Air pollution and the decline of the fir forest in Parnis National Park, near Athens, Greece.

The Greek fir Abies cephalonica Loud. dominates the higher elevations of Mount Parnis, located 30 km north of Athens. The fir forest is showing signs of stress and dieback commonly attributed to past mismanagement, periodic drought, and to disease. Tree cores, lichens, and needle samples were collected from a southeast site facing Athens and from a north-facing site. Fir trees from the southeast site exhibited growth reduction since the early sixties. Trees from the north site did not show growth reduction but they showed growth deceleration since 1970. Lichen samples from the southeast site had significantly higher levels of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Al, Mo, Mn and N than samples from the north site. We suggest that air pollution could be contributing to the decline of the forest.