Helmut Lieth

The distribution of heavy metals in a transect of the three states the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, determined with the aid of moss monitoring

The use of moss analyses to determine possible metal pollution in a three-country transect consisting of the Netherlands, Germany and Poland is described. In the countries involved, samples of Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Hypnum cupressiforme and Hylocomium splendens were collected at a total of 806 sampling points and analyzed for Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn. The results are presented in the form of coloured contour maps using the Geographic Information System (GIS) ARC-Info. With the aid of moss monitoring it was possible to characterize most of the different industrial locations and sources of pollution within the transect. Moreover, the results documented the level of technological development in the western and eastern states when these were compared. The differences became very apparent in the form of steep west-east concentration gradients, especially for the elements iron, vanadium and lead; in the case of the eastern parts of the transect they reflect sources of emissions that are typical of the area. In the main these are the primary users of coal as an energy source and the low technical standard in respect of measures to minimize emissions. In some cases, the maps also indicate possible pollution across international borders and thus situations that do not only result from sources within a specific country. With regard to the methods of sampling and analysis, any element-specific and systematic differences can be made visible on the summarized element maps and thus permit a final check.

A comparison of heavy metal deposition in selected Eastern European countries using the moss monitoring method, with special emphasis on the ‘Black Triangle’

The paper describes the use of moss analyses to compare heavy-metal pollution in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Special emphasis is placed on the regions where three countries meet within the area covered by the survey. In the countries participating, samples of Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Hypnum cupressiforme and Hylocomium splendens, Polytrichum formosum and Dicranum scoparium were collected at a total of 831 sampling points and analyzed for the elements Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn. The results were then presented in the form of coloured contour maps using the geographic information system (GIS) ARC-Info. The values found for heavy metals document the level of technical development in the countries concerned, which is generally characterized by a low standard in respect of emission-reducing systems. Moreover, the heavy-metal concentrations reflect the sources of emissions characteristic of the areas in which they occur. Above all, these are the primary use of coal (both hard coal and lignite) as an energy source, the chemical industry and ferrous- and non-ferrous metal working, which produce considerable emissions of particulate and fly ash, and also the use of leaded petrol. In most cases the moss method made it possible to identify the areas affected by the various industrial locations. The results show an increase in heavy-metal concentrations and higher average levels in the eastern parts of the countries compared. The paper also discusses the possibility of including the ‘three-country triangle’ further east in studies of Eastern Europe on the grounds that it constitutes another ‘Black Triangle’ in addition to the already familiar one.

The distribution of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in topsoils of Osnabrück in relation to land use

Abstract The subject of this paper is heavy-metal concentrations in topsoils in Osnabruck and its environs. Two-hundred and twenty-six soil samples were taken from a depth of 2–10 cm over an area 16 × 16 km 2 . The pH of the samples was determined and the Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations measured. The largest accumulations compared with the limits specified by VDLUFA 1 (Kloke, 1980) were found for Pb. Throughout the area investigated, 18% of the samples contained > 100 mg/kg Pb. With a few exceptions the cadmium concentrations may be described as normal, but the accumulations of this highly mobile heavy metal at certain locations must be regarded as critical. A noticeable feature in the countryside around Osnabruck was the increased concentration of heavy metals in the sedimentation area of the river Hase (up to 200 mg/kg Cu in the soil) and the river Dute (up to 530 mg/kg Pb and 1530 mg/kg Zn in the soil) as well as in the vicinity of metal-working factories. Elevated heavy-metal levels of geogenic origin were detected on the hill crests of the Teutoburger Wald. In the twon itself the highest concentrations were found for Pb and Cu: 21% of the samples contained > 100 mg/kg Pb and 15% contained > 100 mg/kg Cu. The extremely high values around a metal-working factory in Widukindland (north-east of Osnabruck) were a striking feature. When recorded in the form of a soil pollution map the results of such a survey make it possible to identify unusually polluted areas; they can also be analyzed further to provide more detailed information. In view of some considerable heavy-metal concentrations in the soil of Osnabruck it would be advisable to investigate these locations more closely for their effects on plant nutrition and the food chain and to prevent a direct hazard to children playing there.

