Initial stages of dead fallen wood decomposition in the gradient of pollution with copper smelter emissions

The rate of dead fallen wood decomposition varies across the sections of trunk and the tree species: most rapid decomposition occurs in the upper part of the trunk (the loss of basic density on average is 4.4 % for spruce and 2.0 % for fir per year), most slowly — in the bottom parts (2.7 % and 0.4 % respectively). The rate of coarse woody debris (CWD) decomposition did not depend from the influence of industrial pollution. The share of spruce CWD, inhabited by wood-destroying fungi, was significantly higher (р<0.01) in background area as compared to polluted one; the share of fir CWD did not differ significantly among the areas of investigation.Работа выполнена при финансовой поддержке РФФИ (проект 14–04–31488) и программы фундаментальных исследований УрО РАН (проект 15–12–4–27)