Search results for "Bioindicators"
showing 6 items of 26 documents
The use of bark of Scots Pine in environmental impact assessment of cement and lime dust
2016
Analizie poddano korę sosny zwyczajnej znajdującej się pod presją zanieczyszczeń alkalicznych cementowni Chełm. Na podstawie wodnych wyciągów z kory określono zasięg oddziaływania pyłów cementowo-wapienniczych na środowisko. Zależności pomiędzy pHH2O kory a odległością od źródła emisji pyłów badano metodą analizy regresji i korelacji liniowej. Wyniki badań odnoszono do wyników uzyskanych na leśnej powierzchni kontrolnej - wolnej od zanieczyszczeń alkalicznych. W miarę oddalania od źródła zanieczyszczeń opad pyłów cementowo-wapienniczych obniża się, co jest zrozumiałe, i znajduje potwierdzenie w zmiennych wartościach pHH2O kory sosny. Najsilniej odnotowano presję w kierunku NE, ES i SW, gdzi…
Exploring land snails’ response to habitat characteristics and their potential as bioindicators of riparian forest quality
2021
Abstract Riparian ecosystems are crucial for landscape-level biodiversity, especially in highly anthropic and agricultural areas. Although the low mobility of snails reduces their dispersal capacity and makes them vulnerable to habitat degradation, they are less commonly used as indicators. We evaluated the potential of land snails as bioindicators of riparian forest quality in central European riparian forests by surveying snail communities in relation to habitat characteristics that characterize its quality. Habitat characteristics were found to affect both snail abundance and species richness. The abundance of snail species increased with the forest continuity, forest width and abundance…
Aquatic Macrophytes Occurrence in Mediterranean Farm Ponds: Preliminary Investigations in North-Western Sicily (Italy)
2021
Mediterranean wetlands are severely affected by habitat degradation and related loss of biodiversity. In this scenario, the wide number of artificial farm ponds can play a significant role in the biodiversity conservation of aquatic flora. In the present contribution we show the preliminary results of a study on Mediterranean farm ponds of north-western Sicily (Italy), aimed to investigating the environmental factors linked to the occurrence of submerged macrophytes (vascular plants and charophytes). We studied the aquatic flora of 30 ponds and determined the chemical and isotopic composition of their water bodies on a subset of the most representative 10 sites. Results show that (1) farm p…
Shifting Long-Term Tillage to Geotextile Mulching for Weed Control Improves Soil Quality and Yield of Orange Orchards
2023
Weed control in urban and peri-urban orange orchards is challenging due to operational and legislative restrictions. Tillage, besides from negatively affecting soil fertility and microorganisms, is demanding for humans. On the other hand, herbicides are advised against due to the possibility to reach waterbodies from the soil surface. Therefore, in urban and peri-urban areas, instead of tillage and herbicides, mulching with black plastic geotextile fabric is often used. This study aimed at assessing the impact of long-term soil mulching with black plastic geotextile fabric on soil fertility, microbial community and yield of an orange orchard in comparison to conventional tillage. To this ai…
SHORT-TERM RESPONSE OF SOIL MICROORGANISMS TO ESSENTIAL OILS WITH ALLELOPATHIC POTENTIAL EXTRACTED FROM MEDITERRANEAN PLANTS
2015
Essential oils (EOs) with allelopathic compounds have been used to reduce or avoid weed germination and growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential phytotoxic effects of EOs extracted from different Mediterranean plants on soil microbial biomass and activity. EOs were extracted from leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh (EUC); Eriocephalus africanus L. (ERI); Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link (TCP); Citrus reticulata Blanco var. ‘Clemenules’ (TAN) and Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck var. ‘Eureka’ (LEM). Each EO was supplied to pots containing 560 g of soil at three different doses (low, medium, high). After 15, 30, 90, 120 days the supply of EOs, soils were destructively a…
Marine Invertebrates as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution
2015
The marine environment presents a range of anthropogenic contaminants. According to the World Health Organization, more than 100,000 chemicals are released into the global environment every year as a consequence of their production, use and disposal. The fate of a chemical substance depends on physical-chemical properties, in combination with the characteristics of the environment where it is released. Among the substances that accumulate in the sea, for anthropogenic activities, metals/metalloids have a leading position. Some of these have a biological role but their bioaccumulation is injurious. Chemical pollutants can cause effects on organisms, biodiversity and human health. Various eff…