Jana Urminská

Long-termed changes in ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages in a field treated by organic fertilizers

In 2001–2006, ground beetles were pitfall-trapped in a temperate lowland area of South Slovakia in an experimental field divided in five plots fertilized by four different doses of manure or biosludge (25 t stable manure ha−1, 50 t biosludge ha−1, 50 t stable manure ha−1, 100 t biosludge ha−1 and without fertilization). The field was subsequently sown by spring barley, sugar beat, maize, sunflower, sugar beat and maize. The ground beetle assemblage consisted of 31 species, but only five species predominated: Pseudoophonus rufipes representing 82.6% of individuals and five species (Poecilus cupreus, Carabus scheidleri, Calathus fuscipes, Trechus quadristriatus, Pterostichus melanarius, Anchomenus dorsalis, Dolichus halensis) representing together 14.5% of individuals. Pseudophonus rufipes represented 81.7% of dry biomass and three species (Carabus scheidleri, Poecilus cupreus Pterostichus melanarius) 15.9% of biomass. There was no significant influence of organic fertilizing on assemblage structure. During the investigation, the number of individuals and their biomass increased in all plots until 2003 and than dropped to the starting values. The culmination of 2003 was preceded by a warmer and more humid season in 2002. After a cold and dry season of 2003 abundance decreased approximately to starting values. Simultaneously, the local maxima and minima of occurrence of ground beetles in individual plots shifted independently on the doses of organic material. At the same time, number of occurring species slightly decreased. The observed changes obviously represent part of long-termed fluctuations in wider surroundings.

Dynamics of nitrogen in the soil under winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) depending on tillage systems

The trial on an experimental basis of Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra during the growing seasons 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 under winter wheat was conducted. The object of this study was to determine the effects of different tillage systems on the dynamics of inorganic nitrogen forms. Three tillage systems were used: B1 -> conventional soil cultivation – medium depth ploughing (to 0.25 m); B2 -> shallow soil cultivation (to 0.20 m); B3 -> minimalization soil tillage – disk tillage (to 0.15 m). Within each treatment was used of NPK fertilization according to its content in soil + plough down of post harvest residues. Concentration of nitrate nitrogen (1.29 mg*kg-1 – 29.68 mg*kg-1) and ammonium nitrogen (0.13 mg*kg-1 – 14.34 mg*kg-1) had significant dynamics over the whole research period. The highest content of Nin was in the autumn season (39.09 mg*kg-1), which provide sufficient nutrients for initial growth of the winter wheat. Tillage system had no statistically significant effect on dynamics of inorganic nitrogen in the soil. On the other hand, reduction of depth tillage has been associated with an increase content of inorganic nitrogen (B1 = 9.54 mg*kg-1; B2 = 9.89 mg*kg-1; B3 = 11.19 mg*kg-1). The results of experiment shown that dynamics of inorganic nitrogen was mainly influenced by the change of temperature and humidity parameters during the growing season.

Evaluation Of Exchange Reaction In Soil In Sediments Of A Region Affected By Anthropogenic Activity In Relation To The Time And To The Selected Potentially Toxic Elements

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyse sediments of the selected water reservoirs of Piargs group. Secondly, our purpose was to determine values of exchange reactions in soil of these sediments during the period from 2001 to 2010 and to evaluate environmental hazards caused by the selected potentially toxic elements affected by pH. Based on the results gained by analysis we aim to determine the correlation and statistical significance of dependencies of the analysed environmental parameters. Two different methods, the flow electrochemical method and the atomic absorption spectrometric method have been used to analyse the content of potentially toxic chemical elements in leachate. The analysis of leachate samples, in order to find out the values of exchange reactions in soil, was carried out by potentiometry. Ascertained values of exchange reactions in soil ranged from 5.6 to 7.2. According to the calculated indices of dependencies, the development of pH/KCl values can be evaluated as moderately dynamic. The calculated indices of the Spearman‘s correlation coefficient for exchange reactions in soil demonstrate statistically significant dependence, especially for zinc and cadmium.

COPPER IN THE SEDIMENTS IN SELECTED BANSKÁ ŠTIAVNICA WATER RESERVOIRS / MEĎ V SEDIMENTOCH VO VYBRANÝCH BANSKO-ŠTIAVNICKÝCH VODNÝCH NÁDRŽIACH

Abstract The aim of this paper was to analyze and evaluate sediments of selected water reservoirs Počúvadlo, Malá Richňava, Veľká Richňava, Windšachta, in order to determine the concentrations of copper in the monitored water reservoirs in the Banská Štiavnica region. The analyses of the sediment samples were carried out by flow electrochemistry and atomic absorption spectrometry. In the study area, the samples were collected from 2001 to 2010; we found the following concentrations of copper in the range from 1.66 mg.kg-1 to 14.0 mg.kg-1 Cu of dry matter. The copper concentrations in the sediments were well below the risk limit according to “The Methodological Instruction of the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic no. 549/98-2”. Based on the calculated dependency index, it is possible to assess the development of changes in the concentrations over the years as highly dynamic, and unsatisfactory for natural environment. Súhrn Cieľom článku bolo analyzovať a zhodnotiť sedimenty vybraných vodných nádrží Počúvadlo, Malá Richňava, Veľká Richňava, Windšachta, stanoviť koncentrácie medi v týchto sedimentoch a zhodnotiť rizikovosť vplyvu tohto prvku vyskytujúceho sa v sedimentoch sledovaných vodných nádrží bansko-štiavnického regiónu v rokoch 2001 až 2010 na životné prostredie. Analýza výluhov vzoriek sedimentov bola uskutočnená princípom prietokovej elektrochémie a metódou atómovej absorpčnej spektrometrie. Zo získaných výsledkov vyplynulo, že meď bola prítomná v koncentráciách 1,66 - 14,0 mg.kg-1 suchej hmoty. Stanovené koncentrácie medi v sedimente boli pod rizikovou limitnou hranicou podľa hodnotenia na základe „Metodického pokynu MŽP SR 549/98-2“. Na základe vypočítaných indexov závislostí je možné hodnotiť vývoj zmien koncentrácií ako vysoko dynamický, pre prírodné prostredie nevyhovujúci.