The paper evaluates the impact of car transport on the distribution and accumulation of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in soils, as well as in the vegetation near a newly built R4 motorway Košice-Milhosť (Slovakia). Samples were taken from surface humus layer (litter) and 0–5, 10–20 and 20–30 cm mineral layers of Cambisol and Luvisol, as well as from assimilatory organs of Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus cerris, Quercus rubra, Negundo aceroides and Anthriscus sylvestris growing in the segments of geobiocoenosis Querci-Fageta Typica. The concentrations of total Zn and Cu were determined using SensAA AAS and the total concentrations of Cd and Pb using an instrument iCE 3000 Series AAS-F. Contamination factor (CF) values showed that surface humus layer of both soil units is moderately contaminated with Zn (1 ≤ CF ˂ 3), low contaminated with Cu (CF ˂ 1) and considerably contaminated with Pb and Cd (3 ≤ CF ˂ 6). Contamination of the surface humus layer of Luvisol with Pb is very high (CF > 6), while in the case of mineral layers with Zn and Cu it is low (CF ˂ 1). The mineral layers of Luvisol are moderately contaminated with Pb and Cd (1 ≤ CF ˂ 3) and Cambisol layers with Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd. For the group of 5 tested plants, higher values of toxic elements in the leaves were observed on Luvisol compared to Cambisol. However, only Cu conconcentrations in Luvisol significantly correlated with Cu concentrations in plants (r > 0.4 or r < 0.6). The same can be said for Zn concentrations in Cambisol (r > 0.8). The best indicator of the environment polluted by car traffic appears to be A. sylvestris. Transfer coefficients (TC ˃ 1) revealed that this species concentrated the most Zn and Cu on Luvisol and close to 1 are also the TC values found for Cu in F. excelsior and Q. cerris leaves taken on Luvisol. Lead is accumulated most efficiently in N. aceroides leaves and Cd in A. sylvestris leaves regardless of soil unit. Compared to background values, the total concentrations of trace elements in soils and plants were significantly higher and point to the pollution of forest ecosystems already in the initial stage of motorway operation.

This study analyzes the effects of acetaminophen (APAP) as a contaminant on physiological characteristics of lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.). Experiments were provided in an experimental greenhouse with semi-controlled conditions. The effect of different amounts of contaminant was evaluated by using regression analysis. Plants were grown in five concentrations of APAP: 0 µM, 5 µM, 50 µM, 500 µM, and 5 mM for 14 days in two variants, acute and chronic. The obtained results show that the monitored parameters were demonstrably influenced by the experimental variant. Plants are more sensitive to chronic contamination compared to acute. Significant (p < 0.05) deviation in photosynthesis and fluorescence was observed compared to the control in different variants. The highest doses of APAP reduced the intensity of photosynthesis by a maximum of more than 31% compared to the control. A reduction of 18% was observed for the fluorescence parameters. Pronounced correlation was described between chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and yield mainly under APAP conditions. The amount of chlorophyll was influenced by exposure to APAP.

Currently, little is known about the spatial variability of significant soil properties and their relationships to forest ecosystems of different vegetation grades. This work evaluates the variability of the properties of the upper layer of Cambisol taxa and their relationship to altitude and forest ecosystems of 2nd to 5th forest vegetation grades selected in the Western Carpathians using PCA and regression analysis. The content of clay, total carbon and total nitrogen, humus, energy, and ash in the soils varied between 5.43 and 11.53 %, 21–65 mg g⁻¹, 1.9–4.7 mg g⁻¹, 36–112 mg g⁻¹, 438.4–5845.7 J g⁻¹ and 852.9–946.3 mg g⁻¹, and C/N, pH_H2O, and pH_KCl values ranged between 11.2 and 16.7, 4.0–5.8 and 3.1–4.6. PCA showed that EAC in the 3rd oak-beech vegetation grade had significantly higher pH values and significantly lower energy content, ESC in the 4th beech vegetation grade had a significantly higher ash content and a significantly lower energy content, and DC in the 5th fir-beech vegetation grade had a significantly higher content of Ct, Nt, and humus. Linear regression revealed a strong negative correlation between the energy content and soil reaction (R² for pH_H2O = 0.48; R² for pH_KCl = 0.38) for all Cambisol taxa. Ct content and ash show a strong negative correlation (R² = 0.78). The positive relationship between altitude and FVGs was found only for the soil C_t (R² = 0.87), N_t (R² = 0.81), and humus content (R² = 0.87). A strong negative linear relationship between altitude and FVGs showed the ash content (R2 = 0.77). In turn, the oscillatory, polynomial course had a relationship between the clay content (R2 = 0.65) and energy (R2 = 0.75) to altitude and FVGs. Recognizing significant soil variables and better understanding their impact on the development of forest ecosystems is a prerequisite for distinguishing areas with the highest risk of their damage under conditions of various anthropogenic interventions and climate change. Therefore, this topic continues to require increased research efforts. For this reason, a better understanding of the relationships between soil properties and ecologically differentiated communities of forest ecosystems will allow us to identify areas with the highest risk of ecological changes that could lead to the degradation of European forests in the future.

The paper considers energy stored in above-ground biomass fractions and in model trees of the main coniferous woody plants (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., Abies alba Mill., Pinus sylvestris (L.), Larix decidua Mill.), sampled in 22 forest stands selected in different parts of Slovakia. A total of 43 trees were felled, of which there were 12 spruces, 11 firs, 10 pines, and 10 larches. Gross and net calorific values were determined in samples of wood, bark, small-wood, twigs, and needles. Our results show that these values significantly depend on the tree species, biomass fractions, and sampling point on the tree. The energy stored in the model trees calculated on the basis of volume production taken from yield tables increases as follows: spruce < fir < pine < larch. Combustion of tree biomass releases an aliquot amount of a greenhouse gas—CO₂, as well as an important plant nutrient, nitrogen—into the atmosphere. The obtained data must be taken into account in the case of the economic utilization of energy stored in the fractions of above-ground tree biomass and in whole trees. The achieved data can be used to assess forest ecosystems in terms of the flow of solar energy, its accumulation in the various components of tree biomass, and the risk of biomass combustion in relation to the release of greenhouse gases.

The rising level of pollutant emissions is becoming one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. Therefore, this work is focused on evaluating Cd and Ni contamination of soils and assimilatory organs of two native (Acer platanoides L., Taxus baccata L.) and two non-native (Negundo aceroides Moench, Thuja occidentalis L.) woody species in urban parks of SW Slovakia. The contents of Cd and Ni in soils were determined by the AAS method and, in the assimilatory organs of trees, by the AAS-ETA method. The studied soils (Fluvisol, Phaeozem) have neutral soil reactions and a moderate organic matter content. Cadmium soil contamination is considerable to very high; in the case of Ni, it is moderate to low. Cadmium levels detected in leaves were 31% higher than in needles, while Ni levels were 27% lower. Significant ecological factors in relation to the studied woody species were evaluated using PCA. The first three principal components of PCA significantly correlated with Cd (PC1) and Ni (PC3) contents in soils and Cd content in assimilatory organs (PC2), thus suggesting that these elements could especially originate from industrial and vehicular sources. Knowledge of the factors affecting the accumulation of risk elements in the assimilatory organs of park woody species can be successfully used, especially in the assessment of the quality of the urban environment and the selection of suitable cultivars for planting in areas with air pollution.