Recent plant diversity changes on Europe's mountain summits

In mountainous regions, climate warming is expected to shift species' ranges to higher altitudes. Evidence for such shifts is still mostly from revisitations of historical sites. We present recent (2001 to 2008) changes in vascular plant species richness observed in a standardized monitoring network across Europe's major mountain ranges. Species have moved upslope on average. However, these shifts had opposite effects on the summit floras' species richness in boreal-temperate mountain regions (+3.9 species on average) and Mediterranean mountain regions (-1.4 species), probably because recent climatic trends have decreased the availability of water in the European south. Because Mediterranean mountains are particularly rich in endemic species, a continuation of these trends might shrink the European mountain flora, despite an average increase in summit species richness across the region.     

The distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Obolodiplosis robiniae</Emphasis> on black locust in Slovakia

For the first time during October 2006, the occurrence of Obolodiplosis robiniae (Haldeman 1847) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) was recorded on the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in Slovakia. During 2007, field surveys were undertaken to determine the distribution of the species and the infestation ratio at different locations. One year after its first discovery, O. robiniae was found throughout southern Slovakia. The gall midge was observed in 148 out of 161 checked locations. The infestation ratio of single leaves varied from 4 to 100%. The infestation ratio of the black locust tree was evaluated during May–June, July–August, and September–October, and accounted for 15–39, 9–53, and 6–49%, respectively. The most frequent infestation ratio fluctuated from 10 to 30% (115 locations). The highest infestation was recorded during July–August. Greater infestation was prevalent in the larger settlements than it was in the countryside. The gall midge was also recorded on R. viscosa Vent. Although the results show that O. robiniae is nowadays an usual insect with high potential to become an important pest of ornamental black locust or biological control agent against weedy black locust in southern Slovakia, the species do not appear to have reached pest status until now.     

Predicting heavy metal transfer from soil to plant: potential use of Freundlich‐type functions

Soil‐plant transfer of metals is a nonlinear process. We therefore aimed at evaluating the potential of Freundlich‐type functions (c_Plant = b × c_Soil^a) to predict Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain and leaf (c_Plant) from soil concentrations (c_Soil). Wheat plants and soil A horizons, mainly developed from Holocene sediments, were sampled at 54 agricultural sites in Slovakia. Metals were extracted from soils with 0.025 M EDTA at pH 4.6 and concentrated HNO₃/HClO₄ (3:1); plant samples were digested with concentrated HNO₃. Total metal concentrations of soil samples were 0.07—25 mg Cd kg^—1, 9.3—220 mg Cu kg^—1, 14—1827 mg Pb kg^—1, and 34—1454 mg Zn kg^—1. On average, between 20 % (Zn) and 80 % (Cd) of the total concentrations were EDTA‐extractable. The total metal concentrations of grain samples were < 0.01—1.3 mg Cd kg^—1, 1.3—6.6 mg Cu kg^—1, < 0.05—0.30 mg Pb kg^—1, and 8—104 mg Zn kg^—1. The leaves contained up to 3.2 mg Cd kg^—1, 111 mg Cu kg^—1, 4.3 mg Pb kg^—1, and 177 mg Zn kg^—1. Linear regression without data transformation was precluded because of the nonnormal data distribution. The Freundlich‐type function was suitable to predict Cd (grain: r = 0.71, leaf: 0.86 for the log‐transformed data) and Zn concentrations (grain: 0.69, leaf: 0.68) in wheat grain and leaf from the EDTA‐extractable metal concentrations. The prediction of Cu and Pb concentrations in grain (Cu: r = 0.44, Pb: 0.41) was poorer and in leaf only possible for Pb (0.50). We suggest to use the Freundlich‐type function for defining threshold values instead of linear regression because it is more appropriate to simulate the nonlinear uptake processes and because it offers interpretation potential. The results suggest that the coefficient b of the Freundlich‐type function depends on the intensity of metal uptake, while the coefficient a reflects the plants' capability to control the heavy metal uptake. The latter is also sensitive to metal translocation in plants and atmospheric deposition.<?show $6#>     

Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase and Phenolic Compounds in Chamomile Tolerance to Cadmium and Copper Excess

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity (PAL, EC 4.3.1.5), total phenolics, soluble proteins, malondialdehyde and metals accumulation in four-week old chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) plants cultivated in nutrient solution and exposed to low (3 μM) and high (60 and 120 μM) levels of cadmium (Cd) or copper (Cu) for 7 days were studied. High Cd concentrations had a stimulatory effect on PAL activity and soluble phenolics accumulation while high Cu doses decreased soluble proteins in the leaf rosettes. In the roots, extreme stimulatory effects of 60 and 120 μM Cu were observed on PAL activity, phenolics and malondialdehyde accumulation, while protein content was reduced by these Cu doses. Cd accumulation was higher in the leaf rosettes compared to copper, but the opposite was recorded in the roots. Taken together, the stimulatory effect of Cu on phenolic metabolism was recorded, even though high malondialdehyde accumulation may be an indication that phenolics was not sufficient to counteract reactive oxygen species formation thus leading to damage of membrane integrity. In comparison to Cd, Cu had more noticeable effect on the parameters studied to support its strong redox-active properties. These facts in correlation to antioxidative properties of phenolic metabolites are also discussed.     

