317 Heavy metals in the subalpine soils of Połonina Pożyżewska (Czarnohora - the Eastern Carpathians) Adolf Szponar 1 , Pavlo Shuber 2 , Jerzy Raczyk 3 1 University of Wrocław, Department of Physical Geography 1 Uniwersytecki Sq., Wrocław 51-137 e-mail: szponar@geogr.uni.wroc.pl 2 Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 40 Doroshenko St, Lviv, Ukraine, e-mail: pshuber@franko.lviv.ua 3 University of Wrocław, Department of Physical Geography, 1 Uniwersytecki Sq., Wrocław 51-137 e-mail: jerzy.raczyk@uni.wroc.pl ____________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: Ecological investigation concerning anthropogenic pollution of the soil in the upper subalpine zone was carried out on Pożyżewska Mount, in the Czarnohora Massif, the Eastern Carpathians, Ukraine. Studies on the environment were based on soil collected at depths up to 0.45 m found on the slopes of Pożyżewska. The concentration of heavy metals and selected anions in soil was measured and substantial deposition of lead, zinc and sulphates was observed. The origin of these pollutants is probably connected with deposition from contaminated air masses, which are orographically transported. The pollutions are transported in regional and/or cross-border scale. Key words: ecology of mountains, subalpine zone, the Eastern Carpathians, Połonina Pożyżewska, heavy metals, deforestation Introduction The western part of Central Europe mountains underwent strong anthropogenic processes. A signifcant part of the Western Sudety underwent deforestation. The main reason was atmospheric contamination with sulphur and nitrogen compounds as well as heavy metals. Forest ecosystems degradation processes encompassed mainly the upper subalpine forest (Boratyński et al. 1989; Grodzińska 1980). There are symptoms of forest degradation in the Western Carpathian Mountains. To explain the reasons for this condition of the environment, the Institute of Geography and Regional Development of the University of Wrocław started joint research with the Geography Institute of the Lviv University. The research was conducted in the Czarnohora Massif on Połonina Pożyżewska (mountain pasture) in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains. Location of the research area Połonina Pożyżewska (1822.2 m. a. s. l.), a part of the Czarnohora Ridge (fg. 1, photo 1), was selected as the research area. The material for the research was collected from four research stations. Research station 1 was at the south-west mountain slope, research station 2 – the north-west part, research station 3 – the mountain top and research station 4 was established in the middle of the north-east slope (photo 2 and 3). Szponar A., Shuber P., Raczyk R., 2011. Heavy metals in the subalpine soils of Połonina Pożyżewska (Czarnohora - the Eastern Carpathians). The Problems of Landscape Ecology. Vol. XXX. 317-324.