Accumulation of Heavy Metals in the "Soil-Plant" System.

The relationship between intensity of recreational load, change in density and biological productivity of phytocoenoses was studied on the basis of Calamagrostis langsdorffii (Link) Trin. and Scutellaria galericulata L. in relation to a group of heavy metals and trace elements (As, Cr, Cu, M?, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn). It is shown that the linear relationship of metal accumulation in the soil-plant system is observed only in a low concentration range (As<4.53, Cr<22.75, Cu<14.60, M?<6.52, Ni<17.56, Pb<70.65, Sr<19.89, Zn<16.93 mg/kg) of pollutants in the growing environment. At high concentrations (As>7.38, Cr>41.40, Cu>17.63, M?>6.81, Ni>27.45, Pb>85.48, Sr>22.31, Zn<20.02 mg/kg), there is an inverse relationship: the higher the content of an element in the environment, the lower is its degree of absorption (as detected in relation to Pb, Ni and As). Some methodical approaches to designing a set of the long-term observations of natural ecosystems are formulated, justified and tested. It has been found that the relationship of heavy metal concentrations in soil and in total biomass can be expressed by the following equation: y = ?x+b, where ? and b are values of an element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]