Biljne svojte korištene za izradu metli u nekim jugoistočnoeuropskim i zapadnoazijskim zemljama

The aim of this study is to determine the plants used as brooms by individuals and municipal authorities in some Southeast European (Bulgaria and Turkey) and West Asian (Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen) countries. The study was carried out from 1999 to 2005. At the end of the study, it was identified that 19 plant taxa belonging to 12 different families were used as brooms in the five countries. Among these species, Sorghum bicolor (broomcorn) was determined to be used extensively by municipal authorities for sweeping streets (Bulgaria) and by individuals for houses (Turkey and Azerbaijan). Erica sp. (tree heath) is commonly preferred by municipal authorities for sweeping streets in many areas of Turkey. We have established that the panicles and above ground parts of these plants are mostly used as brooms. Asteraceae is the largest family, represented by five species used as brooms. It is followed by Plumbaginaceae and by Poaceae with two species.Cilj ovog rada jest utvrditi koje se biljke koriste za izradu metli u nekim jugoistočnoeuropskim (Bugarska, Turska) i zapadnoazijskim zemljama (Azerbejdžan, Saudijska Arabija, Jemen). Istraživanje je trajalo od 1999. do 2005., a utvrđeno je da se u 5 zemalja za izradu metli koristi 19 biljnih svojti, koje pripadaju u 12 različitih porodica. Među tim vrstama ističe se Sorghum bicolor (sirak) koji se široko koristi i od strane lokalnih vlasti pri čišćenju ulica (Bugarska), i od strane stanovništva pr

Urban vegetation of the Anatolian side of Istanbul

Aims: We present the first survey of plant communities of Istanbul, their classification and syntaxonomy with main environmental drivers that shape them. Study area: Anatolian (Asian) part of Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: We collected 442 vegetation releves according to Braun-Blanquet method. Cluster analysis and ordination of the dataset were performed to assess particular vegetation patterns. Diagnostic species of each cluster were determined using the fidelity measure (phi-coefficient). Site conditions were presented by ecological indicator values. Results: The analysed dataset shows clear division into six classes. They represent typical weed plant community (Digitario sanguinalis-Eragrostietea minoris), annual (Sisymbrietea, Chenopodietea) and perennial ruderal vegetation (Artemisietea vulgaris, Epilobietea angustifolii), and higher successional stadia (Charabdido-Asphodeletea). Conclusions: Our survey of urban vegetation of Istanbul is the first attempt of urban vegetation classification in Turkey. We showed high diversity of vegetation due to various human impacts and Istanbul's location on the crossroads of different phytogeographical regions

Water pollution studies in the rivers of the Edirne Region-Turkey

Physico-chemical parameters of Tunca, Merich, Arda and Ergene rivers, in the Edirne region of Turkey, were investigated. Studies were carried out during 1998-2004 and the data obtained were compared with EU threshold levels. The results showed that the total concentrations of P, Pb, Cu, Ni, Mn and Co were higher than these threshold levels. There is an urgent need for Turkey to limit water pollution from a wide range of dangerous substances, particularly at a time when it is being considered as an EU candidate. Turkey will be required to achieve a satisfactory status in its waters by 2015, in particular in the waters of the rivers investigated in this paper that border Bulgaria and Greece. Levels of pollutants which pose a significant risk to the aquatic environment need to be monitored and strictly controlled

Phytoecological and Phytosociological Investigations of the Vegetation of Golcuk (Kocaeli/Turkey)

This study was conducted to determine the phytoecological and phytosociological characteristics of the vegetation which is distributed in Golcuk District (Kocaeli/Turkey) and put forward its syntaxonomy. Field studies has been carried out by using the classic Braun-Blanquet method in the years of 2005-2007. Two associations belonging to macchia vegetation and three associations belonging to forest vegetation were determined from the investigation area. Four of these associations are new and their description, typification and syntaxonomy has been done. Phytosociological and phytoecological features of these associations were discussed and compared to their relatives. The associations described arc as follows: Maquis vegetation, 1. Associations: Ferulago confusae-Quercetum cocciferae ass. nova 2. Associations: Erico arborae-Phillyretum latifoliae ass. nova Forest vegetation, 3. Associations: Carici serratulae-Quercetum ibericae ass. nova 4. Associations: Smilaco-Castanetum sativae Ketenoglu, Tug and Kurt 2010 5. Associations: Cardamino tenerae-Fagetum orientalis ass. nov

