Učinci bioloških radova u integriranom uređenju bujičnih slivova Grdeličke klisure i Vranjske doline (Srbija)

Integrated watershed management is based on the application of various biological and technical works, and administration measure to reduce the degradation process. The paper presents an analysis of the effects of performed biological works as part of integrated watershed management within the Grdelica Gorge and Vranjska Valley. Extensive erosion control works were carried out in the second half of the 20th century. As vegetation is one of the key factors in mitigating the erosion process, the paper presents the trend of connecting the surface with the vegetation cover, which results from implemented biological measures. Using multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat missions) for 1972, 1986, 1996, and 2017, the vegetation index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index – NDVI) was analyzed in torrent basins, which were afforested to control severe erosion processes. The increasing trend of vegetated areas was recorded in period from 1986 to 1996 (very low vegetation coverage 40.19 % in 1986 and 8.19 % in 1996, respectively), which continues to grow until 2017 when the very low vegetation coverage was 0.26 %, and moderately high vegetation coverage was 50.63 %.Područje Grdeličke klisure i Vranjske doline (slika 1) je zbog specifičnih prirodnih i socijalno-ekonomskih prilika u prošlosti bilo ugroženo procesima prekomjerne erozije. Sredinom prošloga stoljeća zabilježene su bujične poplave s izraženim destruktivnim učinkom. S ciljem ublažavanja negativnih učinaka bujičnih poplava i erozionih procesa na ovom području, prvi put u Republici Srbiji, u okviru integrirane regulacije, izvedeni su brojni biološki i tehnički radovi i određene administrativne mjere. Za ovo područje izrađena je karta erozije (1953.) (slika 3), koja je bila polazna točka za planirano izvođenje protuerozijskih radova. Cilj ovoga rada je analizirati učinke izvedenih bioloških radova metodama daljinskog istraživanja.Velik dio protuerozijskog pošumljavanja na istraženom području proveden je krajem pedesetih i početkom šezdesetih godina prošloga stoljeća. Za analizu učinaka bioloških mjera protuerozijskog pošumljavanja u istraživanju korišteni su podaci dobiveni metodama daljinskog istraživanja. Iz satelitskih snimaka za 1972., 1986., 1996. i 2017. izračunat je vegetacijski indeks normalizirane vrijednost (NDVI) koji pokazuje stanje vegetacije (slika 2), koja je u kontekstu zaštite tla od erozionih procesa najvažnija komponenta. Razdvajanje klasa vegetacijskog pokrivača na istraženim površinama provedeno je na temelju klasifikacije prikazane u tablici 1. Obrada satelitskih snimaka, izračun indeksa vegetacije i prostorna analiza izvedena je pomoću programskog paketa ArcMap 10.8.1 (ESRI, Redlands, CA).Kako se pozitivni učinci bioloških radova mogu primijetiti tek nakon duljeg razdoblja, a zbog postupnog i sporog razvoja zaštitnog vegetacijskog pokrova na snimci 1972. godine, nije moguće primijetiti pune učinke radova izvedenih pedesetih godina prošloga stoljeća. Stoga je 1972. godina uzeta kao nulto stanje. Sljedeće promatrane godine (1986.) primijećene su promjene u postotnoj raspodjeli područja s višim vrijednostima indeksa NDVI. Na temelju analize NDVI primijećen je značajan porast površina pokrivenih vegetacijom. Trend povećanja površine pod vegetacijom, a istodobno i smanjenja procesa erozije, primijećen je i 1996. godine (slika 4). U usporedbi pokrivenosti vegetacije 1996. godine s prethodnim razdobljem (1986.) došlo je do smanjenja površine u nižoj klasi i značajno povećanja površine u klasi umjereno niske (oko 30 %). Na kraju proučenog razdoblja 2017. godine, najzastupljenija su područja s umjereno niskim, umjereno visokim i visokim pokrivanjem vegetacije. Upravo takav trend povećanja površina pod vegetacijom utjecao je na smanjenje erozijskih procesa, što potvrđuje činjenica da je koeficijent erozije za 2010. godinu iznosio Zsr = 0,24 (tablica 2).Prema dobivenim rezultatima provedenih istraživanja, može se zaključiti da su izvedeni biološki radovi u okviru cjelovitog uređenja bujičnih bazena značajno pridonijeli poboljšanju vegetacijskog stanja i prevenciji erozionih procesa te pokazali pozitivan učinak

Rutin and quercetin content in the forage of common buckwheat as affected by maturity and conservation method

