Soil-dwelling Collembola in coniferous forests along the gradient of pollution with emissions from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter

The results of three-year studies on Collembola communities in spruce-fir forests along the gradient of pollution with emissions from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter (Revda, Sverdlovsk oblast) are presented. They show that the species and ecological structure of these communities change abruptly in the impact zone (1 km from the source of emissions), compared to the background zone (30 km from the source), which involves a decrease in the abundance and diversity of Collembola. Their total abundance and species richness in the zone of intermediate disturbance (7 and 4 km) are considerably higher than in the background zone, and the species structure of communities is characterized by superdominance. Four species groups differing in sensitivity to pollution are distinguished. Preference for zones with different pollution levels in closely related species is regarded as a case of ecological vicariation.     

Dynamics of Trophic Activity of Leaf-Eating Insects on Birch during Reduction of Emissions from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter

The trophic activity of birch leaf-eating insects in background and impact (highly polluted) sites near the Middle Ural Copper Smelter has been recorded in 2008–2015. Reduction of emissions leads to a significant decrease in the concentration of heavy metals in birch leaves, and the existing differences in the proportion of damaged leaves between the background and impact sites are leveling off. An increasing temporal trend in foliar damage at the impact site confirms that the trophic activity of leaf-eating insects is being recovered following reduction of toxic load, and the remaining differences from the background territory indicate that this process is still continuing.     

Dynamics of the Community of Hole-nesting Birds upon Reduction of Industrial Emissions (the Example of the Middle Ural Copper Smelter)

Russian Journal of Ecology - The dynamics of the species richness, breeding density, and structure of the community of birds occupying nest-boxes upon a 50-fold reduction of atmospheric emissions...     

Responses of leaf-eating insects feeding on aspen to emissions from the Middle Ural copper smelter

Foliar damage to aspen from leaf-chewing insects and miners has been assessed during a 4-year period in the environs of a large copper smelter in the Middle Urals. It has been shown that the total area removed, proportion of damaged leaves, and average area removed per damaged leaf are considerably smaller near the smelter than in the background zone. The degree of the effect is similar for all three parameters and remains stable with time. Both groups of leaf pests display lower trophic activity in the impact zone, but the effect of pollution on leaf-chewing insects is greater than on miners, while individual features of the tree and its environment affect miners more strongly than leaf-chewing insects.     

Changes in the taxonomic structure of herpetobiont arachnids along the gradient of pollution with emissions from a copper smelter

Changes in the dynamic density of herpetobiont arachnids and the ratio of spider life forms have been studied in southern taiga forests transformed under the impact of emissions from a copper smelter. Along the pollution gradient, the dynamic density of spiders decreases; web-spinning spiders are replaced by ambush spiders, since the abundance of families Lycosidae and Gnaphosidae increases while that of the family Linyphiidae decreases; and spatial variation in the abundance of arachnids increases. One harvestmen family (Nemastomatidae) completely disappears near the copper smelter.     

Grassland Land Snail Communities after Reduction of Emissions from a Copper Smelter

Russian Journal of Ecology - The species structure of land snail communities inhabiting the meadow herb layer has been studied in the periods of relatively high emissions from the Middle Ural...     

Surface Pollution of Meadow Plants during the Period of Reduction of Atmospheric Emissions from a Copper Smelter

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Initial Stages of Recovery of Soil Macrofauna Communities after Reduction of Emissions from a Copper Smelter

Analysis of natural recovery of communities after reduction of industrial emissions is important for gaining an insight into their stability. However, there is obvious deficit in observations on the course of this recovery; in particular, no data on direct comparisons of the state of communities before and after reduction of emissions are available for soil macroinvertebrates. We have studied the structure of soil macrofauna communities at the level of supraspecific taxa in southern taiga spruce-fir forests in the region exposed to emissions from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter (MUCS; Revda, Sverdlovsk oblast). The data over three periods—high, reduced, and almost terminated emissions (1990–1991, 2004, and 2014–2016, respectively)—have been compared to test the hypothesis that the communities do not recover rapidly. The results partly confirm this hypothesis. On the one hand, the response of pedobionts to pollution at a qualitative level has remained basically unchanged: in each of the three periods, their total abundance (and that of the majority of groups) decreased abruptly as the MUCS was approached, with dominance shifting from saprophages to phyto- and zoophages. On the other hand, signs of recovery have appeared during the last period: the abundance of pedobionts has increased, and pollution-sensitive groups (earthworms, enchytraeids, and mollusks) have approached closer to the MUCS. This is most likely explained by decrease in the toxicity of metals due to normalization of soil pH. Rapid recolonization of defaunated territory may be accounted for by the presence in it of microsites with more favorable conditions, compared to the surrounding area, which allow low-mobile forms to survive beyond the boundaries of their main distribution area.

     

Air pollution assessment of toxic emissions from hazardous waste lagoons and landfills

The air quality impacts of hazardous waste disposal sites can be assessed on the basis of their contribution to each of the toxic contaminants. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the available methods of air quality assessment and their drawbacks. The need of air quality assessment is to assure that ambient concentrations of specific contaminants resulting from emissions will not exceed the acceptable levels for protection of public health and the ecosystem. Ambient concentrations of toxic contaminants are generally obtained by field measurements or air monitoring. However, field measurements and air monitoring of low-level toxic contaminants are costly and time consuming. As a result, most hazardous waste land disposal sites have not been adequately assessed. This paper describes current regulatory requirements in the United States for air quality assessment of hazardous waste land disposal sites. Emphasis is directed toward air quality assessment methodology. The paper also discusses emission predicting models based on the waste quantity and composition, scientific analysis of the waste conversion process together with meteorological conditions. The emission models are especially useful where emission cannot be reliably monitored or where a new disposal site is proposed.     

