Abstract: | Micro‐synchrotron radiation x‐ray fluorescence has been used to examine the metal distribution across an entire black spruce stem. The results show the individual elements to be transported and sequestered in different ways so that apparent elemental mobility within the stem changes from element to element. The results suggest that a detailed knowledge of the behavior of each element is required before pollution chronologies can be inferred from dendroanalysis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |