Norway spurce (Picea abies L.) is the dominating tree species in the Silesian Beskid Mountains. The mountain forests are under severe climatic conditions, such as low temperatures, short growing season, strong winds, high annual precipitation, a long-time snow cover. The forests have been exposed also for about half century to gaseous and dust pollutants emitted by large industrial centres in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. Anthropogenic impacts may influence negatively the growth of tree fine roots, can develop ectomycorrhizas and alter the communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi and other microorganisms in soil. Ectomycorrhizal communities at the both forest sites were dominated by the same two morphotypes, which were further studied using the PCP-RFLP analysis for identification of the fungal species

Five permanent plots in pine and spruce stands were established at beginning of the 90s. The sites were situated in a gradient of air pollution level, from the south to the north of Poland. There are presented changes in SO2 and NO2 concentration in the air as well as loads of acidic compounds and the exceedance of critical loads in the period of 1993-2001. Response of the forest ecosystems was evaluated by changes in health status of trees and changes in biodiversity at forest permanent plots. The comparative study revealed an improvement in the health condition of trees and a tendency of ecosystems to regenerate due to greater than 30% decrease in emission in the last decade

Ectomycorrhizal types were quantified in soil cores taken from 0-5 cm horizon. Nine ectomycorrhizal types were distinguished on roots of pines grown close to the copper smelter, 17 on trees grown in vicinity of aluminium smelter versus 25 found on trees grown near phosphate fertilizer plant and from control trees. Molecular studies were performed to give a greater resolution of how emission from different sources influenced mycorrhizal fungal community of Scots pine

Yellowing of trees with current year needle-class remaining green shows typical symptoms of magnesium deficiency. The chemical analysis proved severe deficiency of magnesium and mild deficiency of calcium in needles and forest soils indeed. This corresponds to the new forest decline as observed in the 1970s and the 1980s in some regions in Germany and France. Other contributing factor breaking out yellowing at that extent at particularly short time is not known. The problem is even increasing, because yellowing has recently appeared also in other mountain localities in Central Europe even though in smaller scale

The general conclusions of Warsaw ILTER meeting was that following ILTER philosophy, ecological processes integrity can be maintained on the basis of profound knowledge on the rate of changes, hierarchy of driving forces and resistance and resilience of ecosystems. To achieve such complex understanding of these processes there is a need , first to collect and analyze broad spectrum of data possibly standardized by methodology and next permanently exchange information with coordinators from other countries and regions. As a consequence the participants suggested to extend the initial number of 6 sites situated mostly at National Parks and MAB Biosphere Reserve by the new sites representing broader scope of ecosystems and wider range of its anthropogenic modifications. This should allow to define the regional hierarchy of factors deteriorating the ecological systems and create better scope for comparative studies for global environment

A long-term effect of heavy metal pollution originating from Copper Smelter and Refinery Division Glogow on a Scots pine stand was carried out in the protective zone surrounding the smelting/refining plant. The effect of enhanced Cu, Pb and Zn availability on the structure of ectomycorrhizal communities was assessed above- and below-ground among several subplots dominated by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Three different approaches were performed: sporocarp inventories, morphological analysis of ectomycorrhizal roots and molecular techniques based on PCR-RFLP method. Only a few sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal species were observed