Article
Environmental Sciences
Joana Ribeiro, Jorge Espinha Marques, Catarina Mansilha, Deolinda Flores
Summary: This study assessed the changes in soil carbon content after wildfires, identifying harmful compounds like charcoal and pyrogenic PAH. These compounds pose a threat to the environment and ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and human health.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Ewa Blonska, Wojciech Prazuch, Jaroslaw Lasota
Summary: The main objective of this study was to determine the role of deadwood in the formation of soil organic matter fractions in mountain forest soils. By comparing the properties of decomposing deadwood and the soils beneath it, conclusions were drawn about the influence of deadwood on soil organic matter fractions and carbon storage in different climate conditions. Heavily decomposed deadwood had a stronger impact on soil organic matter stabilization, while the light fraction of organic matter was more sensitive to deadwood effects. The release of nutrients from decaying wood stimulated enzymatic activity in the influenced soils.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Clara Jaen, Gloria Titos, Sonia Castillo, Andrea Casans, Fernando Rejano, Alberto Cazorla, Javier Herrero, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Joan O. Grimalt, Barend L. van Drooge
Summary: This study investigated the sources of PM10 and the impact of atmospheric secondary processes on aerosol particle composition in a high-altitude site in southern Europe during summer 2021. The results identified Saharan dust, advection from the urbanized valley, local combustion, smoke from a fire-event, and aerosol from regional recirculation as the main sources of PM10. The sources of PM were associated with synoptic meteorological conditions and circulation patterns typical of mountainous areas. Despite the identification of a local pollution source, its contribution to PM10, OC, and EC was minimal. The findings highlight the significant influence of long-range transport of anthropogenic aerosols on the aerosol chemical composition at this remote site.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenwen Zhao, Yuan Xin, Zhongsheng Zhang, Xuehui Zhang, Haitao Wu
Summary: Little is known about the coupling between mercury (Hg) methylation and soil organic matter decomposition in degraded permafrost in high northern latitudes where climate warming is occurring rapidly. In this study, we conducted an anoxic warming incubation experiment for 87 days to explore the interactions between soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and methylmercury (MeHg) production. The results revealed significant promotion effects of warming on MeHg production, as well as increased greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced DOM fluorescence intensities. These findings highlight the complex relationships between warming, greenhouse gas emissions, and MeHg production in permafrost marshes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Mendez-Lopez, A. Gomez-Armesto, X. Pontevedra-Pombal, F. Fonseca, M. Arias-Estevez, J. C. Novoa-Munoz
Summary: This study assessed variations in total Hg contents and accumulation in the soil organic horizons of a forest area in NE Portugal, and found that tree species and organic matter quality significantly influence the fate of Hg in forest soils. Coniferous species showed higher Hg accumulation in the organic horizons, which may increase the risk of Hg mobilization due to wildfires and forest management practices.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Liu, Benqi Lu, Alexandre J. Poulain, Rui Zhang, Tong Zhang, Xinbin Feng, Bo Meng
Summary: Rice consumption is a major pathway for human methylmercury exposure in inland China, especially in mercury contaminated regions. However, high levels of methylmercury are still found in rice, calling for reconsideration of the bioavailability of mercury species in paddy soils. Incubation experiments showed that different Hg(II) species have varying impacts on mercury methylation at different mercury concentrations, emphasizing the importance of considering site-specific characteristics and the nature of mercury substrates for determining net methylmercury production.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ly Sy Phu Nguyen, Guey-Rong Sheu, Shuenn-Chin Chang, Neng-Huei Lin
Summary: Gas-particle partitioning of oxidized mercury in the atmosphere was studied at a mountain site in Taiwan, where temperature and relative humidity were found to strongly influence the partitioning. The study developed regression equations to improve understanding of the Hg biogeochemical cycle in the free troposphere downwind of continental East Asia.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniele Rodrigues Barbosa, Andres Calderin Garcia, Camila da Costa Barros de Souza, Nelson Moura Brasil do Amaral Sobrinho
Summary: Herbicide application is a common practice in agricultural systems for efficient weed control. This study found a close relationship between the herbicide oxyfluorfen accumulation in vegetable production areas and the structural characteristics of humic substances, indicating higher levels of oxyfluorfen in areas with lower slope and higher organic matter and clay content, affecting the recalcitrant properties of humic acids.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yongjie Wang, Guitao Shi, Danhe Wang, Qian Zhao, Su Jiang, Yangjie Li, Dongqi Wang, Chuanjin Li, Zhenlou Chen, Roberto Bargagli
Summary: This study investigated soil mercury levels in different areas of Antarctica and found a close relationship between mercury distribution and organic carbon content. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Siqi Zhang, Mingxing Wang, Jiang Liu, Shanyi Tian, Xueling Yang, Guangquan Xiao, Guomin Xu, Tao Jiang, Dingyong Wang
Summary: This study investigates the impact of biochar on the mercury (Hg) cycle in rice paddies using insights from soil dissolved organic matter (DOM). The results show that adding biochar can significantly reduce the bioaccumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in rice plants and increase the aromaticity and molecular weight of DOM. However, biochar addition can also enhance microbial activity and MeHg production in the soil.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Massimo Martinelli, Davide Moroni, Luca Bastiani, Simona Mrakic-Sposta, Guido Giardini, Lorenza Pratali
Summary: This study developed an innovative teleconsultation platform to address health issues in high-altitude areas. Through remote video conferences, patients could receive diagnoses and treatment recommendations from physicians in an outdoor setting. The platform successfully handled a large number of teleconsultation cases.
