Svetlana Bičárová

Catchment biogeochemistry modifies long-term effects of acidic deposition on chemistry of mountain lakes

Abstract Using relationships between the composition of precipitation and emission rates of sulphur and nitrogen compounds and dust from 1978 to 2012, we modelled concentrations of sulphate, nitrate, ammonium, chloride, and base cations and pH of precipitation in the Tatra Mountains (central Europe) back to 1900. The modelled precipitation chemistry exhibited a high degree of temporal coherence with the lake water chemistry in 1937 and during the period 1984–2014. The ionic composition of lake water reflected progress in their acidification until the late 1980s, and then a rapid recovery. The response of lake water chemistry to changes in precipitation chemistry differed for individual ions, nutrients, and among lakes, predominantly reflecting the proportions of soil in their catchments. Important differences occurred in nutrient concentrations. In-lake concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total organic nitrogen (TON) exhibited inverse patterns to nitrate. DOC and TON were higher in lakes with a higher proportion of soil in the catchments, and increased in many lakes during recovery from acidification, while nitrate concentrations were higher and decreased most steeply in the catchments with sparse soils. Lake water concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) were spatially similar to that of DOC and TON, but increased most steeply during recovery in lakes with a high proportion of till soils. Our results indicate that chemical recovery of mountain ecosystems is seriously modified by catchment biogeochemistry and may result not only in elevated DOC leaching, but also in an increase of terrestrial export of TON and TP to the receiving surface waters.

Climate Change Increasing Calcium and Magnesium Leaching from Granitic Alpine Catchments

Climate change can reverse trends of decreasing calcium and magnesium [Ca + Mg] leaching to surface waters in granitic alpine regions recovering from acidification. Despite decreasing concentrations of strong acid anions (-1.4 μeq L-1 yr-1) during 2004-2016 in nonacidic alpine lakes in the Tatra Mountains (Central Europe), the average [Ca + Mg] concentrations increased (2.5 μeq L-1 yr-1), together with elevated terrestrial export of bicarbonate (HCO3-; 3.6 μeq L-1 yr-1). The percent increase in [Ca + Mg] concentrations in nonacidic lakes (0.3-3.2% yr-1) was significantly and positively correlated with scree proportion in the catchment area and negatively correlated with the extent of soil cover. Leaching experiments with freshly crushed granodiorite, the dominant bedrock, showed that accessory calcite and (to a lesser extent) apatite were important sources of Ca. We hypothesize that elevated terrestrial export of [Ca + Mg] and HCO3- resulted from increased weathering caused by accelerated physical erosion of rocks due to elevated climate-related mechanical forces (an increasing frequency of days with high precipitation amounts and air temperatures fluctuating around 0 °C) during the last 2-3 decades. These climatic effects on water chemistry are especially strong in catchments where fragmented rocks are more exposed to weathering, and their position is less stable than in soil.

Effects of air pollution and climate change on forests of the Tatra Mountains, Central Europe

Synergistic effects of air pollution, extreme weather conditions and biotic agents related to global climate change have caused serious deterioration of forest condition in the Tatra National Park since early 1990s. Atmospheric deposition of sulfate (SO4 2−), nitrate (NO3 −) and acidity (H+) are above the established critical load limits for forests. In addition, ambient ozone (O3) concentrations are also elevated mainly due to a long-range transport of polluted air masses. Ambient O3 concentrations have been monitored since 1992 with active UV monitors and passive samplers showing significant differences along the elevational gradient. High O3 values in spring indicate a potential for O3 stratospheric intrusion into troposphere. Ozone AOT40 index for protection of natural forest vegetation (10,000 ppbh) is commonly exceeded in the middle of vegetation period.

