Landscape trajectory of natural boreal forest loss as an impediment to green infrastructure

Loss of natural forests by forest clearcutting has been identified as a critical conservation challenge worldwide. This study addressed forest fragmentation and loss in the context of the establishment of a functional green infrastructure as a spatiotemporally connected landscape-scale network of habitats enhancing biodiversity, favorable conservation status, and ecosystem services. Through retrospective analysis of satellite images, we assessed a 50- to 60-year spatiotemporal clearcutting impact trajectory on natural and near-natural boreal forests across a sizable and representative region from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Scandinavian Mountain Range in northern Fennoscandia. This period broadly covers the whole forest clearcutting period; thus, our approach and results can be applied to comprehensive impact assessment of industrial forest management. The entire study region covers close to 46,000 km² of forest-dominated landscape in a late phase of transition from a natural or near-natural to a land-use modified state. We found a substantial loss of intact forest, in particular of large, contiguous areas, a spatial polarization of remaining forest on regional scale where the inland has been more severely affected than the mountain and coastal zones, and a pronounced impact on interior forest core areas. Salient results were a decrease in area of the largest intact forest patch from 225,853 to 68,714 ha in the mountain zone and from 257,715 to 38,668 ha in the foothills zone, a decrease from 75% to 38% intact forest in the inland zones, a decrease in largest patch core area (assessed by considering 100-m patch edge disturbance) from 6114 to 351 ha in the coastal zone, and a geographic imbalance in protected forest with an evident predominance in the mountain zone. These results demonstrate profound disturbance of configuration of the natural forest landscape and disrupted connectivity, which challenges the establishment of functional green infrastructure. Our approach supports the identification of forests for expanded protection and conservation-oriented forest landscape restoration.     

The influence of pH on cadmium toxicity to the green alga Stichococcus bacillaris and on the cadmium forms present in the culture medium

Cadmium toxicity to the green alga Stichococcus bacillaris was investigated in media of pH 3-9. A significant decrease of cadmium toxicity occurred in both the acidic and alkaline ranges of pH. In media of pH 3 and 9, cadmium did not affect the dry mass content substantially. Maximum toxicity of cadmium was noticed at pH 6-7. Voltametric investigations showed a significant effect of pH on electrochemically measured cadmium content in the culture media. Hydrolysis of the medium components and formation of cadmium complexes with OH(-) ions caused a considerable decrease in amounts of electrochemically measured cadmium in the alkaline range of pH.     

Empirical Estimation of Virtual Point Source Height Over a Bank of Coke Ovens

This paper addresses an empirical method of assessment of the height of a virtual point source. In order to achieve such assessment, three planes defining the location of a virtual point source in a space are created and formulas describing the geometry of observer’s sight and plume orientation are used. Data for calculations are obtained on a basis of plume photographs. The final position of a virtual emission point is described by a set of its coordinates in the Cartesian coordinate system. Presented method may be applied as a means to verify and validate the existing formulas describing the rise of plume above the stack exit or as a tool enabling acquisition of information for the sake of creating new formulas of this type. The calculation of the location of a virtual point source ascribed to the point emission from the roof of the bank of coke oven is presented and illustrated with photographs which reveal position of plume, adequate planes, axes and characteristic objects.     

Plutonium concentrations in waters from the southern Baltic Sea and their distribution in cod (Gadus morhua) skin and gills

The concentrations of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu in water samples and suspended particulate fractions, as well as in colloidal fraction from the southern Baltic Sea are presented. The (239+240)Pu concentration in surface seawater samples fall within range from 5.2 mBq.m(-3) for Gdańsk Bay to 150 mBq.m(-3) for Pomeranian Bay, most of which (from 52 to 96%) constituted filterable forms (相似文献   

Water quality requirements for sustaining aquifer storage and recovery operations in a low permeability fractured rock aquifer

