Disease and death in forest trees in central Europe as a result of atmospheric pollution.
‘the politicians of Europe were galvanized by Waldsterben unlike any environmental issue’
‘Acid rain from fossil-fuel pollution damaged the forest that remained so much that the term Waldsterben (forest death) was coined a few decades ago.’
‘In the case of Waldsterben in central Europe, three types of symptoms typify the recent changes that have taken place in many species of trees under a wide variety of ecological conditions.’
‘Back in the 80s I did several feature stories for American Forests Magazine on Waldsterben.’
‘So the debate about what causes this deficiency has become central to the wider argument about Waldsterben.’
‘The main causes of the pollution responsible for Waldsterben are industrial plants and traffic.’
Origin
1980s from German, from Wald ‘forest’ + Sterben ‘death’.
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