Sown species richness and realized diversity can influence functioning of plant communities differently

Biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments (BEF) typically manipulate sown species richness and composition of experimental communities to study ecosystem functioning as a response to changes in diversity. If sown species richness is taken as a measure of diversity and aboveground biomass production as a measure of community functioning, then this relationship is usually found to be positive. The sown species richness can be considered the equivalent of a local species pool in natural communities. However, in addition to species richness, realized diversity is also an important community diversity component. Realized diversity is affected by environmental filtering and biotic interactions operating within a community. As both sown species richness and the realized diversity in BEF studies (as well as local species pool vs observed realized richness in natural communities) can differ markedly, so can their effects on the community functioning. We tested this assumption using two data sets: data from a short-term pot experiment and data from the long-term Jena biodiversity plot experiment. We considered three possible predictors of community functioning (aboveground biomass production): sown species richness, realized diversity (defined as inverse of Simpson dominance index), and survivor species richness. Sown species richness affected biomass production positively in all cases. Realized diversity as well as survivor species richness had positive effects on biomass in approximately half of cases. When realized diversity or survivor species richness was tested together with sown species richness, their partial effects were none or negative. Our results suggest that we can expect positive diversity–productivity relationship when the local species pool size is the decisive factor determining realized observed diversity; in other cases, the shape of the diversity–functioning relationship may be quite opposite.     

Retrospective monitoring and inventory of soil contamination in relation to systematic monitoring

Retrospective monitoring of soil contamination has been performed in the Czech Republic. This kind of monitoring is based on the comparison of the heavy metals content in soil samples taken during a systematic soil survey (1960–1970) and in samples taken at the present time. The anticipated high degree of soil pollution in the Czech Republic has not been proved. Most of the contaminated soils were found to be loaded just 20–35 years ago. Retrospective monitoring is considered to be an accelerating tool for determining the strategy of the systematic monitoring of soil contamination. This procedure stimulated the development of the multi-step system of soil loading limits.     

Monitoring of krypton-85 activity in the atmosphere around Prague

The results of measurements of Krypton-85 (⁸⁵Kr) concentrations in the ground-level air of Prague between 1983 and 1992 are presented and time-related changes analysed. The long-term trend in activity level of ⁸⁵Kr has been steadily increasing with a growth rate of 0.04 Bq.m^–3 (STP) per year. Some peaks of ⁸⁵Kr activity were observed due to the influence of undispersed radioactive plumes coming from distant sources. Short-term variations within a typical range of concentrations from 0.61 to 1.25 Bq.m^–3 (STP) were found to be seasonally dependent, with the maximum occurring in spring.     

Root uptake of atenolol,sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine,and their transformation in three soils and four plants

Soils can be contaminated by pharmaceuticals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of soil conditions (influencing sorption and persistence of pharmaceuticals in soils) and plant type on the root uptake of selected pharmaceuticals and their transformation in plant-soil systems. Four plants (lamb’s lettuce, spinach, arugula, radish) planted in 3 soils were irrigated for 20 days (26) with water contaminated by one of 3 pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, atenolol, sulfamethoxazole) or their mixture. The concentrations of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in soils and plant tissues were evaluated after the harvest. Sulfamethoxazole and atenolol dissipated rapidly from soils. The larger concentrations of both compounds and an atenolol metabolite were found in roots than in leaves. Sulfamethoxazole metabolites were below the limits of quantifications. Carbamazepine was stable in soils, easily uptaken, accumulated, and metabolized in plant leaves. The efficiency of radish and arugula (both family Brassicaceae) in metabolizing was very low contrary to the high and moderate efficiencies of lamb’s lettuce and spinach, respectively. Compounds’ transformations mostly masked the soil impact on their accumulation in plant tissues. The negative relationships were found between the carbamazepine sorption coefficients and its concentrations in roots of radish, lamb’s lettuce, and spinach.

     

Eco-efficient recycling of drinking water treatment sludge and glass waste: development of ceramic bricks

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Current management for drinking water treatment sludge and glass waste is insufficient, and a new method is needed. We sought to develop a new...     

