Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Abstract The total content of mineral substances (ash) and heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb) in the wood of healthy and dying beech trees from different regions of Poland was subject to analysis. The material for the analysis came from the nine Forest Districts in which Poland’s main sources of beech wood are located. Two healthy and dying sample trees of the same age were collected from each stand bearing symptoms of weakened vitality and decline of trees. Wood samples cut out of the central zone between cambium and pith, of the cross section of the trunk at the butt-end of beech trees aged 80-145 were used for analysis. The content of mineral substances in the wood of healthy and dying trees was within a similar value range. No statistically significant difference in the content of each of the analysed elements was found in healthy and dying trees. A relationship was found between the content of heavy metals in wood and geographic origin of trees.