How geographic and climatic factors affect the adaptation of Douglas-fir provenances to the temperate continental climate zone in Europe

European Journal of Forest Research - The contribution of Douglas-fir (Df) to European forests is likely to increase as the species is a potential adaptation option to climate change. In this...     

Schwermetalle in Oberböden des Warthetals unter städtischem Einfluß

Heavy metals in surface soils of the Warta river valley in an urban area In the urban area of the city of Poznan the contamination with heavy metals was investigated. From the top soil layers of five cross-sections of the valley of the Warta river 87 samples were collected. Beside common soil characteristics the contents of arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, phosphorus and zinc were analyzed. Predominantly the level of contamination with heavy metals is low in the valley soils. A higher level was found in the area of the old city centre. Especially the contents of lead, copper and zinc were raised. Downstream of the sewage plant discharge into the river Warta increased contents of lead and cadmium were found. The distribution of heavy metals in the river Warta sediments indicates that the reason of the local increase of heavy metal contents is the sewage water discharge, Correlations between the content of different heavy metals and other soil properties (pH, clay and P-content, C/N-ratio) were calculated.     

Index‐based analysis of climate change impact on streamflow conditions important for Northern Pike,Chub and Atlantic salmon

Climate change is expected to affect the flow regime, cause loss of habitat, change community composition and behavioural habits of fish. This study assessed the impact of climate change on ecologically relevant streamflow conditions for fish migration and spawning in the Vistula and the Odra river basins. Streamflow simulations obtained with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the historical period and two future horizons were driven by nine bias‐corrected EURO‐CORDEX Regional Climate Models under two greenhouse gas concentration trajectories. This study identified a subset of Indicators of Hydrological Alteration (IHA) that are relevant for pike, Esox lucius L., chub, Squalius cephalus (L.), and Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. IHA indicators were calculated and compared for different scenarios. An index‐based framework identified that all considered species will be impacted by climate change, with Atlantic salmon facing the largest impact. The model's uncertainty was addressed through an aggregation method that assessed inconsistencies in the model's response.