A changing climate and increasing urbanisation has driven interest in the use of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) schemes as an environmental management tool to supplement conventional water resources. This study focuses on ASR with stormwater in a low permeability fractured rock aquifer and the selection of water treatment methods to prevent well clogging. In this study two different injection and recovery phases were trialed. In the first phase ~1380 m(3) of potable water was injected and recovered over four cycles. In the second phase ~3300 m(3) of treated stormwater was injected and ~2410 m(3) were subsequently recovered over three cycles. Due to the success of the potable water injection cycles, its water quality was used to set pre-treatment targets for harvested urban stormwater of ≤ 0.6 NTU turbidity, ≤ 1.7 mg/L dissolved organic carbon and ≤ 0.2 mg/L biodegradable dissolved organic carbon. A range of potential ASR pre-treatment options were subsequently evaluated resulting in the adoption of an ultrafiltration/granular activated carbon system to remove suspended solids and nutrients which cause physical and biological clogging. ASR cycle testing with potable water and treated stormwater demonstrated that urban stormwater containing variable turbidity (mean 5.5 NTU) and organic carbon (mean 8.3 mg/L) concentrations before treatment could be injected into a low transmissivity fractured rock aquifer and recovered for irrigation supplies. A small decline in permeability of the formation in the vicinity of the injection well was apparent even with high quality water that met turbidity and DOC but could not consistently achieve the BDOC criteria.     

Uptake of cadmium by Stichococcus bacillaris

The uptake of cadmium by the green alga $\text{Stichococcus bacillaris}$ was studied. It was found that about 80% of the uptake was due to adsorption, and about 20% to energy-dependent transport. Investigations on the relationship between the sorption of cadmium and the equilibrium concentration (Ce) revealed that the alga cells are saturated at Ce20mg Cd/1.     

Effects of amusing memes on concern for unappealing species

There is limited knowledge of the mechanisms that can inspire people's concern and engagement in the protection of unpopular and unappealing species. We analyzed Polish people's interest in themed internet memes featuring the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) and the consequences of this interest for conservation marketing. We examined Google Trends data, used Google Search, and searched popular media materials to estimate interest in the proboscis monkey in Poland. Photos of the proboscis monkey when presented with humor in internet memes attracted as much interest as usually more popular species (e.g., koala, panda, and orangutan) used in marketing by nongovernmental organizations. Amusing internet memes spread by social media positively correlated with increasing interest in the unappealing species, such as proboscis monkey. Interest in amusing internet memes positively correlated with individuals’ decisions to donate to 6 crowdfunding actions. Thus, conservation marketing that includes amusing memes and social media may provide a worthwhile complement to traditional campaigns and are likely to influence individuals who are unaffected by the usual means.     

Heavy metals in playgrounds in Lublin (E Poland): sources,pollution levels and health risk

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the paper, the pollution of playgrounds in Lublin with heavy metals was assessed. Since playgrounds are a place of activity of children—the...     

Correction to: Determination of phthalates in particulate matter and gaseous phase emitted in indoor air of offices

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11749-1     

Changes in transport accessibility as a result of flooding: a case study of the Mazovia Province (Eastern Poland)

This paper presents the results of research investigating the impact of flooding on the temporal aspect of transport accessibility at national, regional and local levels in the Mazovia Province – an administrative region in Poland. For the purposes of this study the authors measured the theoretical journey times by private transport between settlement units for two variants: journeys made under normal circumstances, that is, without a flood; and journeys made during a flood event, which would necessitate diversions to avoid flooded road sections. This allowed the theoretical journey time differences to be calculated. It was assumed that vehicles move at the highest permissible speed along routes allowing the shortest travel times. The methods of accessibility assessment employed in this paper are based on distance measurements and use isochrones and a cumulative approach. Analysis carried out by the authors has shown that for interregional, intraregional and local journeys, the flooding of a part of the Mazovia region results in changes in travel times, but their absolute and relative magnitudes vary widely. It was found that in the case of national scale journeys the majority of relative journey time increases were no greater than three times the normal duration, while on a local scale they do not exceed 75%. For areas with a high risk of flooding there should be obligatory analyses of changes in transport accessibility; this would facilitate effective flood risk management. Appropriate traffic management in crisis situations would facilitate emergency and rescue services and help inhabitants and any other persons in flooded areas.