The elemental composition of plants in the foothill forests of the Subpolar Urals in the Komi Republic

The content of chemical elements in the aboveground biomass of herbaceous and woody plants growing in spruce and birch forests of the foothills of the Subpolar Urals was studied. The quantitative content of 14 chemical elements: Mg, Ca, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Al, S, P, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Pb in plants of the families Ericaceae (Vaccinium myrtillus), Melanthiaceae (Veratrum lobelianum), Cornaceae (Chamaepericlymenum suecicum), Sphagnaceae (Sphagnum girgensohnii), Pinaceae (Picea obovata), Betulaceae (Betula pubescens), Rosaceae (Rubus chamaemorus). The high total content of elements is characterized by Veratrum lobelianum (7.3%), Chamaepericlymenum suecicum (4.7%) and leaves of Betula pubescens (3.7%). As a result of the carried out researches the species-specificity of concentration of chemical elements in plants is revealed. In decreasing order of the total accumulation of the elements to be determined, in the above-ground biomass the investigated species can be arranged in the following order: Veratrum lobelianum> Chamaepericlymenum suecicum> Betula pubescens> Rubus chamaemorus> Sphagnum girgensohnii> Vaccinium myrtillus> Picea obovata. By combining the dominant elements оf investigated plant species can be distributed as follows: 1) K> Ca> P, is characteristic of Betula pubescens, Veratrum lobelianum, Sphagnum girgensohnii; 2) Ca> K> P, is characteristic of Picea obovata, 3) Ca> Mn> P - Vaccinium myrtillus; 4) K> Ca> Mg - Rubus chamaemorus; 5) Ca> K> Mg - Chamaepericlymenum suecicum. Ca, K, P, S and Mg accumulate in the greatest amounts (≥800 mg / kg), the least - Ni, Pb, Cd (≤5 mg / kg). A high accumulation of manganese was noted in plants of manganophylls - Betula pubescens and Vaccinium myrtillus. In the plants under study, the maximum permissible concentration of heavy metals was not exceeded. The increased accumulation of elements is characterized by Veratrum lobelianum (Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, K, Ca), Chamaepericlymenum suecicum (according to AI, Pb, Mg, Ca, S), Sphagnum girgensohnii (according to AI, Fe, Ni, Pb). The obtained data can be used for environmental monitoring.