Using the Turkish Red Pine Tree to Monitor Heavy Metal Pollution

Turkish red pine is an evergreen tree species widely distributed in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions in Turkey. In the present work, the heavy metal pollution level in Istanbul was investigated using Turkish red pine as a biomonitor. For determining heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni and Pb) in leaf (unwashed and washed) and bark samples of Turkish red pine and its co-located soil samples we used ICP-OES. Additionally, particulate matter profiles of the research areas were investigated. The samples were collected from 5 different localities: 4 from the Bosporus region (Yildiz Grove, Fethi Pasha Grove, Baltalimani Grove and Mihrabad Grove) and one from Prince Island, also known as Buyukada (as control). According to our measurements, the highest heavy metal accumulations (in mg kg(-1) DW) in plant part samples were measured between 1.526 +/- 0.012 and 1.639 +/- 0.015 for Cd, 0.543 +/- 0.007 and 0.600 +/- 0.009 for Co, 5.110 +/- 0.064 and 5.648 +/- 0.072 for Cr, 9.347 +/- 0.105 and 10.331 +/- 0.111 for Mn, 7.483 +/- 0.091 and 8.271 +/- 0.096 for Ni, and 13.848 +/- 0.159 and 14.950 +/- 0.167 for Pb, while the highest heavy metal accumulations (in mg kg(-1) DW) in soil samples were measured between 1.813 +/- 0.021 and 1.974 +/- 0.029 for Cd, 6.326 +/- 0.082 and 6.992 +/- 0.091 for Co, 22.017 +/- 0.284 and 23.685 +/- 0.301 for Cr, 268.333 +/- 3.153 and 297.361 +/- 3.529 for Mn, 15.194 +/- 0.176 and 16.792 +/- 0.193 for Ni, and 68.778 +/- 0.715 and 74.514 +/- 0.883 for Pb. The highest outdoor particulate matter levels (in mu g/m(3)) in research areas were also determined as 27.103 for fine (PM2.5) and 67.792 for coarse (PM10) aerosols. The findings revealed that Turkish red pine could accumulate noteworthy amounts of heavy metals

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Istanbul using plant (Celtis australis L.) and soil assays

In this study, plant (leaf, branch and bark) and soil samples of nettle tree were collected from 40 different localities in Istanbul, Turkey, to investigate the heavy metal pollution levels as well as to understand the employability of this plant species in pollution monitoring. Besides, the importance of pollution sources and their distance to the plant species were emphasized, and assessment of the air and soil related contamination was performed. The heavy metal concentrations in the samples were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The average highest values of Pb (14.90 +/- 2.96 mu g/g), Cd (0.65 +/- 0.13 mu g/g), Cu (19.94 +/- 1.17 mu g/g) and Zn (42.53 +/- 3.08 mu g/g) were found in unwashed leaf samples taken from the roadside. However, the average lowest values of Cd (0.30 +/- 0.06 mu g/g) and Cu (5.99 +/- 0.21 mu g/g) were in washed leaf samples, whereas the lowest levels of Pb (1.19 +/- 0.12 mu g/g) and Zn (14.34 +/- 0.71 mu g/g) were in branches. In addition, there was also a direct correlation between heavy metal accumulation, traffic density and closeness to roadside. It was demonstrated that Celtis australis could be a useful plant species in the biomonitoring of environmental pollution with these four heavy metals. Moreover, the results also indicated that nettle tree barks might be employed in long-term measurements of heavy metal accumulation

Biljne svojte korištene za izradu metli u nekim jugoistočnoeuropskim i zapadnoazijskim zemljama

The aim of this study is to determine the plants used as brooms by individuals and municipal authorities in some Southeast European (Bulgaria and Turkey) and West Asian (Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen) countries. The study was carried out from 1999 to 2005. At the end of the study, it was identified that 19 plant taxa belonging to 12 different families were used as brooms in the five countries. Among these species, Sorghum bicolor (broomcorn) was determined to be used extensively by municipal authorities for sweeping streets (Bulgaria) and by individuals for houses (Turkey and Azerbaijan). Erica sp. (tree heath) is commonly preferred by municipal authorities for sweeping streets in many areas of Turkey. We have established that the panicles and above ground parts of these plants are mostly used as brooms. Asteraceae is the largest family, represented by five species used as brooms. It is followed by Plumbaginaceae and by Poaceae with two species.Cilj ovog rada jest utvrditi koje se biljke koriste za izradu metli u nekim jugoistočnoeuropskim (Bugarska, Turska) i zapadnoazijskim zemljama (Azerbejdžan, Saudijska Arabija, Jemen). Istraživanje je trajalo od 1999. do 2005., a utvrđeno je da se u 5 zemalja za izradu metli koristi 19 biljnih svojti, koje pripadaju u 12 različitih porodica. Među tim vrstama ističe se Sorghum bicolor (sirak) koji se široko koristi i od strane lokalnih vlasti pri čišćenju ulica (Bugarska), i od strane stanovništva pr