Abstract
The study was performed to select a adaptable tree species under stressed field conditions where there are a industrial plants operating with a number of smoke stacks emitting pollutants, such as hydrogen fluoride and sulfur dioxide. As a result of the study, a tree species selected are due to construct a forest belt in a zones near industrial plants to reduce the concentrations of air pollutants. The concentrations of atmospheric hydrogen fluoride and sulfur dioxide were very higher at experimental sites near industrial plants (air-pollution sites) than at control site. The leaves of 7 tree species grown at air pollution sites contained more sulfur and, specially, fluorine than at those control site. Among the tested tree species, Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. and Euonymus japonica Thunb. grown at air pollution sites did not at all break out a foliar injury but appeared to be healthy, as well as those grown at control site. Acer pseudo-sieboldianum Kom., Pinus virginiana Mill., Larix leptolepis Gordon., Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc., Pinus strobus L., Picea abies Karst and Ligustrum obtusifolium Sieb. et Zucc., however, showed a severe fluoride-type foliar injury such as necrosis on tip or margin of leaves, etc. Fluorine found in leaves was proved to be correlated to sulfur found in leaves whereas index of foliar injury hadn't a good correlation to pollutants found in leaves. It appears that Euonymus japonica Thunb., Ligustrum japonica Thunb., Platanus acerifolia Willd, Chamaecyparis pisifera Endl., Populus tomentiglandulosa T. Lee and Sophora japonica L. grown at both experimental sites had a high value of percent survival whereas Pinus virginiana Mill., Pinus koraiensis Sib. et Zucc., Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm. and Alnus hirsuta Rupr. had an extremely low value of that. In comparison with control site, the percent tree height increments in Chamaecyparis pisifera Endl., Ligustrum japonicum Thunb., Quercus acutissima Carruth., Populus tomentiglandulosa T. Lee, Pinus thunbergii Parl and Euonymus japonica Thunb. and the percent upmost root diameters in Populus tomentiglandulosa T. Lee, Chamaecyparis pisifera Endl., Euonymus japonica Thunb., Ligustrum japonicum Thunb., Betula platyphylla var. japonica Hara and Pinus thunbergii Parl. cultivated at air polluted sites showed very high value above 90%, respectively. A significant negative correlation (r=-0.662) was recognized between the index of foliage injury and the percent collective character, which was the mean of tree characters such as percent survival, percent tree height increment and percent upmost root diameter increment which compared to those at air polluted site with those at control site. Based on the percent collective character Ligustrum japonicum Thunb., Euonymus japonica Thunb., Chamaecyparis pisifera Endl., Populus tomentiglandlosa T. Lee, Betula platyphyla var. japonica Hara and Platanus occidentalis L. have large value about 90%, respectively. Therefore, the results indicate that this tree species are adaptable species in air polluted regions. For better understanding of the adaptable tree species, furthur studies concerning the effects of various air pollutants on the tree growth are required.