JOURNAL OF TELEMEDICINE AND TELECARE
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Ariana M. Chiapella, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Angela L. Strecker
Summary: The study found that mercury concentrations in fish in mountain lakes are influenced by various factors such as catchment tree cover, lake benthic primary production, and fish diet. Tree cover and fish diet are the main factors contributing to variations in mercury concentrations in fish, with benthic feeding fish tending to have higher mercury concentrations.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Marie Spohn, Katerina Diakova, Felipe Aburto, Sebastian Doetterl, Jakub Borovec
Summary: The addition of phosphate led to a significant increase in DOC concentration in soils, causing desorption of medium and large molecular size organic matter, especially in Ferralsols. Compared to chloride addition, phosphate addition also decreased the subsequent sorption of DOC, indicating its impact on the stabilization of soil organic matter.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaojuan Li, Tinghui Yang, Lettice C. Hicks, Bin Hu, Xin Liu, Dandan Wei, Zilong Wang, Weikai Bao
Summary: The variation of organic matter fractions in arid and semi-arid regions along latitudinal gradients is influenced by climate and soil physicochemical factors.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dandan Duan, Pei Lei, Wenlu Lan, Tianshen Li, Hao Zhang, Huan Zhong, Ke Pan
Summary: This study investigated the concentrations of total mercury and methylmercury in sediments from seven mangrove forests in China, finding that litterfall plays a significant role in regulating the levels of mercury. The organic matter in the sediments was predominantly derived from litterfall, influencing the accumulation of MeHg. Furthermore, the addition of mangrove litter stimulated the production of MeHg under anaerobic conditions, suggesting that litterfall acts as a source of inorganic Hg and labile carbon, facilitating Hg methylation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Katarzyna Szopka, Iwona Gruss, Dariusz Gruszka, Anna Karczewska, Krzysztof Gediga, Bernard Galka, Agnieszka Dradrach
Summary: The study found that the input of forest litter into the soil may significantly increase the effects of toxicity. Waterlogged conditions facilitated a release of As into pore water, and the addition of forest litter accelerated this effect thus causing increased toxicity.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Anna Karczewska, Agnieszka Dradrach, Bernard Galka, Katarzyna Szopka
Summary: This study examines the changes in extractability and fractionation of arsenic in heavily polluted anoxic soil samples caused by drying. The results show that fresh samples should be used for precise determination of arsenic extractability, while oven-dried samples can be used for rough assessment of environmental risk.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bernard Galka, Beata Kaliska, Daniela Pytlarz, Cezary Kabala
Summary: Copper ore mining, processing, and smelting can lead to soil and crop contamination with metals and metalloids. In this study, the impact of a large-scale tailings pond in SW Poland on soil quality and food production was evaluated. Results showed that element concentrations in plants were similar to commercially available products, indicating little impact from the tailings pond.
POLISH JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Aleksandra Loba, Jaroslaw Waroszewski, Marcin Sykula, Cezary Kabala, Markus Egli
Summary: Isotopes of meteoric Be-10, Cs-137, and Pu239+240 can be used as soil redistribution tracers, providing information about long-term and medium-term soil erosion rates. Understanding their behavior in the soil environment is crucial for determining their usefulness as soil erosion markers.
