Rudolf ŠOLTÉS¹, Eva GREGUŠKOVÁ^1,2 & Anna ŠOLTÉSOVÁ^1
1Institute of High Mountains Biology, University of Žilina, 059 56 Tatranská Javorina, Slovakia, emails: rudolf.soltes@uniza.sk; eva.graguskova@uniza.sk
²Recetox, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/753, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic;email: 416789@mail.muni.cz

BIOINDICATION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS DEPOSITION IN THE HIGH TATRA MTS (SLOVAKIA) BASED ON CALLUNA VULGARIS (L.) HULL; COMPARATIVE LEVELS AFTER THE IMPROVEMENT OF EMISSIONS

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Calluna vulgaris was collected on the south slope of Lomnický štít peak in Skalnatá dolina valley (The High Tatra Mts) between 1987 – 1988 and repeat sampling took place in 2011, following reduction of emissions. Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Cr, Mn, Mo, Fe, S and F concentrations were determined in the samples. The results of ordination analysis and correlation analysis show a positive significant correlation of Pb, Fe and Cu (r=0.6320-0.9519) with rising altitude and negative significant correlation of S (r=-0.7398). Due to reduced emissions the sulphur correlation with rising altitude became positive not significant in 2011. In 1987-1988, Mo, Mn, Cr, Cd and Zn did not show any significant correlations with altitude. In 2011, Fe, Mo, Cr, Zn and Mn also showed no significant correlation with altitude. Pb and Cu retained a positive significant correlation with rising altitude. There was a significant change correlated to sulphur. In 1987-1988 the highest sulphur concentrations had been recorded up to 1300 m a.s.l. (>109.8 mg.100g^-1), whereas in 2011, the lowest sulphur concentrations were recorded at these altitudes (<87 mg.100g^-1) due to reduction of emissions. In 2011, data on fluorine has not been recorded. Despite the reduction of emissions, the accumulated heavy metals remain in the ecosystem for a long time and acceptable concentrations are mostly exceeded, approximately 2-4 times, in the case of chromium up to 10 times.