Heavy Metals in the Environment of the Middle Urals and Their Effects on the Organism

The kinetics of accumulation of essential and toxic trace elements (TE) in vitally important organs were studied in small mammals typical of the Middle and Southern Ural fauna. The results revealed a discrepancy between the increased uptake of Cd, Zn, Pb, and Cu by animals and the virtually constant concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) in their organs, which could be explained by the existence of special elimination systems activated upon excessive HM uptake. It is shown that HM accumulation in animal tissues is energy-dependent and species-specific, and the effects of highly toxic TE correlate with physiological processes.     

Multivariate statistical analysis of the response of forest litters to atmospheric pollution

The effect of atmospheric discharge from the Pechenganikel' Integrated Plant, the main source of sulfur dioxide in northern Europe, on changes in acidity and cation exchange properties of forest litters formed on podzol soils was estimated in forest ecosystems at the northern limit of their range. As the plant is approached, the contents of exchangeable potassium and acidity proved to decrease, whereas the contents of nickel and copper increased by two orders of magnitude and reached one-quarter of the total cation exchange capacity. The multivariate analysis of spatial interrelations revealed the natural structure of litter properties, including those concerning exchangeable bases, pollutants, and parameters of acidity.     

The Response of Hydrophytes to Environmental Pollution with Heavy Metals

The effects of Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Ni²⁺ at low and high concentrations (0.025 and 0.25 mg/ml) on the accumulation capacity, the state of the pigment complex, and photosynthesis rate have been studied in model experiments with three floating hydrophytes (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L., Lemna gibba L., and Potamogeton natans L.) and four submerged hydrophytes (Elodea canadensis Michx., Lemna trisulka L., Ceratophyllum demersum L., and Potamogeton lucens L.). Copper and cadmium are especially toxic at the concentrations studied. The effect of Cu²⁺ was the strongest in hydatophytes, and the effect of Cd²⁺, in pleustophytes. It is hypothesized that the differences between hydrophytes with respect to accumulation of metals and decrease in photosynthesis rate may cause predominant elimination of submerged species. Therefore, changes in the species structure of hydrophyte communities may be expected in waters polluted with metals.     

The Distribution of Tree Species in the Ridge Landscape (Southern Karelia)

The distribution of tree species in the landscape was studied using the approach based on the comparison of the ecological requirements of species and the properties of ecotopes distinguished by their position in the relief and peculiarities of basement rocks. The types and specificity of ecological regimes were determined for the typical ecotopes of the southern Karelian ridge landscape. The main environmental and successional factors determining the distribution of seven forest-forming tree species in the ecotopes of this landscape were identified. The results of this work can provide a basis for the prognosis of forest vegetation in the landscape studied.     

Comparative Ecocenotic Characteristics of Mosses in the Taiga Zone of West Siberia

Some results of the ecocenotic analysis of forest and bog mosses, widespread or locally occurring in the taiga zone of West Siberia, are described. The species were compared with respect to their edaphic requirements, and a relationship was observed between geographic variation in cenotic parameters and changes in macroconditions of the physical environment, primarily in lithologic, geomorphological, and climatic conditions. The results of analysis confirmed the existence of such a relationship, but moss species proved to differ in their response to changes in physiographic conditions.     

Heavy Metals in Organs and Tissues of the European Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus): Dependence on Living Conditions

The distribution of Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Mn, Pb, and Ni in the organs and tissues (kidneys, liver, lungs, brain, heart, muscles, and feathers) of the European black vulture (Aegypius monachus) was studied. It was shown that heavy metals were not responsible for the mass mortality of these birds in southern Primorye in the winter of 2001–2002. The level of pollution with heavy metals of the range of European black vultures wintering in this region (northern China and western Mongolia) may be regarded as insignificant.     

Effect of Extractive Compounds from Lichens and Mosses on the Development of Basidiospores and Mycelium of Tinder Fungus

It has been shown that extracts from the thalli of lichens and mosses have an adverse effect on the viability and germination of spores and suppress the asexual reproduction of the haploid mycelium. The dikaryotic mycelium and its conidial spores are more resistant to the action of extractive compounds from lichens and mosses.     

Dynamics of heavy metal accumulation in thalli of the epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes

A sequential extraction procedure was used to study localization of heavy metals in thalli of the lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. growing under conditions of chronic aerotechnogenic pollution in the Middle Urals. Trends in the seasonal dynamics of metal contents in the thalli were revealed. The dynamics of metal accumulation was also studied in the thalli brought to the polluted zone from the background environment. After one year, the extra-and intercellular contents of most metals in these transplants approached those in the aboriginal thalli and in some cases (intracellular content of cadmium) exceeded them.     

