Barbara Godzik

Survey of heavy metal deposition in Poland using mosses as indicators

Concentration of heavy metals in the feather moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt., a common moss species, were used to indicate relative levels of air pollution by seven heavy metals: Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn in Poland. Pleurozium was sampled from 297 localities regularly distributed throughout the country. Significant differences in heavy metal levels in Pleurozium which are representative of particular localities were found. The highest concentrations were recorded in the moss samples from the southern and most industrialized part of the country, the lowest from northern and north-eastern Poland. A comparison of data obtained from identical localities in Poland (1990, 1995) showed a significant decrease in the concentrations of heavy metals in Pleurozium between 1990 and 1995. The decrease over 20 years (1975–1995) in 12 national parks which are fairly evenly distributed over an area of Poland was even more evident. The heavy metal concentrations found in mosses of Poland in the mid 1990s were generally similar to those reported from other countries of central Europe.

Potential bioindicator plant species for ambient ozone in forested mountain areas of central Europe

From 1993 to 2000, trees, shrubs, forbs and vines were evaluated for symptoms of probable ozone injury in the vicinity of passive ozone samplers or active ozone monitors in forest condition assessment networks in mostly mountainous regions, principally the Carpathian Mountain Range, in the central European countries Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine. Each country was visited at least twice during the time period. Over the course of eight seasons, 29 species of native plants were identified as potential bioindicators of ozone. This is the first report of probable ozone injury on native plants in central Europe. Forbs and shrubs made up the bulk of the species (21 of 29). Potential bioindicators that are widely distributed include the forbs Centaurea nigra. and Impatiens parviflora and the shrubs Alnus incana, Corylus avellana, and Sambucus racemosa. Ozone concentrations in forcsted areas of central Europe appear to be high enough and of sufficient duration to cause foliar injury on a wide variety of native plants.

Distribution of ozone and other air pollutants in forests of the Carpathian Mountains in central Europe

Ozone (O3) concentrations were monitored during the 1997-1999 growing seasons in 32 forest sites of the Carpathian Mountains. At all sites (elevation between 450 and 1320 m) concentrations of O3, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were measured with passive samplers. In addition, in two western Carpathian locations, Vychodna and Gubalówka, ozone was continuously monitored with ultraviolet (UV) absorption monitors. Highest average hourly O3 concentrations in the Vychodna and Gubałówka sites reached 160 and 200 microg/m3 (82 and 102 ppb), respectively (except for the AOT40 values, ozone concentrations are presented as microg/m3; and at 25 degrees C and 760 mm Hg, 1 microg O3/m3 = 0.51 ppb O3). These sites showed drastically different patterns of diurnal 03 distribution, one with clearly defined peaks in the afternoon and lowest values in the morning, the other with flat patterns during the entire 24-h period. On two elevational transects, no effect of elevation on O3 levels was seen on the first one, while on the other a significant increase of O3 levels with elevation occurred. Concentrations of O3 determined with passive samplers were significantly different between individual monitoring years, monitoring periods, and geographic location of the monitoring sites. Results of passive sampler monitoring showed that high O3 concentrations could be expected in many parts of the Carpathian range, especially in its western part, but also in the eastern and southern ranges. More than four-fold denser network of monitoring sites is required for reliable estimates of O3 distribution in forests over the entire Carpathian range (140 points). Potential phytotoxic effects of O3 on forest trees and understory vegetation are expected on almost the entire territory of the Carpathian Mountains. This assumption is based on estimates of the AOT40 indices for forest trees and natural vegetation. Concentrations of NO2 and SO2 in the entire Carpathian range were typical for this part of Europe and below the expected levels of phytotoxicity.

Heavy metal deposition in Polish national parks-changes during ten years.