The content of rutin and quercetin was examined in fresh, hayed and ensiled forage of common buckwheat. The treatments were two varieties of buckwheat, 'Bamby' and 'Lileja', and two ripening stages of harvest, first green and first brown achenes. In the silage, produced with experimental mini-silos, additional treatments were the wilting of the forage (at 35% dry matter) and the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum as inoculum. The concentration of rutin and quercetin decreased between ripening stages. Flavonoid content was different among varieties, 'Lileja' had the highest rutin concentration (about 20 g kg-1), while 'Bamby' had the highest quercetin concentration (about 0.2 g kg-1). Rutin and quercetin yield reached about 70 kg ha-1 and 500 g ha-1, respectively. The haymaking process reduced the rutin and quercetin concentration in the forage, however, the extent of reduction was higher at the green (-43% for rutin and -55% for quercetin) than at the brown achenes stage (-13% rutin and -26% quercetin). The ensiling process, with the associated bacterial activities, led to the transformation of rutin into quercetin. The decrease of rutin in the silage, compared to fresh forage, ranged between -84 and -99%, while in contrast, the quercetin concentration increased by about 140-200 times. However, the loss of total rutin plus quercetin during ensiling was limited (approximately 5%). Forage wilting negatively affected rutin transformation in quercetin, while bacterial inoculum improved it. These results highlight that the forage of buckwheat could be considered like a dietary supplement rich of flavonoids, with the potential to be used as functional feed

Spatial assessment of the areas sensitive to degradation in the rural area of the municipality Čukarica

In this paper, the assessment of the sensitivity of the soil in the rural area of Čukarica municipality to the processes of degradation is considered. Land areas, especially in the vicinity of large cities, are exposed to numerous processes of degradation: soil erosion, urban and industrial zone expansion at the expense of fertile agricultural soils, activation of landslides and a number of other significant ecological problems. Based on the characteristics of the research area, the MEDALUS (Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use) model was applied, and for the assessment of sensitivity to the processes of degradation the main quality indicators were considered: soil, climate, vegetation and management. For each of the analyzed quality indicators, parameter groups were identified. Each parameter is quantified according to the defined method by giving them a sensitivity coefficient between 1.0 and 2.0. ArcGIS 10.0 has been applied to analyze and prepare layers of quality maps. Subsequently, the geometric mean for all four quality indicators was used to generate the map of environmental sensitivity to degradation. The results obtained show that 41.54% of the study area is classified as critical; 22.34% of the surface as fragile; 8.47% of the areas are potentially endangered and 9.58% not threatened to degradation processes. The results have also shown that MEDALUS model is a functional tool for simulations which support sustainable land management in the areas prone to degradation

Risk management of a torrential flood construction project using the Monte Carlo simulation

Projects for the regulation of torrent basins carry various unforeseen adverse effects that may result in breached deadlines, increased costs, a reduction of quality etc. The paper presents the basic characteristics and most frequent risks associated with erosion control. Furthermore, it provides an overview of risk management through its basic stages - starting from risk identification and risk analysis to risk responses, including the methods used for risk analysis. As a part of quantitative methods for risk analysis, the Monte Carlo method is presented as the one most frequently used in simulations. The Monte Carlo method is a stochastic simulation method consisting of the following stages: the identification of criterion and relevant variables, the allocation of probability for relevant variables, the determination of correlation coefficient among relevant variables, simulation execution and result analysis. This method was applied in the analysis of the total cost of the project for the basin regulation of the Dumača River in order to determine the funding that would be used as a backup in case of unforeseen events with a negative impact. The project for the regulation of the Dumača River includes basin regulation in the form of complex flow profile and the lining of zones where necessary in terms of stability. The total cost is presented as a sum of costs of all works (preliminary works, earthworks, masonry works, concrete works and finishing works). The Monte Carlo simulation for cost analysis is carried out using the Oracle Crystal Ball software with its basic steps described in the paper. A sum of funding needed as a financial backup in case of unforeseen events with negative effects is obtained as the simulated total cost of the project

Identifying Areas Sensitive to Wind Erosion—A Case Study of the AP Vojvodina (Serbia)

Wind erosion is one of the most significant forms of land degradation which occurs in arid and semi-arid regions. Agricultural land is significantly affected by wind erosion, which leads to soil quality reduction, and consequently to economic losses. This research was conducted in the autonomous province (AP) of Vojvodina (a region dominated by agriculture), which represents one of the most important economic regions in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this research was to identify areas sensitive to wind erosion (in the month of March) in the AP Vojvodina by using fuzzy logic, remote sensing data, and geographical information systems (GIS). The data of prior research on erosion sediment were used for results validation. The results show that the hazardous sensitivity category covers approximately 60.41% of the research area, while the medium sensitive category accounts for 36% of the area. These findings are primarily a result of the lack of vegetation in almost the entire area, particularly in wind-exposed agricultural areas with no vegetation, which are being prepared for sowing. Another factor putting such a large area at risk is the unfavorable climate (especially in southeastern parts of the area), and slightly less favorable soil properties in the north. The results of this research could be used in decision-making at the regional level, along with the development and implementation of programs aimed at mitigating the effects of wind erosion