Modern ecology : basic and applied aspects

Preface. Editorial advisors. List of contributors. I. MORPHOLOGY, STAND STRUCTURE, AND COMPETITION. 1. Morphology in modern ecological research (W. Eber). 2. Vegetation structure, phytomass and phenology of the dry thorn scrub of Curacao, West Indies (M.J.A. Werger, C. de Bok and B. Oranje). 3. Structure and phytomass production of a pioneer community (M. Jochimsen and D. Janzen). 4. Survival and growth beneath and near parents: The case of Myrcianthes fragrans (Myrtaceae) (D.F. Whigham and E. Cabrera Cano). 5. Colonizing success in plants: Genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity in life history traits in Capsella bursa-pastoris (H. Hurka and B. Neuffer). 6. Niches of longevity and stress (F. Klotzli). II. MASS AND WATER BALANCES AT STAND LEVEL 7. Plasticity of the photosynthetic production of Galium aparine L. (W.L. Kutsch and L. Kappen). 8. Diversity of photosynthetic responses in the mesic and arid Mediterranean-type climate regions of southern Africa (M.C. Rutherford). 9. The combination of measurements and mathematical modelling for assessing canopy structure effects (U. Tappeiner and A. Cernusca). 10. The water balance of deciduous forests: methods and models (B. Saugier and J.-Y. Pontailler). 11. Combination effects of water and salt stress on growth, hydration and pigment composition in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ): A mathematical modelling approach (K.H. Kreeb and T. Chen). 12. Ecosystem research on grassland in the Austrian Alps and in the Central Caucasus (A. Cernusca). III. MINERALS AND VEGETATION-SOIL INTERACTIONS 13. Multi-element analysis in plant material (B. Markert). 14. Significance of nutrient relations and symbiosis for the competitive interaction between grasses and legumes in tropical savannas (E. Medina and B. Bilbao). 15. Correlations between the microbial activity, and water, air, temperature and nutrient status of different soils under different land use (H.-P. Blume, L. Beyer and F. Friedrich). IV. DISTURBANCES AND MANAGEMENT OF SEMI-NATURAL AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS 16. Fire, dry heat and germination of savanna grasses in Botswana (W.H.O. Ernst). 17. Does intermediate disturbance increase species richness within deciduous forest understory? (R.J. Reader, K.C. Taylor and D.W. Larson). 18. Response of a Bromus erectus grassland Mesobromion to abandonment and different cutting regimes (H. Dierschke and M. Engels). 19. Phytosociology of vineyards - results, problems, tasks (O. Wilmanns and A. Bogenrieder). 20. The dissipation of energy through soil invertebrates in wheat field and meadow (L. Ryszkowski). V. EUTROPHICATION AND POLLUTION IN TERRESTRIAL SYSTEMS 21. Lead tolerance of annuals at roadsides (U. Hellmuth and W. Schmidt). 22. Environmental mutagenesis: mutational load in natural populations of Eisenia fetida ? (W. Nau and W. Kohler). 23. The sublethal enchytraeid test system: guidelines and some results (W. Westheide and D. Bethke-Beilfuss). 24.

Optimizing long-term water allocation in the Amudarya River delta: a water management model for ecological impact assessment

In the semi-arid Amudarya delta region (Aral Sea Basin) the human-controlled hydrological regime is a major factor influencing ecosystem dynamics. Alterations to the flow of the Amudarya River, mainly to serve the needs of irrigated agriculture during Soviet times, have caused severe environmental degradation. Since independence, the former Soviet Union states of the basin are searching for new, ecologically sound, water management strategies to mitigate the damages to economy, human populations and ecosystems. To assist in the evaluation of tradeoffs in water allocation and the determination of restoration goals, we created a simple water management model for the Amudarya River and its delta region with the modeling system EPIC (originally developed by the USAID project ‘Environmental Policies and Institutions for Central Asia’). The water management model determines optimal water allocation in the irrigation network by multi-objective optimization in monthly time steps. Water management alternatives can be developed for a time period of up to 15 years based on changing requirements of the water users (e.g. as a result of increased water use efficiency in agriculture), inflow to the delta (e.g. increase in water use upstream), priorities of the optimization criteria (e.g. reflecting policy decisions) or introducing minimum flow requirements to selected canals. Historic salt dynamics of the Tyuyamuyun reservoir system at the entrance to the Amudarya delta were investigated and EPIC was extended to treat such multi-body reservoir systems. The model was calibrated and tested using a high water (1994) and a low water (1997) year. Modeled water allocation takes place in accordance with observational data. The model reacts well to changes in allocation priorities given by the user. Application of the model to a 14-year characteristic time period was successful. The model constitutes a main module of an integrated GIS-based simulation tool that facilitates the evaluation of the ecological effects of alternative water management strategies in the Northern Amudarya delta.