Source-receptor relationships for trace elements in Northern Europe

Measured air concentrations of several trace elements in southern Scandinavia have been related to long range transport and emissions of the same elements from sources in Europe using receptor modelling and statistical trajectory sector analysis. A good agreement, within a factor of 1.5 between estimates and measurements, has been obtained for Mn, Ni, Cu, and As. Significant differences were noted for V and Pb.     

Tree species selection for land rehabilitation in Ethiopia: from fragmented knowledge to an integrated multi-criteria decision approach

Dryland regions worldwide are increasingly suffering from losses of soil and biodiversity as a consequence of land degradation. Integrated conservation, rehabilitation and community-based management of natural resources are therefore of vital importance. Local planting efforts should focus on species performing a wide range of functions. Too often however, unsuitable tree species are planted when both ecological suitability for the targeted area or preferences of local stakeholders are not properly taken into account during selection. To develop a decision support tool for multi-purpose species selection, first information needs to be pooled on species-specific ranges, characteristics and functions for a set of potentially valuable species. In this study such database has been developed for the highly degraded northern Ethiopian highlands, using a unique combination of information sources, and with particular attention for local ecological knowledge and preferences. A set of candidate tree species and potentially relevant criteria, a flexible input database with species performance scores upon these criteria, and a ready-to-use multi-criteria decision support tool are presented. Two examples of species selection under different scenarios have been worked out in detail, with highest scores obtained for Cordia africana and Dodonaea angustifolia, as well as Eucalyptus spp., Acacia abyssinica, Acacia saligna, Olea europaea and Faidherbia albida. Sensitivity to criteria weights, and reliability and lack of knowledge on particular species attributes remain constraints towards applicability, particularly when many species are jointly evaluated. Nonetheless, the amount and diversity of the knowledge pooled in the presented database is high, covering 91 species and 45 attributes.     

Parasitic Ichneumonoidea on the horse chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Slovakia

Parasitic Hymenoptera from the suprafamily Ichneumonoidea attacking the horse chestnut leafminer Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) were studied in southwest Slovakia during 2000 and 2001. The search for such species resulted in the determination of eight ichneumonid species, Gelis agilis (Fabricius), Itoplectis alternans (Gravenhorst), I. clavicornis (Thompson), I. maculator (Fabricius), Scambus annulatus (Kiss), S. brevicornis (Gravenhorst), Zatypota percontatoria (Müller), Adelognathus sp. and a braconid Colastes braconius Haliday. The most abundant species was S. annulatus. All these species recorded are polyphagous and often facultative hyperparasitoids, except C. braconius, which departs from this norm in not being hyperparasitic. The presence of more diversified native parasitoids and hyperparasitoids from the Ichneumonoidea predicate a slow successive adaptation of the parasitoid fauna to the invasive host, Cameraria ohridella.     

Assessment of the repeatability of a milk Ostertagia ostertagi ELISA and effects of sample preparation

An indirect Ostertagia ostertagi ELISA on milk is a promising diagnostic tool in bovine parasitology. Interpretation of the test results requires a good knowledge of the test characteristics. In this study, border effects, the repeatability of the ELISA and the effect of different factors such as storage, skimming and freeze–thaw cycles of the milk samples were investigated. The border effects trial showed that significant border effects can occur. The repeatability trial was conducted over 3 days. An alternative graphical technique to assess the repeatability over a large number of ELISA plates measured over different days was developed. From these graphs, it was obvious that the ODR values obtained on the third day were deviating from the values on the first and second day. On the third day, also abnormal control values were observed. When the control values were normal, 94% of the variability was explained by the milk sample and 6% by assay variability. The expected 95% range of the difference of 2 ODR readings of the same sample on the same plate and the same sample on different plates was −0.14 to 0.14 and −0.16 to 0.16. No extra variability was observed when samples were tested on a different day, however these results are based on the measurement of 2 days. Storage for 2–4 days at 4 °C, using whole milk instead of skimmed milk and up to 2 extra freeze–thaw cycles of the milk samples did not significantly affect the test results.     

Targeted screening of contaminants and physico-chemical behaviors in permanent grass vegetation soils and agricultural soils from Eastern Slovakia

Journal of Soils and Sediments - To evaluate the ecological risk, physico-chemical properties, and the impact of anthropogenic sources on permanent eighteen samples of grass vegetation soils (PGVS)...