Impact of plastic pollution on soil biological activity in white truffle habitats in the large river plains in Serbia

The impact of plastic pollution on forest soil biota is an emerging research area. There are knowledge gaps on a forest microbiome composition and activity as effected by wild waste deposition in forest ecosystems located on white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) habitat areas. Particles of plastic materials decompose into micro-plastic particles and are responsible for many changes in the soil physicochemical characteristics, including porosity, enzymatic activities, microbial activities, plant growth. One of the first investigations of plastic and microplastic (MP) in the soil on the territory of Serbia is currently underway and is being carried out within the project "Evaluation of the Microplastic in the Soils of Serbia - EMIPLAST - SoS". The research sites are located on the alluvial plains of the largest rivers in Serbia, which are the habitats of the white truffle. Forest sites visibly polluted and non-polluted by plastic materials were sampled and analysed for soil main chemical, physical and biological properties. Potentially mineralizable soil organic carbon was measured in a long-term incubation of soil samples with sequential measurement of the emitted CO2 flax by alkali trap method. Preliminary results showed that some soil properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, total C and N, CEC and mechanical composition are significantly affected by the presence of plastic materials. Generally, polluted sites showed elevated microbial respiration and the rates of C mineralization. For the Danube and Morava River basin the differences were significant, while for the Sava river basin the difference wasn’t significant. In order to establish the level of the negative impact of microplastics on soil properties and microbial activity in the longer term, the study is ongoing

Soil acidification as a limiting factor to agricultural production in the municipality of Ljubovija

The process of soil acidification means, above all, a reduction of soil solution pH. It can be the result of slow, years-long natural process or considerably accelerated due to a combination of natural processes and anthropogenic influences. Acidification is a very important factor in the permanent degradation of the fertility of soil, as the most important and hardly renewable natural resource. Studies on soil susceptibility to the process of acidification were carried out in the Municipality of Ljubovija, using three methods. Defining of the degree of soil susceptibility to the process of acidification allows timely activities aimed at the reduction of overall soil acidity. Management of agricultural land, in isolated areas, must be focused on a balanced use of fertilizers and agrotechnical measures, using proper planting /crops to achieve the optimum use of resources and sustainable soil fertility

Land Sensitivity Analysis of Degradation using MEDALUS model: Case Study of Deliblato Sands, Serbia

This paper studies the assessment of sensitivity to land degradation of Deliblato sands (the northern part of Serbia), as a special nature reserve. Sandy soils of Deliblato sands are highly sensitive to degradation (given their fragility), while the system of land use is regulated according to the law, consisting of three zones under protection. Based on the MEDALUS approach and the characteristics of the study area, four main factors were considered for evaluation: soil, climate, vegetation and management. Several indicators affecting the quality of each factor were identified. Each indicator was quantified according to its quality and given a weighting of between 1.0 and 2.0. ArcGIS 9 was utilized to analyze and prepare the layers of quality maps, using the geometric mean to integrate the individual indicator map. In turn, the geometric mean of all four quality indices was used to generate sensitivity of land degradation status map. Results showed that 56.26% of the area is classified as critical; 43.18% as fragile; 0.55% as potentially affected and 0.01% as not affected by degradation. The values of vegetation quality index, expressed as coverage, diversity of vegetation functions and management policy during the protection regime are clearly represented through correlation coefficient (0.87 and 0.47)

