Spatial variability of nutrients in soils and plants of forest ecosystems located near the highway.

The variability of selected biogenic elements in soils and leaves of three dominant plant species was studied in segments of Querci-Fageta typica and Fagi-Querceta typica forest ecosystems located near R1 Pribina highway in SW Slovakia. The amounts of nutrients (Mg, K, Na and Zn) in soils distant 30 m from the highway were mostly low and increased significantly with a depth of soil. On the other hand, the highest Ca concentrations were found in the surface humus horizons and decreased significantly with soil depth. The Mg, K and Zn contents found in soil mineral horizons 8000 m from the highway were more balanced than those found at 30 m from the highway. The nutrient content of plant leaves was mostly significantly higher at a distance of 30 m from the highway than 8000 m from the highway, for Ca (Prunus spinosa, Melica uniflora), Mg (P. spinosa), Na (Quercus cerris, P. spinosa) and Zn (Q. cerris, M. uniflora). The tightness of the relationships between nutrient contents in leaves and the distance from the highway was the highest for Ca (P. spinosa, M. uniflora), Mg, Na, Zn (Q. cerris, P. spinosa) and K (M. uniflora). The K/(Mg + Ca) ratios in Q. cerris and P. spinosa leaves distant 8000 m from the highway were more balanced than those found at 30 m from the highway. This markedly points to favourable biological activity and better stability of the more distant control ecosystem with lower level of pollutants.

The Impact of Highway Motor Vehicle Traffic on Energy Stores in Selected Plant Species.

This paper assesses the impact of vehicle emissions on energy stores in assimilation organs of five plant species on plots at different distances from the highway. On more remote plots (500 m away from the road) with lower level of pollutants there was a significant increase in the amount of energy in leaves of Negundo aceroides, Quercus rubra and Anthriscus sylvestris. The increase of energy in Quercus cerris was negligible and in the case of Fraxinus excelsior was even recorded a decrease in energy store. The tightness of the relationships between energy accumulated in plant leaves and the distance from the highway was as follows: N. aceroides > Q. cerris > Q. rubra > A. sylvestris. The most suitable for energy biomonitoring appear N. aceroides and A. sylvestris, which in the period of full highway operation bound significantly less energy than before its construction. Q. cerris have demonstrated greater ability to accumulate energy on Cambisols, F. excelsior on Fluvisols.

Relationship of selected properties of Cambisols to altitude and forest ecosystems of four vegetation grades.

Currently, little is known about the spatial variability of significant soil properties and their relationships to forest ecosystems of different vegetation grades. This work evaluates the variability of the properties of the upper layer of Cambisol taxa and their relationship to altitude and forest ecosystems of 2nd to 5th forest vegetation grades selected in the Western Carpathians using PCA and regression analysis. The content of clay, total carbon and total nitrogen, humus, energy, and ash in the soils varied between 5.43 and 11.53 %, 21-65 mg g-1, 1.9-4.7 mg g-1, 36-112 mg g-1, 438.4-5845.7 J g-1 and 852.9-946.3 mg g-1, and C/N, pHH2O, and pHKCl values ranged between 11.2 and 16.7, 4.0-5.8 and 3.1-4.6. PCA showed that EAC in the 3rd oak-beech vegetation grade had significantly higher pH values and significantly lower energy content, ESC in the 4th beech vegetation grade had a significantly higher ash content and a significantly lower energy content, and DC in the 5th fir-beech vegetation grade had a significantly higher content of Ct, Nt, and humus. Linear regression revealed a strong negative correlation between the energy content and soil reaction (R2 for pHH2O = 0.48; R2 for pHKCl = 0.38) for all Cambisol taxa. Ct content and ash show a strong negative correlation (R2 = 0.78). The positive relationship between altitude and FVGs was found only for the soil Ct (R2 = 0.87), Nt (R2 = 0.81), and humus content (R2 = 0.87). A strong negative linear relationship between altitude and FVGs showed the ash content (R2 = 0.77). In turn, the oscillatory, polynomial course had a relationship between the clay content (R2 = 0.65) and energy (R2 = 0.75) to altitude and FVGs. Recognizing significant soil variables and better understanding their impact on the development of forest ecosystems is a prerequisite for distinguishing areas with the highest risk of their damage under conditions of various anthropogenic interventions and climate change. Therefore, this topic continues to require increased research efforts. For this reason, a better understanding of the relationships between soil properties and ecologically differentiated communities of forest ecosystems will allow us to identify areas with the highest risk of ecological changes that could lead to the degradation of European forests in the future.