Retrospective analysis of heavy metal concentrations at selected locations in the Federal Republic of Germany using moss material from a herbarium

Abstract In this study, herbarium moss samples taken from selected locations and in different years between 1845 and 1974 were compared with samples from similar locations taken in the context of the German moss monitoring programme of 1991. Samples have been analyzed for the heavy metals arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). In the herbarium material, the lowest concentrations were found in the early period between 1845 and 1901; the levels rose over the course of time. In general, the element concentrations of the moss samples taken in 1991 are lower than those of the mosses from the herbarium. However, the reverse is true of the elements V and Ni. The differences in concentrations found between the herbarium material and the 1991 moss monitoring samples document both the effects of air pollution resulting from progressive industrialization in the earlier periods and the reduction of heavy metal emissions due to improved methods of preventing air pollution at the present time. Moreover, the results for V and Ni can be interpreted as showing a change in the use of primary sources of energy.

On the road from environmental biomonitoring to human health aspects: monitoring atmospheric heavy metal deposition by epiphytic/epigeic plants: present status and future needs

For the past few years, a strong and intensive combined study by analytical scientists and biologists on bioindication and biomonitoring has developed. To achieve a more public-related prophylactic healthcare feature derived from these biotechniques in the future, the collaboration between analytical scientists, ecotoxicologists and especially human toxicologists has to be strongly intensified and promoted. For this purpose, different forms of education and teaching of students on an international level combined with common research projects encompassing the different scientific fields and philosophies are important keys for common success.

Geographic classification of heavy metal concentrations in mosses and stream sediments in the Federal Republic of Germany

The results of the first German moss monitoring programme to estimate heavy metal pollution in the Federal Republic of Germany were combined with other large-scale investigations carried out in Germany and then classified geographically in a new form. Using Monte Carlo assisted factor analysis, six factors indicating sources of pollution were identified from the sets of element data from the moss monitoring project (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Ti, V, Zn) and the data sets for SO2 and particulate. The geographic distribution patterns of the factor values showed the regions in which the various sources are to be found. By combining the data the primarily anthropogenic chromium concentrations of the mosses were compared with the mainly geogenic chromium concentrations of the stream sediments in the form of examples. After normalization, the transformed chromium concentrations were transferred to a map of the entire area using inverse distance weighting. Anthropogenic and geogenic influences are being discussed on the basis of the results.

Aims and methods in phenological monitoring

Abstract Phenology as a scientific discipline becomes increasingly important. While the classical observation methods appeared to be old-fashioned and were even criticised to be unscientific it turns out that the data on vegetation development provided by the phenologists during the last two centuries are about the most reliable informations available for the evaluation of global trends of environmental parameters.

Importance of the Diversity within the Halophytes to Agriculture and Land Management in Arid and Semiarid Countries

Freshwater resources will become limited in near future and it is necessary to develop sustainable biological production systems, which can tolerate hyper-osmotic and hyper-ionic salinity. Plants growing in saline conditions primarily have to cope with osmotic stress followed by specific ion effects, their toxicities, ion disequilibrium and related ramifications such as oxidative burst. This is an exclusion criterion for the majority of our common crops. In order to survive under such conditions, suitable adjustments are necessary. Beside the control of the entrance on root level, the ability to secrete ions (excreter) or to dilute ions (succulents) helps to preserve a vital ion balance inside the tissues.