Contributions to ecological chemistry CVII1. Fate of lindane-14C in lettuce, endives and soil under outdoor conditions.

In seven successive outdoor experiments, lindane-14C was applied to lettuce or endive leaves as an aqueous formulation (about 12 mg on 20 plants for each experiment). The growing periods varied between 21 and 37 days. After this time, between 4.5% and 13.9% of the applied radiocarbon was recovered from the plants. Conversion rates to soluble metabolites as well as to unextractable residues appeared to be dependent on weather conditions. During the summer months, the radiocarbon in plants consisted of 36% soluble metabolites and of 30% unextractable residues (average of 4 experiments); in autumn, the conversion rates were much lower. The following metabolites were identified in both plant species by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: a polar group (a free trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, conjugates of the latter two compounds, and unidentified water-soluble products) amounting to 35% of the radioactivity in plants cultivated in summer, and a nonpolar group (a dichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3,5, and/or 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, and gamma-pentachlorocyclohexene) amounting to 1% of the radioactivity in plants cultivated in summer. The 20 cm top-soil layer had about 14% of the total radioactivity applied to all plants. Six % of the radioactivity recovered from the soil was soluble metabolites and about 50% was not extractable. The soluble metabolites comprised a polar group (free and conjugated 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, and unidentified water soluble products) amounting to 5% of the radioactivity in the soil as well as a nonpolar group (1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene, 1,2,3,5 and/or 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, and gamma-pentachlorocyclohexene) amounting to 1% of the radioactivity in the soil.     

Vegetation cover influence on the morphology and migration patterns of river mouths

The present study focuses on the effects of vegetation cover changes on the dynamic morphology of seven southeastern Mediterranean river mouths. The methodology used comprised monitoring and mapping by GIS techniques, with data derived from historic aerial photographs, which were applied in the investigation of the morphological spatial and temporal migration patterns of the mouths, and subsequent analysis of the vegetation cover changes influencing them. Vegetation cover adjacent to river mouths influences river mouth morphology through five primary mechanisms: a) bank vegetation; b) dune advancement toward the shoreline; c) changes in the beach??s micro-topography; as well as d) long-term continuous channel migration through permanent vegetation patches; and e) channel switching through permanent vegetation patches. The five mechanisms are part of a system of interactions between channel water flow and fluvial processes; coastal sediment transport and coastal processes; and the evolution of plant communities. In the interplay between these factors they all affect and are being affected by one another. In many river mouths artificial channel diversion is often needed due to uncontrolled channel migration. It is demonstrated that vegetation cover can serve as a mean of ??soft?? channel regulation. Therefore, a better understanding of the five influencing mechanisms may aid in controlling and managing river mouth migration patterns. The study contributes to the knowledge about bank vegetation as a tool of ??soft?? channel regulation and thus can contribute to the improvement of coastal zone management.     

Longterm effects of the herbicides Atrazine and Dichlobenil upon the phytoplankton density and physico-chemical conditions in compartments of a freshwater pond

Atrazine (1.1 mg · L^?1) and Dichlobenil (“DBN”) (4.3 mg · L^?1) were dosed in triplicates into the water of a compartimentalized pond. Maximum concentrations of the chemicals detected were 200 μg · L^?1 Atrazine and 4.2 mg · L^?1 DBN (on day 3 – 5 after dosing). Residues were monitored for 55 days, amounting to 60 μg Atrazine and 1.5 mg DBN per litre at the end of observation.O₂- and H⁺-concentrations were significantly lower for 35 and 30 days resp. in the treated water as compared to controls. The conductivity of the dosed water was significantly higher for at least 65 (DBN) and 120 days (Atrazine) than in the untreated compartments. Differences in phytoplankton abundance and diversity could be evaluated between controls and treated biotopes.