Ozone phytotoxicity in the Western Carpathian Mountains in Slovakia

Abstract In this work, the response of temperate coniferous forests to ozone air pollution (O3) in the mountain environment of the High Tatra Mts. (Western Carpathians) was analyzed. The modelling of stomatal O3 flux is a complex method for the estimation of phytotoxicity of O3 pollution to forest vegetation. Stomatal flux-based critical levels (CLef) for effects of O3 on radial growth take into account the varying influences of O3 concentration, meteorological variables, soil properties, and phenology. The application of the model DO3SE (Deposition of Ozone for Stomatal Exchange) at five experimental plots with altitudes varying from 810 to 1,778 m a.s.l. along vertical and spatial profile in the High Tatra Mts. revealed the high phytotoxic potential of O3 on spruce forests during the growing season 2014. The accumulated stomatal O3 flux above a threshold of Y (1 nmol m−2 s−1), i.e. POD1 (Phytotoxic Ozone Dose) ranged from 13.6 mmol m−2 at the Kolové pleso site (1,570 m a.s.l.) to 16.2 mmol m−2 at Skalnaté Pleso site (1,778 m a.s.l.). CLef for POD1 (8 mmol m−2) recommended for the protection of spruce forests were exceeded at all experimental plots from early July. Similarly, AOT40 index suggests vulnerability of mountain forests to O3 pollution. AOT40 values increased with altitude and reached values varying from 6.2 ppm h in Stará Lesná (810 m a.s.l.) to 10.7 ppm h at Skalnaté Pleso close to the timber line (1,778 m a.s.l.). Concentration-based critical level (CLec) of 5,000 ppb h was exceeded from June to August and was different for each experimental site.

The role of the climate in complex treatment of respiratory disease

The climatotherapy associated with favourable environmental conditions is an important factor for improvement human health. In this paper, we had presented results from selected studies carried out in Srobar´s institute for tuberculosis and respiratory dieseases Dolný Smokovec in the High Tatras. Srobar´s institute was for many years specialised health care institution providing complete in patients and outpatients terapeutical and preventive care for children of 0 - 18 years of age. Cooperation all together with Pediatric clinic St Andrea hospital of Universita La Sapienza in Roma performed in 2002 all together with Rabka Zdroj Institute and Motol hospital Prague,showed interesting results. We had found–out that children suffered respiratory allergy and asthma had lower level of values of MEF25 (middle forced respiratory flow on the level of 25% of peak respiratory flow) at the first day of hospitalization in opposite to the values after one-week treatment. On the other hand, the level of FeNO concentration (forced expired nitrogen monoxide) was significantly lower after one-week treatment. Children ´s without chronic allergy and asthma, values of MEF 25 and FeNO were unchanged.

Immission-load-related dynamics of S-SO42− in precipitation and in lysimetric solutions penetrating through beech ecosystems

Abstract The paper presents the results of a 23-year study of sulphate sulphur dynamics in beech ecosystems exposed to different immission loads. The amounts of S-SO42− in precipitation water entering the ecosystems were: the Kremnické vrchy Mts, a clear-cut area 519 kg ha−1 (24.7 kg ha−1 per year), a beech forest 476 kg ha−1 (22.7 kg ha−1 per year); the Štiavnické vrchy Mts an open place 401 kg ha−1 (24.6 kg ha−1 per year), a beech forest 324 kg ha−1 (19.1 kg ha−1 per year). The average SO42− concentrations in lysimetric solutions penetrating through surface humus to a depth of Cambisol 10 and 25 cm were increased as follows: in the Kremnické vrchy Mts from 12.71 to 16.17 mg l−1 and in the Štiavnické vrchy Mts from 18.73 to 28.80 mg l−1. The S-SO4−2 amounts penetrating the individual soil layers in the Kremnické vrchy Mts were as follows: in case of surface humus on clear-cut area 459 kg ha−1 (20.9 kg ha−1 per year), in beech forest 433 kg ha−1 (19.7 kg ha−1 per year); below 10 cm organo-mineral layer of the mentioned plots penetrated 169–171 kg ha−1 (7.7–7.8 kg ha−1 per year), and below 25 cm mineral layer 155–255 kg ha−1 (7.1−11.6 kg ha−1 per year) – a higher amount was found on clear-cut area with an episodic lateral flow of soil solutions. In beech forest of the Štiavnické vrchy Mts penetrated below surface humus 424 kg ha−1 S-SO42− (18.9 kg ha−1 per year), below 10 cm mineral layer 458 kg ha−1 S-SO42− (19.9 kg ha−1 per year), and below 25 cm mineral layer as much as 599 kg ha−1 S-SO42− (26.0 kg ha−1 per year). This fact was caused by frequent lateral flow of soil solutions. The results indicate that the assumption about lower immission load of the beech ecosystem in the Kremnické vrchy Mts is wrong, at least in the case of S-SO42−. The testing has revealed that the studied beech ecosystems differ very significantly in sulphur amounts penetrating under 0.10 m and 0.25 m. The inter-annual differences were insignificant.

