Vineyards are distinctive agroecosystems heavily influenced by local natural factors and traditional management practices, with significant implications for the quality and quantity of grape production. This study investigated the ecological impact of copper-containing fungicides on the accumulation and distribution of copper, manganese, chromium, and cobalt in the upper soil horizons of vineyards of varying ages in the Fruška Gora region, Serbia. The results indicated a marked difference in total copper content across vineyards, with the oldest vineyard exhibiting levels 6.9 times above the regulatory limit. Factor analysis delineated a strong correlation between copper accumulation and vineyard age while also highlighting the influence of landscape morphology on the spatial distribution of heavy metals. The findings suggest that copper accumulation is primarily related to agricultural practices, particularly the duration of fungicide application, while the distribution of other heavy metals is more closely associated with topographic features. The novelty of our research lies in the fact that we have shown that the assessment of copper accumulation in soil in vineyard ecosystems should take into account not only viticultural practices but also the history of land use and the landscape characteristics of the area.

The emission of CO₂ from soil represents one of the most significant fluxes between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. It is crucial to investigate the impact of stand age on soil CO₂ emissions in order to evaluate the possibility of carbon sequestration through the establishment of new forests. In this study, soil CO₂ emissions and microclimate variables (soil temperature and moisture) were investigated in the chronosequence of three differently aged stands (4-, 14-, and 70-year-old stands) in floodplain pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) forests in Serbia. This study highlights how the artificial regeneration of pedunculate oak forests (establishment of new stands) can affect CO₂ emissions from soils. Seasonal fluctuations in soil CO₂ emissions were observed in all of the monitored stands, along with variations in the influence of soil temperature and moisture. Multiple linear regression, incorporating soil temperature, soil moisture, and their interaction, offered the most comprehensive explanation for the variation observed in soil CO₂ emissions. The seasons had statistically significant effects (p < 0.001) on CO₂ emission from the soil in the examined stands during 2022. The youngest stand (4-year-old) had significantly higher soil CO₂ emissions (p < 0.05) compared to the older stands over the entire study period (2021–2022). These results showed that the 70-year-old stand (natural high stand) had significantly lower soil CO₂ emissions compared to the 4-year-old stand (artificially regenerated stand).

Global changes, triggered by increased anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, are the main problem of modern ecology. Soil is the main terrestrial reservoir of carbon, in both organic and inorganic forms. Forests are the major asset in carbon cycling and the mitigation of global climate change in the terrestrial ecosystem, because forest ecosystems in a temperate climate area are the major sink of CO2 from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide emission from the soil is the major component of greenhouse gas emission, as well as the main respiratory flux from most forest ecosystems. In circumstances of changed climate and increased frequency of extreme climate events, soil greenhouse gas emission from forest ecosystems is gaining more and more importance, having in mind that soil temperature is one of the main limitation factors of greenhouse gas emission from the soil. From the results obtained from the experiment it is evident that the unusually warm winter of 2019/20 had as a consequence higher emission of greenhouse gases from all three experimental plots. Differences in emission between plots and between days can be explained by three main factors: soil composition, temperature difference between days of sampling, and soil moisture content. With an increased frequency of extreme climate events, as a consequence of global climate changes, the occurrence of higher winter temperatures is expected to be more frequent in the future, affecting also higher emission of greenhouse gases from the soil.

Soils act as sources or sinks for three major greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O). Approximately 20% of global CO₂ emissions are released from soils through the soil respiration process. Soil respiration (soil CO₂ emission) can account for over 85% of ecosystem respiration. The aim of this study was to compare managed and unmanaged stands of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) in order to investigate the impact of forest management on soil CO₂ emissions. We selected one managed and two unmanaged stands. The first stand (S1) represents a managed middle-aged stand, which is the optimal stage of development. The second stand (S2) belongs to the over-mature stage of development in an old-growth oak forest, while the third stand (S3) belongs to the decay stage of development in an old-growth oak forest. The closed chambers method was used for air sampling and the air samples were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). Multiple regression models that include soil temperature (ST), soil moisture (SM), and their interaction provide a better explanation for variation in soil CO₂ emission (SCDE) (higher R² values) compared to regression models that only involve two variables (ST and SM). The study showed that SCDE in the decay stage of old-growth forest (S3) was significantly lower (p < 0.001) compared to the other two stands (S1 and S2). S3 is characterized by very low canopy cover and intensive natural regeneration, unlike S1 and S2. However, there were no significant differences in SCDE between the managed middle-aged stand (S1) and the over-mature (old-growth) stand (S2). Over a long-term rotation period in pedunculate oak forests, forest management practices that involve the periodic implementation of moderate silvicultural interventions can be deemed acceptable in terms of maintaining the carbon balance in the soil.

The increase in CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere can be attributed to various anthropogenic activities. Soils play a significant role in climate regulation, particularly through the storage of atmospheric carbon in soil organic matter. The main aim of the study was to examine the effects of site conditions on soil CO₂ flux in middle-aged stands of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.). A three-year study was conducted in three middle-aged stands within different subtypes of Chernozem. One of these stands is a windbreak (RŠ), while the other two stands (VN and DE) belong to larger forest complexes. Air samples were collected using the closed-chamber technique and analyzed using gas chromatography. The linear mixed-effects model (LMM) revealed that soil temperature, soil moisture, and location had significant effects on soil CO₂ flux (p < 0.05), whereas the effect of year was not significant (p > 0.05). The results showed that there was a higher temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q₁₀) in the windbreak (RŠ) compared to the other two stands (VN and DE). The mean annual carbon loss through soil respiration for all stands was assessed to be approximately 3.24 ± 0.12 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. These findings suggest that lower soil CO₂ flux in stands growing under optimal site conditions may indicate a more favorable carbon balance compared to stands growing outside their ecological optimum.