Cadmium in Forest Mushrooms After Application of Wood Ash

Does wood ash application increase heavy metal accumulation in forest berries and mushrooms?

“…This result is in agreement with the majority of earlier publications examining the effect of wood ash on heavy metal concentrations in forest berries (Silfverberg and Issakainen, 1991;Levula et al, 2000) and mushrooms (Rühling, 1996;Lodenius et al, 2002;Perkiömäki et al, 2003).…”

“…Heavy metal concentrations of mushrooms and berries in the present study were generally at the same level as reported earlier in Fennoscandia (Hårdh, 1977;Varo et al, 1980;Eurola et al, 1996;Nilsson and Eriksson, 1998;Reimann et al, 1998;Lodenius et al, 2002). For example, the back-ground, unpolluted Cd concentrations in the berries of V. vitis-idaea are usually less than 0.02 mg kg À1 and those of R. chamaemorus below 1 mg kg À1 (Varo et al, 1980;Rühling, 1996).…”

“…It is known that although Cd concentrations in mushrooms and berries generally either remain unchanged or decrease after ash fertilisation, there are certain species that can occasionally accumulate Cd. Of the 11 mushroom species studied, Lodenius et al (2002) found elevated Cd concentrations 1-2 years after ash fertilisation only in emetic russula (Russula emetica). Perkiömäki et al (2003) noted a two-fold increase in the accumulation of Cd in L. rufus following ash fertilisation when the ash was spiked with CdO to 400 mg kg À1 , as compared to samples collected from control or plots fertilised with ordinary ash.…”