The main objectives of our study were to evaluate soil contamination on a zinc-lead spoil heap in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region in southern Poland using pollution indices, and to investigate the relation between soil properties and the natural succession of vegetation. Organic carbon and nitrogen, pH, soil texture, base cations, and heavy metal content were analyzed in soil samples at depths of 0–15 cm below the organic horizon over a regular grid of 14 sampling plots. The contents of Zn, Pb, and Cd exceeded by several times the acceptable thresholds. Measurements of soil enzyme activity were used to evaluate the progress of vegetation development in relation to soil chemical properties. The results indicate that heavy metals had a significant impact on soil enzyme activity and the development of vegetation cover. High contents of Pb and Cd reduced enzyme activity, while this activity increased with increasing amounts of soil organic matter. Further, the accumulative capacities of heavy metals in needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and aboveground biomass of bladder campion (Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke) were examined. A high accumulation of Zn, Pb, and Cd in the aboveground tissues of S. vulgaris indicated an unusual tolerance of this species to heavy metals and the possibility of using this species in phytoremediation of post-industrial sites.

In this study, the contents of selected heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni) and macroelements (C, N, K, P, S, Mg, Na, and Ca) were measured in wild mushrooms growing in a heavily polluted forest ecosystem in the northeastern part of the Upper Silesian Industrial Region. The research was conducted on 10 species of mushrooms belonging to three families: Boletaceae, Russulaceae, and Suillaceae. Using a spatial autoregressive model, the study showed a strong relationship between heavy metal concentrations (especially Zn, Pb, and Cd) and the distance from a source of industrial pollution (a zinc smelter, Huta Miasteczko Śląskie). The concentrations of potentially toxic metals (Pb and Cd) in mushrooms significantly exceeded food-acceptable standards. The bioconcentration factor (BCF), calculated as the ratio between the concentration in mushroom tissues and in forest soils overall, reached the highest values for cadmium (Cd). The highest accumulation capacity for Cd was noted for Imleria badia (BCF = 9.18), which was also the most abundant mushroom species in the study plots. In general, the established threshold values for Pb and Cd concentrations in consumer mushrooms and food products were exceeded up to almost 30-fold in the studied area. We conclude that the potential risk to human health of the toxic elements that enter the food chain through the harvesting and consumption of wild mushrooms from this region is significant.

The atmospheric heavy metal pollution (lead, cadmium and zinc) of the Brynica district (one of the most polluted regions of Poland) was assessed in the top layer of soils (0-20 cm), organic layer and in tissues of the common woodland moss Pleurozium schreberii. Samples were taken in July 2008 at 31 points distributed over a 1500 x 1500 m grid. The concentration of trace elements changed depending on analysed material, distance from the metallurgic complex “Miasteczko Slaskie” and type of metals. The highest concentrations were close to Miasteczko Slaskie. The highest values were in the organic layer. Moss samples were useful as biomonitors. The analyses confirmed a considerable contamination with heavy metals of the forest environment in the Brynica district.

Details var a2a_config = a2a_config || {}; a2a_config.onclick = 1; a2a_config.locale = "pl"; a2a_config.color_main = "D7E5ED"; a2a_config.color_border = "9D9D9D"; a2a_config.color_link_text = "ffffff"; a2a_config.color_link_text_hover = "ffffff"; a2a_config.color_bg = "d9d9d9"; a2a_config.icon_color = "#4e4e4e"; a2a_config.exclude_services = ["dihitt", "delicious", "whatsapp", "dzone", "sms", "stumpedia", "viber", "yahoo_messenger", "google_plus"]; Details PDF BIBTEX RIS Title Landscape monitoring of post-industrial areas using LiDAR and GIS technology Journal title Geodesy and Cartography Yearbook 2015 Volume vol. 64 Issue No 1 Authors Hawryło, Paweł ; Szostak, Marta ; Wężyk, Piotr ; Krzaklewski, Wojciech ; Pająk, Marek ; Pierzchalski, Marcin ; Szwed, Piotr ; Ratajczak, Michał Keywords ALS ; vegetation parameters ; post- lignite mining areas ; reclamation Divisions of PAS Nauki Techniczne Publisher Commitee on Geodesy PAS Date 2015[2015.01.01 AD - 2015.12.31 AD] Type Artykuły / Articles Identifier DOI: 10.1515/geocart-2015-0010 ; ISSN 2080-6736 Source Geodesy and Cartography; 2015; vol. 64; No 1

N-fixing tree species, such as black locust, have achieved very promising results in the reclamation of technosols, especially those at combustion waste disposal sites, which have extremely poor nutrients and adverse physicochemical parameters. This paper presents an assessment of the survival rates, growth parameters, and quality and vitality of and nutrient supply (NPK) to black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) specimens that were experimentally planted on a lignite combustion waste disposal site. The black locust seedlings were introduced directly into the combustion waste using two variants of NPK (7% N, 5.5% P₂O₅, and 9% K₂O) fertilisation, at doses of 250 and 500 kg ha⁻¹, and in control plots with no mineral fertilisation. No significant impacts of the applied mineral fertilisation were found on the soil properties, growth parameters, or nutrient supplies to the trees. Black locust introduced to the landfill after three years of revegetation was characterised by a very high survival rate of 95%–100%, as well as good growth parameters (height and diameter at the root collar). Nutrient supply was determined on the basis of the chemical composition of the leaves, which indicated an adequate supply of nitrogen, similar to levels found under natural conditions. In the case of K and P, the supply levels were lower than optimal when compared with data from the literature. However, at this initial stage of tree development on the combustion waste disposal site, nutrient supply is similar on all variants and is not a critical factor for successful black locust introduction. We suggest using growth parameters, survival, and vitality of trees as decisive factors for the reclamation of combustion waste landfill sites strategy. All these factors confirmed the usefulness of black locust to the reclamation of combustion waste disposal sites.