Effect of Fluorine-Containing Emissions on Conifers

This text is devoted to the pathology of conifers affected by fluorine – regarded as the most aggressive pollutant in air emissions worldwide. A wealth of information has been accumulated about the effects of air pollution on trees in Western countries. Here the results and an interpretation of a 15-year study on coniferous forests (taiga) in Eastern Siberia are presented and can be compared with similar studies in the West. Special focus is on the following aspects: phytotoxic features of fluorine compounds, transportation from the source of emission, formation of polluted zones, admission, localization and movement of fluorine in the plant, metabolism of the damaged tree and maximum permissible fluorine concentrations for conifers.