Dendrochronological research of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in Vilnius and Kaunas forest parks

This Study is aimed at dendrochronological indication of unfavourable environmental conditions ill Vilnius and Kaunas cities on Scots pine's (Pinus sylvestris L.) radial increment and comparison of city trees growth with the tree growth in relatively unpolluted areas (control forest stands). 330 sample trees in Kaunas and 456 sample pines in Vilnius city and forest parks, 72 sample pines in 3 control forest stands at the distance of 30 kin west from Kaunas city were chosen for the radial growth analysis. It was determined that tree radial increment (in per cent) of transformed pine dendroscales is lower in cities than in control stands. These alterations were caused by environmental disturbances: exceptionally cold winter in 1979/1980 and air pollution level which was considerably higher in cities than in controlled stands. Though transport emission has constantly been growing since 2000, no clear difference between pine radial growth dynamics in controll stands in Kaunas and Vilnius sample plots was detected.