Potentially toxic elements in the riparian soils of the Sava River

Purpose Riparian zone contamination is a growing problem for several European catchments due to high anthropogenic pressures. This study investigates As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the Sava River riparian zone, characterized by wide agricultural areas, various geological substrates, and different types of industrial pollution. The accumulation and mobility of these elements were studied because they are listed as priority substances in the Water Framework Directive and environmental objectives for surface waters. Materials and methods Sampling was performed during the sampling campaign of the EU 7th FW-funded GLOBAQUA project in September 2015 during a low-water event. Soil samples were collected along the Sava River at 12 selected sampling sites, from a depth of 0–30 cm, at a distance of 10–15 m from the river bank. The extent of pollution was estimated by determining total and readily soluble element concentrations in the soils. Potential ecological risk and the source of the selected elements in the soils was determined using the enrichment factor (EF), potential ecological risk index (RI), and statistical methods such as the principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA). Results and discussion This study showed that concentrations of the selected elements increase along the Sava. In terms of origin, PCA and MLRA indicated that Cr and Ni in soils are predominantly lithogenic, while As, Cd, Pb, and Zn are both lithogenic and anthropogenic (ore deposits, industry, and agriculture). PCA singled out Cu since its origin in soil is most probably from specific point-source pollution. EF was generally minor to moderate for most of the examined elements, apart from Cu, for which the EF was significant at one sampling site. Overall ecological risk (RI) fell within the low-risk category for most sites, apart from Belgrade sampling site (BEO), where high total Cd content affected individual and overall ecological risk indicators, indicating Cd could represent a considerable ecological risk for the downstream riparian zone. Conclusions Purpose: Riparian zone contamination is a growing problem for several European catchments due to high anthropogenic pressures. This study investigates As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the Sava River riparian zone, characterized by wide agricultural areas, various geological substrates, and different types of industrial pollution. The accumulation and mobility of these elements were studied because they are listed as priority substances in the Water Framework Directive and environmental objectives for surface waters. Materials and methods: Sampling was performed during the sampling campaign of the EU 7th FW-funded GLOBAQUA project in September 2015 during a low-water event. Soil samples were collected along the Sava River at 12 selected sampling sites, from a depth of 0–30 cm, at a distance of 10–15 m from the river bank. The extent of pollution was estimated by determining total and readily soluble element concentrations in the soils. Potential ecological risk and the source of the selected elements in the soils was determined using the enrichment factor (EF), potential ecological risk index (RI), and statistical methods such as the principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA). Results and discussion: This study showed that concentrations of the selected elements increase along the Sava. In terms of origin, PCA and MLRA indicated that Cr and Ni in soils are predominantly lithogenic, while As, Cd, Pb, and Zn are both lithogenic and anthropogenic (ore deposits, industry, and agriculture). PCA singled out Cu since its origin in soil is most probably from specific point-source pollution. EF was generally minor to moderate for most of the examined elements, apart from Cu, for which the EF was significant at one sampling site. Overall ecological risk (RI) fell within the low-risk category for most sites, apart from Belgrade sampling site (BEO), where high total Cd content affected individual and overall ecological risk indicators, indicating Cd could represent a considerable ecological risk for the downstream riparian zone. Conclusions: At downstream sites, there was a noticeable increase in PTE content, with Cd, Cr, Ni, and Zn exceeding the proposed threshold values for European soils, indicating rising contamination in riparian soils. In terms of the ecological risk, only Cd could pose a potential ecological threat for the downstream riparian zone

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

Modelling Response of Norway Spruce Forest Vegetation to Projected Climate and Environmental Changes in Central Balkans Using Different Sets of Species

The structure and function of many forest ecosystems will be modified as a result of air pollution and climate change. Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) forests are among the first terrestrial ecosystems to respond to this change. We analysed how changes in climate and environmental factors will affect vegetation cover in Norway spruce forests and whether it is possible to assemble a list of diagnostically important/sensitive species that would be the first to react to changes in habitats of Norway spruce in Central Balkan. Significant changes in the vegetation cover of Norway spruce forests are mainly influenced by temperature increases (≈4 °C), and precipitation decreases (≈102 mm) by the end of the 21st century. Projections show that vegetation cover changes and future habitat conditions for Norway spruce forests on podzolic brown soils with a low base saturation and soil pH decreases, and temperature growth and precipitation decline, with the worst in the Rodope montane forest ecoregion. In Dinaric Mountain and Balkan mixed forest ecoregions, the range of natural occurrence of Norway spruce forest will shift to higher altitudes, or to the north. One of the cognitions of this paper is that, through available environmental models and their indices, species from the IUCN Red List should be recognised more properly and included in model calculations

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

Flood impact on soil properties and the local community: Study area of the Kolubara river flood zone

Floods cause soil degradation, leading to a reduction in agricultural production, which interacts with the socio-cultural, economic and natural environment. The frequency of flood events may be due to synergistic actions of all factors both natural and anthropogenic. Local community in the river Kolubara catchment was exposed to the catastrophic flood in May 2014. and suffered a lot of damage. This paper analyzes the consequences of these floods in the flood zone of the Kolubara River as well as their impact on soil properties. Since the local community in study area depends primarily on agriculture, the impact of flood from socio-economic aspect was analyzed using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) method. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007: Studying climate change and its influence on the environment: impacts, adaptation and mitigation

Spatial distribution of soil pollutants in urban green areas (a case study in Belgrade)

In urban areas, the presence of toxic microelements in the environment due to the anthropogenic impact (primarily of traffic) poses a serious problem. The negative impact of pollution on populated urban areas is particularly manifest in children. To establish the level of microelement pollution, at 40 localities in the municipality of Stari grad in Belgrade we sampled surface soil near kindergartens and schools during 2013. By applying remote sensing and GIS, small green areas were selected and the spatial distribution of microelements was determined. Because of their different origins and anthropogenic impact, three heavy metals, Cd, Ni and Zn, were examined; the level of soil pollution was assessed by determining their total content, pollution index (Pi), enrichment factor (EF), single risk factor (Ei) and ecological risk index (RI). The highest concentration established was that of Zn, with a mean value of 223.11 mg/kg. The Pi values for Zn (2.96) and Cd (2.98) were similar. Due to the prevailing geological substrate, Ni had the lowest EF (0.75) and Ei (3.09). The effect of the geological substrate on the Ni content was also confirmed by its very high concentration along the banks of the rivers Sava and Danube, while the total contents and factors for Cd and Zn indicated that they were concentrated in the city center. Our results show that 30.72% of the green areas in the city center have a moderate RI, which indicates that the examined pollutants do not present a danger to children

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