Visible chlorotic injury and reduced foliar biomass are found in Pinus ponderosa and P. jefreyi in the mountains of southern California and the west slope of Sierra Nevada. Reduced tree growth and accelerated rates of forest succession has been documented in this area, with ozone resistant, shade tolerant species replacing P. ponderosa. There may also be some interactions among ozone, drought stress, insects and fungal pathogens.

Long-term changes in forest soils are characterised by decreases in soil pH, exchangeable base cations, percent base saturation and accumulation of heavy metals. Acidic deposition effects on forest soils can be demonstrated experientially either in the laboratory or in the field by stimulated acid treatments.

Depending on their concentrations, air pollutants are dangerous to forests. With the exception of some industrial areas in the east, concentrations of air pollutants in Central Europe are below the damaging threshold as shown by the records of the monitoring stations.

Calcium avaiability to forests has been shown to be reduced by acidic deposition in several ways including: increased leaching from foliage, increased leaching from soils, and decreased availability from poorly buffered soils when aluminium is mobilized. Studies documented that acidic deposition has altered the growth and vigour of red spruce during the past three decades by changing calcium availability.

Since the beginning of the 80's, a wide-spread damage to Norway spruce has occurred, mainly characterized by the light-induced decay of chlorophyll in magnesium-deficient needles. Damage also occurs in deciduous trees, especially in beech. To clarify the causes of the damage in Northrine-Wesphalian forests, extensive investigations have been carried out, which combined experimental techniques and epidemiologically orientated surveys.

Deposition rates in Baden-Wuerttemberg, which are monitored by sampling grid, mostly exceed critical loads. This applies especially for nitrogen input and the deposition of total acidity. In a periodic inventory of tree nutrition on a basic grid of 4 km, regions abundant and persistent Mg and K deficiency could be identified.

There is a strong evidence to indicate that sulphates and nitrogen oxides cause increased leaching of base cations, principally calcium and magnesium from soils supporting old-growth sugar maple forest in central Canada. Sugar maple trees sequester Ca, especially in bark. A site low in exchangeable bases might become less productive, if subjected to prolonged high rates of leaching and full tree harvesting.

The soil biota plays a critical part in the functioning of forest ecosystems. Acidification and heavy metals have the greatest direct effects on the soil biota. However pollutants can have indirect effects through their influence on tree root systems. Acidic deposition can decrease the incidence of mycorrhizal infection, but soil pH and concentration of nitrogen and certain forms of sulphur are also important.