Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is an ecologically and economically important conifer species that naturally dominates European boreal forests, the subalpine regions of the Alps, and the Carpathians. It is also widely planted beyond its native distribution area. In 2023, a significant spruce dieback was detected in the Carpathian Basin. To assess the extent of the damage, self-reported data were collected from citizen...

Accurate evaluation of the preservation state of fossil phytoliths in glacial lake sediments is important, as these microfossils are often used in paleoecological and archaeological studies. The characteristic phytolith type of the Norway spruce ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.) needle is a potential keystone in paleoecological studies. In this laboratory study, we investigated dissolution of Picea abies blocky type phytoliths, to si...