Effect of emissions from a Copper-Nickel Smelter on soil microbial communities in forest biogeocenoses of the Kola Peninsula

The effect of industrial pollution with emissions from the Severonikel Copper-Nickel Smelter (CNS) on soil microbial communities of forest biogeocenoses has been studied taking into account their relative location under tree crowns (near the stem, in the undercrown area, or under gaps in the canopy). The results show that increasing technogenic pollution results in a significant decrease in the microbial biomass, basal respiration, and maximum specific growth rate, as well as in dominance of K-strategists in the microbial communities of polluted soils. The effect of location under the crown, compared to the intercrown area, manifests itself in dominance of rapidly growing microorganisms with the r-strategy. However, emissions from the CNS inhibit the growth of r-strategists, and the location-dependent differences between microbial communities are leveled off in areas with the highest pollution level.