Survey of the deterioration of the coastal vegetation in the park of San Rossore in central Italy

Abstract

Abstract Some italian pine‐woods on the Tyrrhenian coast (mainly Pinus pinea and Pinus pinaster ) appear to have been deteriorating since nearly 20 years. From the experimental results of the present investigation, the main cause may be ascribed to the presence of both surfactants and salts in the sea‐spray which is deposited onto the pine needles by south‐westerly winds.