Environmental and Health Risk Assessment Due to Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil near Former Antimony Mine in Western Serbia

Background: Anthropogenic activities have clearly affected the environment, with irreversible and destructive consequences. Mining activities have a significant negative impact, primarily on soil, and then on human health. The negative impact of the first mining activities is represented even today in the soils of those localities. Research shows that, for different types of mines, the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are high, especially in antimony, multi-metal and lead–zinc mines, which have adverse effects on the environment and then on human health and the economy. A large flood in 2014 in Western Serbia resulted in the breaking of the dam of the processed antimony ore dump of the former antimony mine, causing toxic tailings to spill and pollute the downstream area. Due to this accident, tailings material flooded the area downstream of the dump, and severely affected the local agriculture and population. Methods: Potentially toxic elements content, pollution indices and health indices were determined in soil samples from the flooded area, using referenced methodologies. The sources and routes of pollutants and risks were determined and quantified using statistical principal component analysis, positive matrix factorisation, and a Monte Carlo simulation. Results: The main source of As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb and Zn in the upper part of the study area was the tailing material. Based on the pollution indices, about 72% of the studied samples show a high risk of contamination and are mainly distributed immediately downstream of the tailings dump that was spilled due to heavy rainfall. Conclusions: Although the content of the PTEs is high, there is no non-carcinogenic risk for any PTEs except As, for which a threshold risk was determined. There is no carcinogenic risk in the study area

CARBON STORAGE IN SHELTERBELTS IN THE AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS OF THE BAČKA PALANKA AREA (SERBIA)

Field shelterbelts as agroforestry practice provides numerous ecosystem services.Carbon capture and storage potential in biomass and soil is among regulatingservices shelterbelts provide. Designing shelterbelts to address the various demandsand provide services, requests special attention to choosing structural and spatialcharacteristics of shelterbelts, and species selection for shelterbelts. This paperpresents the research results of C storage in 20-years old shelterbelts established onGleyic Phaeozem in the area of Bačka Palanka (Serbia). Investigated shelterbeltswere consisted of the most commonly used species for shelterbelt establishment inSerbia: Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.), poplar (Populus x euramericana (Dode)Guin. cv. „Serotina“) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). The diameter atbreast height (d) and the height (h) of all trees in studied shelterbelts weremeasured. Carbon stock in biomass was estimated according to IPCC (2003)methodology. Soil profiles were opened in studied shelterbelts with soil samplingcarried out at fixed depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-40 cm. Assessment ofcarbon storage in soil was performed according to IPCC (2003). According to theresearch results, living biomass C stock in 20-years old Siberian elm and poplarshelterbelts per tree is almost the same 0.333 t per tree and 0.300 t per tree,respectively. In black locust shelterbelt carbon stock is considerable less 0.111 t pertree. However, in species selection for shelterbelts some characteristics should takeinto account such as adaptability and suitability to the environmental conditions,longevity and their impact on crops that are grown in the sheltered fields, as well asthe natural potential vegetation communities of the area. The results of this studyindicate that the poplar is preferred species than the Siberian elm in givenenvironmental conditions. The average carbon stock in the soil of studiedshelterbelts in a layer 0-40 cm is 9.33 kg m-2 C

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations and Their Ratios as Indicators of Water Quality and Eutrophication of the Hydro-System Danube–Tisza–Danube

Conserving clean and safe freshwater is a global challenge, with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) as frequent limiting factors affecting water quality due to eutrophication. This paper provides a critical overview of the spatiotemporal variability in both nutrient concentrations and their total mass ratio (TN:TP) in the canal network of the Hydro system Danube–Tisza–Danube at 21 measuring locations monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency of the Republic of Serbia over a length of almost 1000 km, collected once a month during the last decade. A spatiotemporal variation in nutrient concentrations in the tested surface water samples was confirmed by correlations and cluster analyses. The highest TN concentrations were found in winter and early spring (non-vegetation season), and the highest TP concentrations in the middle of the year (vegetation season). The TN:TP mass ratio as an indicator of the eutrophication pointed out N and P co-limitation (TN:TP 8–24) in 64% of samples, N limitation (TN:TP 24) in the remaining 9% of water samples. Such observations indicate slow-flowing, lowland water courses exposed to the effects of non-point and point contamination sources as nutrient runoff from the surrounding farmlands and/or urban and industrial zones, but further investigation is needed for clarification. These results are an important starting point for reducing N and P runoff loads and controlling source pollution to improve water quality and underpin recovery from eutrophication in the studied watershed