Changes in the surface ozone after the windstorm in 2004, in the High Tatras

Abstract Extreme wind event in November 2004 caused spacious destruction of slope forests in the Tatra National Park, Slovakia. Relevant changes of land cover motivated researchers to investigate damaged forest ecosystem and its response to different environmental conditions. Surface ozone (O3) is a minor but not negligible compound of the ambient air. Control strategies for the reduction of O3 precursor emissions have been applied in Europe during the last two decades. In spite of these reductions, air quality indices for O3 suggest that highland sites are more vulnerable to health and environmental risk than lowlands where mostly emissions from road transport and industry are produced. Both anthropogenic sources and biogenic precursors (BVOC) from forest vegetation play a relevant role in the tropospheric photochemistry, especially at mountainous and rural locations. The parameters of air quality are measured at background station Stará Lesná in the High Tatras region since 1992 in frame of an European project EMEP. Long-term data series (1992-2013) of O3 concentrations obtained for site Stará Lesná provide specific opportunity to investigate the response of BVOC reduction on O3 variability after windstorm 2004. Evaluation of these data indicates moderate increase of annual, monthly and hourly O3 means for the period from 2005 to 2013 in comparison with the previous period 1992-2004. Temporal interpolation shows evident changes of O3 concentrations, especially ~30% increase for night hours in spring season and on the contrary ~15% decrease for daylight afternoon hours in summer season. Statistically significant changes were identified for spring months (April and May, 0-6 hours) and summer months (July, 12-20 hours). Increasing O3 values in the night may be associated with the absence of BVOC for ozonolysis reaction that is one of the mechanism for O3 depletion. On the other hand, the decline of daylight O3 values in summer suggests lower O3 production via photochemical mechanism.

Climate of submontane location Stará Lesná (1988–2013)

Abstract This paper focuses on evaluation of climatic data obtained at Meteorological Observatory GPI SAS Stará Lesná according to the classical daily observations carried out for period 1988-2013. Location is situated at the foothills of the High Tatra Mts. and represents submontane climate zone favourable for temperate coniferous and mixed forest vegetation. According to observations climate of Star´a Lesná is characterized by average annual air temperature 5.9 °C that seasonally varies from -3.5 °C (DJF) to 15.2 °C (JJA). Air-temperature extremes range between -26.5 and 34.2 °C. Daily air temperature maxima and derived indices such as the number of summer days indicate moderate warming during last decade. Growing season length is about 195 days. Average annual precipitation is 744 mm, seasonal comparison shows nearly twice more precipitation amount in summer than winter half year. Snow depth is 35 cm on average, extraordinary over 50 cm. Relative air humidity is about 78%. Wet periods lasted from 5 to 13 consecutive wet days; substantially longer are dry periods from 14 to 39 days. Average sunshine duration is 1806 hours per year. The number of sunny days is clearly lower than the number of cloudy days. Surface air pressure 920.4 hPa relates to altitudinal position of site. Wind blows mostly from the more open southern side. Although average wind speed is rather low (2.1 m/s), occurrence of strong wind gusts above 40 m/s can cause such a spatial destruction of natural environment as in November 2004