Biomonitoring studies of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn) and other elements (Mg, Na, K, Ca) were done in all Polish national parks in 1976 and again in 1986. Two moss species (Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens) were used to estimate the concentrations of these elements, mainly derived from atmospheric deposition. Significant differences were found between particular parks in the concentration of heavy metals and nutrients, the lowest concentration being recorded in the mosses from the parks in northern and eastern Poland, the higher ones in the southern parks. Significant differences in the content of elements were also observed between the green and brown parts of mosses, between moss species and between years of sampling.

Country-specific correlations across Europe between modelled atmospheric cadmium and lead deposition and concentrations in mosses

Previous analyses at the European scale have shown that cadmium and lead concentrations in mosses are primarily determined by the total deposition of these metals. Further analyses in the current study show that Spearman rank correlations between the concentration in mosses and the deposition modelled by the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) are country and metal-specific. Significant positive correlations were found for about two thirds or more of the participating countries in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005 (except for Cd in 1990). Correlations were often not significant and sometimes negative in countries where mosses were only sampled in a relatively small number of EMEP grids. Correlations frequently improved when only data for EMEP grids with at least three moss sampling sites per grid were included. It was concluded that spatial patterns and temporal trends agree reasonably well between lead and cadmium concentrations in mosses and modelled atmospheric deposition.

Heavy metal and nitrogen concentrations in mosses are declining across Europe whilst some “hotspots” remain in 2010

In recent decades, naturally growing mosses have been used successfully as biomonitors of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals and nitrogen. Since 1990, the European moss survey has been repeated at five-yearly intervals. In 2010, the lowest concentrations of metals and nitrogen in mosses were generally found in northern Europe, whereas the highest concentrations were observed in (south-)eastern Europe for metals and the central belt for nitrogen. Averaged across Europe, since 1990, the median concentration in mosses has declined the most for lead (77%), followed by vanadium (55%), cadmium (51%), chromium (43%), zinc (34%), nickel (33%), iron (27%), arsenic (21%, since 1995), mercury (14%, since 1995) and copper (11%). Between 2005 and 2010, the decline ranged from 6% for copper to 36% for lead; for nitrogen the decline was 5%. Despite the Europe-wide decline, no changes or increases have been observed between 2005 and 2010 in some (regions of) countries.

Detecting ozone and demonstrating its phytotoxicity in forested areas of Poland: A pilot study

Ambient concentrations of ozone (O(3)) were measured and O(3) phytotoxicity to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) was demonstrated in several forest locations in Poland during a pilot study from July-October, 1991. At southern and central locations in Poland, the 24-hour average O(3) concentrations measured with a UV absorption photometer were in the range of 32-55 ppb, and the corresponding 1-hour maxima in the range of 39-83 ppb. At these locations longer period (four to fifteen days) average concentrations were determined using O(3) passive samplers (DGA, Inc.) and were reaching 60 ppb, while at Bialowieza in eastern Poland O(3) concentrations averaged less than 40 ppb. In Szarow, near the Niepolomice Forest in southern Poland, 1-hour O(3) maxima estimated from the data obtained using passive samplers were about 105 ppb in early September. At several locations in southern and central Poland, extensive O(3) injury was determined on O(3)-sensitive Bel W-3 tobacco plants; such injury did not occur in the Bialowieza Forest of eastern Poland. The results of this pilot study indicate that O(3) is present at phytotoxic levels in southern and central Poland.

New international long-term ecological research on air pollution effects on the Carpathian Mountain forests, Central Europe

