Search results for " Bioindicator"

The Application of Active Biomonitoring with the Use of Mosses to Identify Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Atmospheric Aerosol

2021

The use of biological indicators of environmental quality is an alternative method of monitoring ecosystem pollution. Various groups of contaminants, including organic ones, can be measured in environmental samples. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have not yet been determined by the moss bag technique. This technique uses several moss species simultaneously in urban areas to select the best biomonitoring of these compounds, which are dangerous to humans and the environment. In this research, a gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used for the determination of selected PAHs in three species of mosses: Pleurozium schreberi, Sphagnum fallax and Dicranum polysetum (acti…

Potentiality of extensive green roofs soils in sustaining Mediterranean annual dry grassland of the EU-Habitat 6220*

2015

Nature-based solutions are defined as living solutions inspired by, continuously supported by and using nature (Final Report of the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on 'Nature-Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities'). In line with this statement and according to the European research and innovation policy agenda, green roofs (GRs) represent a fundamental requisite for urban sustainable development, being potential stepping stones for plants and animals, including those characterizing habitats of Community interest. In our work, we tested the suitability of green roofs in hosting Mediterranean annual dry grassland of the 92/43 ECC Habitat 6220* (pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-B…

Influenza del diverso interramento di una cover crop (Veccia/Avena) sui bioindicatori della qualità del suolo

2007

Nella presente ricerca è stato valutato l’effetto delle diverse modalità di interramento di una cover crop (consociazione veccia/avena) su alcuni bioindicatori della qualità del suolo. L’area di studio è situata in Sambuca di Sicilia (AG), su suoli (Typic Haploxerepts) a vigneto, con tessitura argillosa, pH neutro e pendenza media del 10%. L’interramento della biomassa vegetale è stato effettuato con tre diverse modalità: erpicatura (E), fresatura (F) e sfalcio (S). Il campionamento dei suoli è stato eseguito a 2 diverse profondità (0-20 cm; 20-40 cm) dopo circa un mese dall’interramento; contemporaneamente, è stato campionato un suolo contiguo gestito con tecniche colturali tradizionali (T…

Soil bioindicators and weed emergence as affected by essential oils extracted from leaves of three different Eucalyptus species

2017

The widespread use of synthetic herbicides has resulted in herbicide-resistant weeds, altered ecological balance and negative effects on human health. To overcome these problems, efforts are being made to reduce the reliance on synthetic herbicides and shift to natural products. Essential oils (EOs) extracted from plants have been demonstrated to have potential herbicide activity. EOs, composed by volatile organic compounds and characterized by a strong odor, are used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries as they are thought to be safe compounds for humans, animals, and the environment. EOs extracted from Eucalyptus leaves have antimicrobial, antiviral, fungicidal, insecticida…

Preliminary results on the distribution of benthic foraminifera in the lagoon like coastal basin Stagnone di Marsala (Trapani, Italy)

2010

Study of benthic foraminifera in the Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Gela (Sicilian Channel) and their possible use as bioindicators

2009

Registration of past submarine massive outgassing events in Posidonia oceanica L. (Delile) through stable carbon isotopes

2009

Studio delle tanatocenosi a foraminiferi bentonici nel Golfo di Gela

2009

Soil profile dismantlement by land levelling and deep tillage damages soil functioning but not quality

2016

We investigated the effects of land levelling followed by deep tillage, thus inducing a drastic dismantlement of soil profile, on both soil functioning and quality by monitoring various bioindicators (microbial biomass and community structure, basal respiration, enzyme activities) expressed on either whole soil and TOC mass units, respectively. As expected, in disturbed soils all measured properties had much higher coefficients of variation (CVs), regardless of either whole soil or TOC mass basis, due to the induced spatial variability. The amount of total organic C in the first cubic meter of soil profile was of one order of magnitude greater in undisturbed soils compared to disturbed ones…

Soil chemical and biochemical properties of a salt-marsh alluvial Spanish area after long-term reclamation

2009

Marisma, one of the largest salt-marsh alluvial areas in SW Spain, has been reclaimed since 1970 by artificial drainage and amendment with phosphogypsum (PG) so as to reduce Na+ saturation. Within the reclaimed area, two 250- × 20-m plots were treated as follows: (1) amendment with 25 Mg/ha of PG every 2 to 3 years between 1979 and 2003 (plot PY); (2) like PY but PG treatment stopped after 1997 (plot DR). A contiguous virgin Marisma salt-marsh plot (MV), neither drained nor amended, was the control. In MV, soil microbial biomass C, most enzyme activities and total organic C content were much greater than in PY and DR soils, despite the salinity stress. The decrease in soil organic matter co…