Open Access

Róza Kazmierczakowa

• This paper describes the effect of the "Boleslaw" mining and metallurgic complex in Bukowno near Olkusz on the vegetation of the fresh coniferous forest association Vaccinia myrtilli-Pineitum. The increase in concentration of zinc, lead and cadmium in selected plant species under the influence of industrial emission, and the dependence of this increase upon the magnitude of dust fall and site conditions, are analized. The extent of accumulation of heavy metals in plants was assumed to be an indicator of the degree of pressure exerted by the industrial complex. The degradation of fresh coniferous forest was. increasing along with an increase in this pressure. The species composition of the association, and the quantitative relations among species representing various site types underwent considerable changes. In patches extremely degraded, the plant species characteristic of poor sandy grass-lands gained predominance over forest plants.