Trace element concentrations in lichens collected in the Beskidy Mountains, the Outer Western Carpathians

The aim of the study was to assess trace metal air pollution in the Beskidy Mountains, the Outer Western Carpathians, Poland, with a widely used bioaccumulating organism, a lichen, Hypogymnia physodes. Lichens were collected at five stands (mountains) in parallel transect and analyzed for cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) content. Concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn in lichens were elevated, indicating moderate air pollution. The studied sites grouped in two clusters, with the three more contaminated sites being at the west end of the transect, and the two less polluted sites being situated more eastward. Such a pattern can be explained by the location of industrial centers and prevailing wind direction in southern Poland. The strongest correlation was noticed between Zn and Pb, which are known to occur jointly in ore deposits and are being processed in nearby Polish and Czech industrial regions

The relationship between soil bacteria substrate utilisation patterns and the vegetation structure in temperate forests

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between the functional diversity pattern of soil bacteria and the vegetation diversity and structure in temperate forests (Poland). Pine-dominated forests occur on soils with lower pH, fewer nutrient contents (P, Na, Mg, Mn and K) and higher C/N and C/P ratios than beech-dominated forests and mixed broadleaved forest with hornbeam and ash. Both forest type and soil horizon (O and A) strongly influenced bacterial catabolic activity and the number of substrates decayed on Biolog® ECO plates. Pine forest soil bacteria were less active and less functionally diverse than those in deciduous forest soils. The community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) were dissimilar (one-way analysis of similarities) between pine and mixed deciduous forests, but only in the O soil horizon. Carboxylic acids primarily contributed to the average dissimilarity in CLPP between forests (the similarity percentage procedure); these substrates are preferentially used by pine forest soil bacteria. The canonical correspondence analysis indicated that soil pH, nitrogen and organic matter contents and plant diversity index H′plant were related to bacterial CLPP in the O soil horizon. Only for the soil O horizon, the Mantel test showed a clear relationship between vegetation structure and bacterial CLPP

Heavy metals effect on the activity and functional diversity of soil microbial communities in Miasteczko Śląskie area

Effects of heavy metals on soil microbial activity and diversity is a subject of numerous studies. However, toxic effect of metals is not necessarily a direct result of their elevated concentrations and can be modified by other environmental parameters such as soil pH, organic matter and clay minerals content. Microbial activity depends also on soil nutrient status. The aim of this study was to determine which factors mostly affect activity and diversity of soil microbial communities in the area of Miasteczko Śląskie. The results indicate that respiration rate, microbial biomass and metabolic quotient qCO2 depended mainly on soil pollution but also on Mg and (in case of respiration and qCO2) on sulfur concentrations. Activity and diversity measured on BIOLOG® GN2 plates was not related to pollution but was limited by lack of Mn and unfavourable C:N ratio.Wpływ metali ciężkich na aktywność i różnorodność mikroorganizmów glebowych jest przedmiotem wielu badań. Toksyczne działanie metali nie zawsze jest wyłącznie rezultatem ich podwyższonych stężeń i może być modyfikowane przez inne parametry środowiska, takie jak na przykład pH gleby, zawartość materii organicznej i minerałów ilastych. Aktywność mikroorganizmów jest także zależna od obecności lub braku składników odżywczych. Niniejsza praca miała na celu zbadanie które czynniki mają decydujący wpływ na aktywność i różnorodność mikroorganizmów glebowych w rejonie Miasteczka Śląskiego. Wykazano, że tempo respiracji, biomasa mikroorganizmów oraz współczynnik metaboliczny qCO2 były limitowane przede wszystkim przez skażenie gleby metalami ciężkimi, ale także zależały od stężeń Mg oraz (w przypadku respiracji qCO2) siarki. Aktywność i różnorodność bakterii gramujemnych mierzona za pomocą płytek Biolog® GN2 była niezależna od zanieczyszczenia metalami. Parametry te były limitowane przez niedobory Mn i niekorzystne stosunki C:N