To estimate the effect of traffic emissions on the vegetation composition of coniferous forests near to motorways, three transects of 520 mlength were studied by analysing vegetation composition, soil parameters and deposition data in the Munich-area, Southern Germany. The detectedpatterns suggest that motorways have an impact on the vegetation composition in the neighbourhood of roads. Depending on the wind direction, theinfluences of the motorways reaches up to 230 m on downwind side and up to 80 m on upwind side. The vegetation is mainly affected by the depo-sition of nitrogen deriving from fuel combustion and by basic substances added to road salt. By monitoring vegetation changes near to motorways,it is possible to estimate the areas where harmful alterations of the ecosystem can be expected.     «

To estimate the effect of traffic emissions on the vegetation composition of coniferous forests near to motorways, three transects of 520 mlength were studied by analysing vegetation composition, soil parameters and deposition data in the Munich-area, Southern Germany. The detectedpatterns suggest that motorways have an impact on the vegetation composition in the neighbourhood of roads. Depending on the wind direction, theinfluences of the motorways reaches up to 230 m on downwind side and up to...     »