Article
Soil Science
Beata Labaz, Cezary Kabala, Jaroslaw Waroszewski, Michal Dudek, Adam Bogacz, Dariusz Gruszka, Szymon Mlynek
Summary: Water erosion and intense cultivation can lead to the irreversible loss of humus rich topsoil in chernozemic soils. However, afforestation with mixed broadleaf forests can effectively control erosion rates and protect against rapid degradation of Chernozems.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Beata Labaz, Jaroslaw Waroszewski, Michal Dudek, Adam Bogacz, Cezary Kabala
Summary: This study conducted in southern Poland's Proszowice Plateau found that Chernozems, a type of soil, can still exist in arable lands threatened by erosion. The morphology and characteristics of the soil were influenced by the relief intensity and agricultural practices.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Iwona Gruss, Jacek Twardowski, Anna Karczewska, Katarzyna Szopka, Kamila Kluczek, Joanna Magiera-Dulewicz
Summary: Collembola can be used as a model organism for ecotoxicological tests in soil. This study proposes growth inhibition of Collembola as a screening method to assess the risk of soil contamination. The results show that Collembola decrease in body size under arsenic contamination, with lower toxicity observed for As(V) compared to As(III). The growth inhibition effect significantly correlates with Collembola mortality and reproduction inhibition.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Cezary Kabala, Elzbieta Musztyfaga, Zdzislaw Jary, Jaroslaw Waroszewski, Bernard Galka, Miroslaw Kobierski
Summary: Bipartite and stagno-gleyed Planosols with distinct textures are increasingly common in the temperate climate zone. While ferrolysis is believed to be the main process responsible for textural change in South American Planosols, the importance of clay illuviation and lithogenic discontinuity for textural differentiation in other regions has been recognized. The presence of textural discontinuities along with water stagnation in (post)glacial landscapes of Central and Northern Europe challenges the previous perception that Planosols are atypical in this region. A study in Southwest Poland suggests that the lithogenic, periglacial, and pedological features of these soils have led to their unique classification and genesis. The study confirms that the different lithogeneses of the topsoil and subsoil layers are responsible for the abrupt textural difference in the soil profiles. The observations support the hypothesis that Luvic/Glossic Planosols in the older (post)glacial landscapes are polygenetic soils, with their formation starting in the Eemian period and continuing to the present.
Article
Soil Science
Cezary Kabala
Summary: Alluvial soils, elected as the Soils of the Year 2022 by the Soil Science Society of Poland, play a crucial role in agriculture, forestry, and the functioning of natural ecosystems. Their stratified structure and physicochemical properties are important for understanding environmental changes and human impact on landscapes.
SOIL SCIENCE ANNUAL
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Cezary Kabala, Jolanta Komisarek, Marcin Switoniak, Michal Kozlowski
Summary: The study analyzed 2360 soil profiles in Poland and found that the existing soil map does not correlate well with the soil types as classified by SGP6 for 40% of the areas. It suggests that a combination of soil-agricultural and soil-habitat maps would be most effective for preparing a new soil map on medium to small scales.
SOIL SCIENCE ANNUAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dorota Kawalko, Anna Karczewska, Karolina Lewinska
Summary: The concentrations of metal(loid)s in the Odra floodplain soils and the associated environmental risk were examined in this study. Some topsoil samples were found to be considerably enriched in Pb, Zn, Cu, and As, with Zn and As concentrations exceeding the permissible values defined by Polish law. However, it was demonstrated that the solubility of Zn and Mn can be efficiently reduced by liming, and the risk of their release from non-redoximorphic layers was assessed as negligible.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Anna Karczewska, Iwona Gruss, Katarzyna Szopka, Agnieszka Dradrach, Jacek Twardowski, Kamila Twardowska
Summary: This study aims to analyze the toxicity of arsenic in various contaminated soils to earthworms and its accumulation in their bodies. The results showed that E. fetida can tolerate extremely high total As concentrations in soils, however, the individual endpoints were not correlated and showed different patterns. The most sensitive endpoint was the number of juveniles. It was also found that the sum of non-specifically and specifically bound As could be a good chemical indicator of arsenic toxicity to soil invertebrates.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Dudek Michal, Cezary Kabala, Beata Labaz, Mateusz Krupski
Summary: The formation and evolution of Chernozems in Central Europe were studied using paleoenvironmental research and spectroscopy techniques. The infrared reflectance spectroscopy of soil organic matter was found to be useful in determining the history of land use and vegetation cover. The applicability of both near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy was confirmed, with higher statistical affinity found in mid-infrared spectroscopy. The study also confirmed the differences in land use/vegetation classes and the potential of spectroscopy techniques in identifying soil types and their evolution.