An international cooperative project on distribution of ozone in the Carpathian Mountains, Central Europe was conducted from 1997 to 1999. Results of that project indicated that in large parts of the Carpathian Mountains, concentrations of ozone were elevated and potentially phytotoxic to forest vegetation. That study led to the establishment of new long-term studies on ecological changes in forests and other ecosystems caused by air pollution in the Retezat Mountains, Southern Carpathians, Romania and in the Tatra Mountains, Western Carpathians on the Polish-Slovak border. Both of these important mountain ranges have the status of national parks and are Man & the Biosphere Reserves. In the Retezat Mountains, the primary research objective was to evaluate how air pollution may affect forest health and biodiversity. The main research objective in the Tatra Mountains was to evaluate responses of natural and managed Norway spruce forests to air pollution and other stresses. Ambient concentrations of ozone (O(3)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) as well as forest health and biodiversity changes were monitored on densely distributed research sites. Initial monitoring of pollutants indicated low levels of O(3), SO(2), and NO(x) in the Retezat Mountains, while elevated levels of O(3) and high deposition of atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) have characterized the Tatra Mountains. In the Retezat Mountains, air pollution seems to have little effect on forest health; however, there was concern that over a long time, even low levels of pollution may affect biodiversity of this important ecosystem. In contrast, severe decline of Norway spruce has been observed in the Tatra Mountains. Although bark beetle seems to be the immediate cause of that decline, long-term elevated levels of atmospheric N and S depositions and elevated O(3) could predispose trees to insect attacks and other stresses. European and US scientists studied pollution deposition, soil and plant chemistry, O(3)-sensitive plant species, forest insects, and genetic changes in the Retezat and Tatra Mountains. Results of these investigations are presented in a GIS format to allow for a better understanding of the changes and the recommendations for effective management in these two areas.

Relative effectiveness of ethylenediurea, and constitutent amounts of urea and phenylurea in ethylenediurea, in prevention of ozone injury to tobacco

The relative effectiveness of ethylene diurea (EDU), and constituent amounts of urea (U) and phenylurea (PU) in EDU, in prevention of ozone injury to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves was determined in greenhouse exposure chambers. Four-leaf stage seedlings of tobacco cultivars Bel-W3 (ozone-sensitive) and Bel-B (ozone-tolerant) were either sprayed with water (controls), EDU (300 mg/litre), U (70 mg/litre), or PU (159 mg/litre) 24 h before exposure to charcoal-filtered (CF) air or CF plus ozone at 80±5 ppb for 7 h/day for 5 or 6 days. None of the treatments adversely affected Bel-W3 or Bel-B plants in CF air. Control or treated Bel-B plants in ozone were not affected. Ozone injury on Bel-W3 plants was evaluated daily, using the oldest two lower leaves (one and two). EDU was the most effective treatment, diminishing slightly with length of ozone exposure. U-treated plants experienced as much or more ozone injury than the non-treated controls. PU reduced ozone injury significantly, but was not as effective as EDU. When Bel-W3 plants were treated with 300 mg/litre EDU or PU and exposed to ozone, both compounds were equally effective in preventing ozone injury.

Heavy metal localisation in mycorrhizas ofEpipactis atrorubens (Hoffm.) Besser (Orchidaceae) from zinc mine tailings

SummaryThe metal distribution within mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal roots ofEpipactis atrorubens collected from zinc mine tailings and an area rich in heavy metal ores (both located in southern Poland) was investigated. The tailings, consisting of postflotation material, were characterised by high levels of toxic elements such as Zn, Pb, and Cd, while soil outside the tailings was also strongly enriched in heavy metals. Atomic absorption spectrometry and proton-induced X-ray emission analysis revealed that heavy metals were mostly accumulated within orchid roots. Elemental maps from proton-induced X-ray emission showed that plant root epidermis and fungal coils which had developed within cortical cells of roots collected from the zinc mine tailings were the main places of Zn and Pb accumulation, associated with increased concentrations of Fe, Cd, Ti, Mn, Si, Ca, and S. The mean content of Pb and Zn in the coils was 4 to 5 times higher than in the root epidermis. In mycorrhizal roots from the tailings a statistically significant decrease in Pb and Zn content towards the inside of the root was observed. The mean content of Pb in coils from roots of plants growing outside the tailings was about 1% of the concentration in root coils from the tailings. Coils selected from orchid roots originating from a site outside the tailings contained comparatively high concentrations of Zn, Cd, and Cu, which was probably due to the high content of these elements in the soil. The results presented suggest a biofiltering effect against heavy metals by orchid mycorrhizal fungi.