bioindication methods
Most metallurgical enterprises have a negative impact on forest stands adjacent to it. One of these sites is forest plantations near the village of Dvurechensk, Sverdlovsk Region, surrounding the ferroalloy plant of PJSC «KZF». It is known that pollutants of metallurgical enterprises influence all components of the biogeocenosis, in particular, forest vegetation. Over the past decade, the plant has not been operating at full capacity and largely meets modern environmental requirements. However, this was not always the case - the treatment facilities of the plant did not provide for the containment of harmful emissions; as a result of the accumulation of pollutants in the adjacent territories, more than half a century was spent. The purpose of this work: to assess the impact of the ferroalloy plant on the forest ecosystems of the zone of influence, determine their condition and identify the significance of the assessment indicators.The study conducted studies to determine the state of forest stands using bioindication methods. The studies were carried out on temporary trial plots (TTP) laid on transects located in the north, east, south and west. The TTP determined the sanitary condition of the stands, the average age of pine needles, and analyzed the phytotoxicity of soil and snowmelt samples. In order to assess the environmental situation from the possible impact of the plant, the number of lichens in the forest stands was determined (lichenoindication method). An assessment of the impact of the ferroalloy plant on forest ecosystems revealed that the stands are in a weakened state. The relationship between the sanitary state of the stands and the phytotoxicity of soils and melt snow water, lichenoindication, is quite clearly traced. The influence of the plant on the state of the stand is most pronounced in the northern and eastern parts of the zone