Changes in the ratio of plants with different mycorrhizal status in the course of pasture digression in the Southern Ural steppes

Trends in the proportions of plants differently interacting with mycorrhizal fungi in the course of pasture digression have been analyzed in the steppe zone of the Southern Urals. Estimates of species richness and abundance of plant groups with different mycorrhizal status have been obtained by comparing original data on the structure of phytocenoses with published data on the ability of plant species to form mycorrhizae. It has been shown that the proportions and abundance of obligate mycorrhizal species decrease significantly in the course of digression, with consequent increase in those of species less dependent on or independent of symbiosis with fungi, i.e., facultative mycorrhizal or obligate nonmycorrhizal plants.     

Soil respiration of forest ecosystems in gradients of environmental pollution by emissions from copper smelters

The effect of industrial pollution on soil respiration measured in situ has been studied along two gradients formed by emissions from large copper smelters: the Middle Ural Copper Smelter (spruce-fir forests) and Karabash Copper Smelter (birch forests). Pollution has proved to have a slight effect on soil respiration: its rate drops only in the zone of industrial barren. There is no correlation between soil respiration and distance to the emission source, metal contents in the litter, or litter acidity. A hypothesis is proposed that this may be due to a shift in the ratio of the root and microbial components of respiration in the pollution gradient.     

Changes in the structure of chortobiont invertebrate community exposed to emissions from a copper smelter

The aboveground phytomass of meadow plants and the density of chortobiont invertebrates in secondary upland meadows were estimated using a biocenometer in three areas differing in the level of pollution with emissions from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter (Revda, Sverdlovsk oblast) in 2006 and 2007. As the smelter is approached, the total amount of phytomass (dry weight) decreases by a factor of 1.3–1.9, with the proportion of grasses reaching 100%; the total abundance of invertebrates increases two-to threefold due to sucking phytophages, which account for up to 80% of the invertebrate community. The abundance of gnawing phytophages near the smelter is reduced, with some taxa entirely missing (e.g., mollusks and phalangiid harvestmen). Rearrangements in chortobiont community structure are attributable to changes in the physiological state of plants and in the species diversity and architecture of the herbaceous layer, with consequent modification of hydrothermal conditions in it, as well as by the direct toxic effect of heavy metals.     

Responses of small mammal community to environmental pollution by emissions from a copper smelter

Analysis of the effect of emissions from the Karabash Copper Smelter (Southern Urals) on the small mammal community has shown that its abundance and structure change significantly under technogenic impact. Structural transformations are accompanied by changes in the composition of dominant species. The “dose-effect“ pattern of community response to this impact is nonlinear: for most species of murine rodents and small insectivores, habitat quality becomes satisfactory at a distance of 9–11 km from the emission plume.     

Changes in soil microbiota under the effect of acrylonitrile in a model experiment

A laboratory experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of acrylonitrile (20, 200, and 2000 mg/kg soil) on the abundance and structure of soil microbial community. The results of direct inoculation showed that acrylonitrile at 200 mg/kg stimulated the development of nitrile-utilizing prokaryotes, whereas at 2000 mg/kg it inhibited all test groups of microorganisms, including nitrile- and amide-utilizing bacteria. According to real-time PCR data, representatives of α- and ß-Proteobacteria were the most labile members of the soil microbial community, while Bacteroidetes and Fungi proved to be highly resistant to the effect of the pollutant.     

The effects of ventilation on residential air pollution due to emissions from a gas-fired range

The use of indoor combustion appliances can cause an increase in the levels of many different pollutants. The work presented here shows the usefulness of a model for extrapolating environmental chamber results on pollutant emissions from combustion appliances to determine indoor pollutant concentrations in actual residences. In addition, the effects of infiltration, whole-house ventilation, and spot ventilation on pollutant levels are investigated. The results show that a range hood is the most effective means of removing pollutants emitted from a gas-fired range; removal rates varied from 60% to 87%.     

Distribution and abundance of European mole (Talpa europaea L.) in areas affected by two Ural Copper Smelters

The abundance of moles has been studied in 2007–2010 along the gradient of pollution by emissions from the Middle Ural (Middle Urals) and Karabash (Southern Urals) Copper Smelters. It has been estimated by the routing method with regard to the number of inhabited burrows per 1 km. Not a single mole has been recorded in heavily polluted areas near these copper smelters. Under conditions of moderate pollution, the abundance of moles decreased 1.5–1.8 times. The smallest “mole desert” near the source of emissions extends for 90–100 km². A dramatic decrease in the abundance of earthworms, which are the main food object of moles, is considered a possible reason for these changes.     

Long-Term Dynamics of Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Food and Liver of Shrews (g. Sorex) during High and Reduced Emissions Periods from the Copper Smelter

Russian Journal of Ecology - The long-term changes in the contents of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Рb) in the food and liver of four shrew species of the g. Sorex, in the vicinity of the the...