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The Effects of Three Thermo Electric Power Plants on Yerkesik-Denizova Forests in Mugla Province (Turkey), Kantarci M.D.

Mugla is a city that is located in the southwest part of Turkey. Three thermo-electric power plants called Yatagan (3 x 210 MW) and Yenikoy (2 x 210 MW) and Kemerkoy (Gokova, 3 x 210 MW) have been constructed in this region and also have begun operation in 1982 – 1983 – 1984 (three units), in 1988 and in 1995, respectively. The Pinus brutia forests in Yerkesik–Denizova region have been under the common effects of Yenikoy and Yatagan thermo-electric power plants. Therefore, these Pinus brutia forests have started to dry in groups since 1988. In addition, Kemerkoy thermo-electric power plant, began operation in 1995. Polluting gases arrived in Denizova-Yerkesik through Koca Stream Valley Forests. Increasing quantities of polluting gases and especially SO2 have dried the trees in large amounts in this 1650 ha forestland area. Yatagan Thermo-electric power plant has caused drying of Pinus brutia in Bencik Mountain, which was on the south in 1984–1985. The same phenomenon was seen in Denizova-Yerkesik Forest in 1999–2000. It was observed that sulphur content was varying between 4218–6676 ppm at the Pinus brutia needle samples taken in this region on 16 December 2000. Sulphur contents were correlated with the age of needle (1–2 yr old), density of yellow stains on the needles and amount of drying needles. Particularly in 1996–2000 period, the destruction of chlorophyll in needles due to the impacts of SO2 was also correlated with narrowing of the annual rings from one year to another. The narrowing ratio of yearly rings reached 60–504% for 94–95 yr old, and 375–661% for 58–63 yr old Pinus brutia trees during the 1986–1990, 1991–1995 and 1996–2000 periods. All these results clearly showed that the decrease in the chlorophyll content in needles under the effect of air pollution caused important reduction in the raw timber production and its inputs to the economy. In other words, drying due to increased ecological sensitivity or direct hazard of pollutants emitted by the power plants and cutting of trees have been notably increased in the region. This has created serious economic losses.

Around the city of Izmir, Yamanlar – Manisa (north) Karabelen (south) and Kemalpasa mountainous areas exist. The forested area in total covers 122,613.5 ha on these mountainous areas. This forested area has 6,146,387 m3 of wood potential. Industrial complex surrounding the Aliaga, and thermo-electric power plants working with lignite coal in the Soma region and some other small industrial establishments are located around Izmir and Manisa. These establishements have a vital importance in polluting the air. The forest, which suffers especially from SO2 pollution, consists of Pinus brutia and Pinus nigra. Sulphur contents in 1, 2, 3 yr old needles of the trees were determined to range between 2000–8000 ppm. Microscopic investigation of the tree needles revealed that black blights on the needles indicate destruction of the cells. Annual ring thickness of trees measured showed that there has been a reduction in the forest growth and this reduction is becoming more serious each year. Reduction in the wood production causes hundreds of billions of Turkish lira of economic loss to the Forestry Administration. It has been concluded at the end of this study that in order to stop the harm that the forests suffer, industrial establishments must pay an `ecological costs' to be added to their product cost items.

Annual ring widths of forest trees are affected from different ecological factors (e.g. climate, soil, etc.) and also from air pollution.

In the areas with intensive air pollution annual ring width reductions are observed. For this reason, some methods which detect the annual ring widths, in other words, the increase or decrease in diameter increments, are used to examine air pollution. Industrial establishments found in the northern part of Izmir city (Aliaga region) affect air quality of this area negatively. In this investigation, annual ring widths of 13 Pinus brutia Ten. (Calabrian pine) and 20 Pinus nigra Arnold. (Austrian pine) from 4 mountains (Karabelen, Manisa, Kemalpasa, and Yamanlar) with different altitudes and exposures around Izmir city were detected and the effects of air pollution on these trees were determined. Intensive effects of air pollution have started in 1985, for that reason, annual ring widths were examined through a reference period before this year and a study period (1985–1998) after this year and results are statistically evaluated. Annual ring widths of tree samples in the northern exposure were affected from air pollution, and some reductions were observed.

These reductions increased when there is a long drought period.

Air pollution has become an actual problem in Balikesir because of rapid urbanisation and increasing of the polluting sources.

Air pollution problems occur under the unfavorable meteorological conditions which increase in frequency of occurrence in winter due to use of low quality lignite coals for heating. The `Protection of Air Quality' in Turkey dated 1986 is based on the human health criteria. But the critical limit values are lethal for the forest trees as far as SO2 is concerned. The field observations showed that leaves of the trees have yellow spots indicating acid burns in Balikesir. This study aims at determining the relationships between the SO2 concentrations in the air under selected climatic conditions, and the effects of air pollution on forest trees in Balikesir. Samples of leaves were collected from the City Parks in Balikesir, De irmenbo az forested area located 10 km far from Balikesir on the Balikesir-Bursa highway, and from the forestation areas near the Balikesir-Edremit highway.

Sulfur contents of the leaves were very high especially in the city (2650–5300 g m-3). Samples from other areas had values lower than this range but above the usual values (850–3612 g m-3).

The diameter increments of the trees were found to be lower and these results clearly showed the adverse impacts. Negative correlations were found between these sulfur concentrations and the daily mean temperatures and wind speeds. Positive correlation was seen between these concentrations and pressures, humidities. Emission sources must be controlled in order to safeguard the forests which protects the soil, facilitate water production, assimilate carbon dioxide in air and produce oxygen. It must be considered that the problems are not only regional but have a global identity. The three-dimensional Eulerian model CAMx (Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions) was applied for the first time to simulate both gaseous and particulate photochemical air pollution in Switzerland during July 28–30, 1993. The meteorological input data were prepared using the Systems Applications International Mesoscale Model (SAIMM). The CAMx model results were compared with the measurements carried out at ground level and from airborne measuring platforms within the frame of the Swiss POLLUMET research programme. In general, the CAMx performance for gaseous species was found to be better than that of the previously used Urban Airshed Model (UAM) and the Variable Grid Urban Airshed Model (UAM-V). The most significant improvement for the gaseous species is in the prediction of HNO3 concentrations, due to the inclusion of aerosol chemistry. Aerosol species such as NO3-, NH4+, SO42-, and secondary organic aerosols were calculated in one particle size range (0.04–2.5 m) and compared with a few measurements available.

Although July 29 was reasonably well simulated, overestimated wind speeds by SAIMM for July 30 caused a too fast transport of pollutants. Similarly to measurements, significant spatial correlation of the secondarily formed aerosols with ozone and formaldehyde is found in the afternoon.

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