Accumulation of metals by vegetation in a small drainage area exposed to aerotechnogenic pollution

Trends in the accumulation of metals by different plant species have been analyzed in a forest phytocenosis of the southern taiga zone of the Middle Urals, which is polluted by emissions from a copper-smelting plant. The rate of metal accumulation in the course of annual and net phytomass production and metal outflow with surface waters beyond the biogeocenosis boundaries have been estimated.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 1, 2005, pp. 26–31.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Fedorova, Odintseva.     

Heavy metal accumulation by freshwater hydrobionts in a mining area in the south of the Russian Far East

The contents of heavy metals (HMs) were studied in freshwater hydrobionts from the south of the Russian Far East, including the area of wastewater discharge from a lead smelter (the village of Rudnaya Pristan, Primorye). The results showed that most invertebrates disappeared from the ecosystem as the toxicity of the aquatic environment increased. Mollusks of the genus Lymnaea proved to be most tolerant of HM pollution. As the contents of Pb, Mn, Cd, and Zn in bottom sediments increased, the amounts of these metals in mollusk bodies increased as well but to a much lesser extent, with the intensity of HM accumulation decreasing at their higher concentrations in the environment. The range of HM concentrations accumulated in the bodies of limneids noticeably broadened with an increase in technogenic impact. This is evidence for differences in the efficiency of mechanisms regulating the contents of trace elements in individuals of the same species under conditions of extreme pollution.     

Ordination of Plant Communities in Forest Biogeocenoses under Conditions of Air Pollution in the Northern Kola Peninsula

The species diversity and structure of the tree, herb–dwarf shrub, and moss–lichen layers in the biogeocenoses (BGCs) of pine forests of the Kola Peninsula were analyzed in the zone affected by the Pechenganikel Combined Works. Relationships of the diversity of phytocenoses with the amount of atmospheric fallout and the concentrations of accessible compounds of polluting elements (nickel and copper) and nutrients (potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen) in forest litters were revealed.     

Structural Changes in the Carabid Fauna of Forest Ecosystems under a Toxic Impact

Changes in the abundance, species composition, and biomorphological structure of the carabid fauna were studied in birch and fir–spruce forests growing in a zone exposed to emissions from a copper-smelting plant in the Middle Urals. The dynamic density of carabids decreased and their species composition and the ratio of life forms changed along the pollution gradient, but the principle of organization of carabidocenoses and the structure of dominance in them remained undisturbed.     

Distribution of the Forms of Heavy Metals in Natural Landscapes of Belarus

Studies on the distribution of the forms of heavy metals (HMs) in the humus soil horizon were performed in the Berezinskii Reserve and Braslavskie Ozera National Park. The ratios of active to inert HM forms (with trace values of the mobile form) in these areas proved to be similar and independent of the total HM content. The calculated coefficients of technogeneity (Kt and Xt) and mobility (Km and Xm) are proposed, which reflect the natural ratio between the forms of HMs in the Northern and Central lithogeochemical provinces of Belarus.     

Water quality of reclaimed water from treated urban wastewater in Chaobai River Basin,North China

The utilization of reclaimed water could be an efficient tool to alleviate water scarcity, especially for dry river augmentation. However, it is crucial to monitor water quality to ensure safety to human health and to avoid negative effects on the environment. Reclaimed water samples were collected bimonthly from May to November in 2010 in Chaobai River, and the physiochemical parameters were determined. The main results are as follows: The parameters exceeding the threshold value of the water guidelines are mainly nutrition related to nitrogen and phosphorus, which are known to increase the risk of eutrophication in surface waters. Additionally, nitrite and nitrate can be detrimental to human health. The majority of the parameters have a peaking concentration in May, whereas others either show significant temporal variation over the entire period or remain relatively constant in all four months. Correlation analysis shows that some parameters (pH, T and B) have no significant correlation with others, whereas significant positive correlation was found for Sr with EC and TDS, for Cl with TDS, for SiO₂ with TP and for NO₃–N with TN and a significant negative correlation between SO₄ and Ba. According to principal component analysis, 60.108% of the total data is represented by dominant solutes, and the second principal component with a percentage of 31.876 comprises parameters related to nitrogen. Subsequent cluster analysis of parameters identified four groups, which represent different compositions, and samples in May differ from others.