Influence of the organic complex concentration on adsorption of herbicide in organic modified montmorillonite

This study was undertaken to determine the impact of the organic complex concentration on the adsorption of herbicide (acetochlor) at the surface of the organic modified montmorillonite. In this work, natural montmorillonite from Bogovina (Boljevac municipality, Serbia) was used for organic modification. Cation-exchange capacity of this montmorillonite was determined using a methylene blue method (86 mmol/100 g of clay). Montmorillonite has been modified first with NaCl and then with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-bromide) organic complex. Saturation of cation exchange capacity (CEC) was 50%, 100%, and 150%. Changes in the properties of the inorganic and organic montmorillonite have been examined using the X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and batch equilibrium method. Montmorillonite modified with HDTMA-bromide demonstrated higher uptake of the herbicide, compared to the inorganic montmorillonite. Comparing the values Freundlich coefficients in batch equilibrium method, it can be seen that the adsorption of acetochlor decreased in the series: 0.5 CEC HM > 1 CEC HM > 1.5 CEC HM > NaM.     

The Adsorption of Formaldehyde on Suspended Particles investigated on model systems

Our laboratory investigation aimed at assessing to what extent suspended particles could adsorb formaldehyde, allowing it, when inhaled, to penetrate deeper into the lung. We used two types of pure soot, N-220 and N-660 (the former being a highly active oil furnace soot with smaller particles and a larger surface area than the latter), because of their chemical inactivity and the adsorptive properties. The results obtained in experimental conditions showed that soot particles could bind 2.3 to 50.2% of formaldehyde, depending on the particle size, relative humidity, amount of particles and the duration of the contact. The recovery of formaldehyde from the particles was also tested. Further investigation is planned under realistic conditions.     

Long-term investigations of post-Chernobyl radiocaesium in fallout and air in North Croatia

The long-term behaviour of (137)Cs activity concentrations in air and fallout has been studied in the city of Zagreb for the post-Chernobyl period (1986-2006) as a part of an extended monitoring program of radioactive contamination of human environment in Croatia. Annual mean (137)Cs activity concentrations in air and annual total deposition fluxes (wet plus dry) decreased from 2.8 x 10(-4) Bq m(-3) in September 1986 to 3.0 x 10(-6) Bq m(-3) in last quarter of 2006 and from 6,410 Bq m(-2) year(-1) in 1986 to 2 Bq m(-2) year(-1) in 2006 respectively. By fitting the measured (137)Cs activity concentrations to the theoretical curve the ecological half-lives of (137)Cs in air and fallout were estimated with respective values of 0.46 and 0.54 years for immediate post-Chernobyl period, increasing to 5.52 and 3.97 years afterwards. Using the data on (137)Cs activity concentrations in air and fallout total caesium deposition velocity of (3.34 +/- 3.13) x 10(-2) ms(-1) was estimated with median value being 2.13 x 10(-2) ms(-1). Such relatively high (137)Cs deposition velocities compared with pre-Chernobyl ones, are characteristic for the post-Chernobyl period and, according to Stokes' settling law, indicate that the diameters of aerosol particles associated with (137)Cs originated from the Chernobyl accident are pretty large, i.e. >1 microm. (134)Cs/(137)Cs activity ratio in fallout and in air has been found to be similar to the theoretically predicted values, initial value being about 0.5 and decreasing according to differential radioactive decay. The similar ratio has been observed in most of the other environmental samples.     

Study of high-frequency electromagnetic field effect on some somatic and neuro-behavioral characteristics in healthy and neurodefective mice

The effect of long-term exposure to high frequency electromagnetic field (HF EMF) on some somatic and neural characteristics was studied in neurodefective Lurcher mutant (+/Lc) and normal wild type mice (+/+). Both newborn and young adult (3 months) animals derived from two strains (C3H, B6CBA) were exposed to HF EMF (870 MHz) from 1st to 21st day or from 91st to 120th day respectively. In animals of both groups and controls we observed the development of body weight. Moreover, in the HF EMF exposed adult B6CBA animals we studied spatial learning ability, motor functions and the CNS excitability. To investigate specific energy absorption rate (SAR) in experimental animals we have done the basic 3D calculations of the electromagnetic energy distribution in the simplified model of the mouse. The HF EMF exposed animals exhibited mild differences of body weight between them and unexposed controls. The long-term exposure to HF EMF did not significantly influence the ability to learn in the Morris water maze. However, significant lower swimming speed was found in the irradiated +/Lc as well as lower motor activity of +/+ in the open field when compared to controls. No significant differences were found between HF EMF irradiated animals and controls in examination of the CNS excitability and motor functions.