Acute Hemodynamic Effect of a Novel Dual-Vein, Multisite Biventricular Pacing Configuration.

BACKGROUND: Biventricular pacing (BVP) from multiple left ventricular (LV) sites could enhance the efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) by engaging a greater myocardial mass. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to evaluate the acute hemodynamic effect of various multisite pacing (MSP) configurations against conventional BVP. METHODS: Twenty patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and left bundle branch block (mean age: 59 ± 14 years; LV ejection fraction: 27% ± 6%; native QRS: 171 ± 16 milliseconds) were investigated during a routine CRT implant procedure. In addition to conventional right atrial and right ventricular leads, 2 quadripolar leads were placed in the distant coronary venous branches. LV hemodynamics was evaluated by using a micromanometer-tipped catheter during atrioventricular BVP with 4 LV lead configurations: single-lead conventional BVP; single-lead multipoint pacing; triventricular pacing from distal dipoles of 2 LV leads; and maximum MSP (MSP-Max) from 4 dipoles of 2 LV leads. RESULTS: Compared with right atrial pacing, any BVP configuration produced a significant increase in the maximal LV diastolic pressure rise (LVdP/dTMax) (a median relative increase of 28% [IQR: 8%-45%], 25% [IQR: 18%-46%], 36% [IQR: 18%-54%], and 38% [IQR: 28%-58%], respectively; all, P < 0.001). MSP-Max but no other multisite BVP generated a significant increase of the maximal LVdP/dTMax than conventional BVP (P = 0.041). Increased LVdP/dTMax during MSP-Max was associated with greater LV diameter and lower LV ejection fraction, independently of the QRS width. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows the hemodynamic advantage of a novel dual-vein MSP-Max configuration that could be useful for CRT in patients with advanced LV remodeling.

Impact of Car Traffic on Metal Accumulation in Soils and Plants Growing Close to a Motorway (Eastern Slovakia).

The paper evaluates the impact of car transport on the distribution and accumulation of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in soils, as well as in the vegetation near a newly built R4 motorway Kosice-Milhost (Slovakia). Samples were taken from surface humus layer (litter) and 0−5, 10−20 and 20−30 cm mineral layers of Cambisol and Luvisol, as well as from assimilatory organs of Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus cerris, Quercus rubra, Negundo aceroides and Anthriscus sylvestris growing in the segments of geobiocoenosis Querci-Fageta Typica. The concentrations of total Zn and Cu were determined using SensAA AAS and the total concentrations of Cd and Pb using an instrument iCE 3000 Series AAS-F. Contamination factor (CF) values showed that surface humus layer of both soil units is moderately contaminated with Zn (1 ≤ CF ˂ 3), low contaminated with Cu (CF ˂ 1) and considerably contaminated with Pb and Cd (3 ≤ CF ˂ 6). Contamination of the surface humus layer of Luvisol with Pb is very high (CF > 6), while in the case of mineral layers with Zn and Cu it is low (CF ˂ 1). The mineral layers of Luvisol are moderately contaminated with Pb and Cd (1 ≤ CF ˂ 3) and Cambisol layers with Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd. For the group of 5 tested plants, higher values of toxic elements in the leaves were observed on Luvisol compared to Cambisol. However, only Cu conconcentrations in Luvisol significantly correlated with Cu concentrations in plants (r > 0.4 or r < 0.6). The same can be said for Zn concentrations in Cambisol (r > 0.8). The best indicator of the environment polluted by car traffic appears to be A. sylvestris. Transfer coefficients (TC ˃ 1) revealed that this species concentrated the most Zn and Cu on Luvisol and close to 1 are also the TC values found for Cu in F. excelsior and Q. cerris leaves taken on Luvisol. Lead is accumulated most efficiently in N. aceroides leaves and Cd in A. sylvestris leaves regardless of soil unit. Compared to background values, the total concentrations of trace elements in soils and plants were significantly higher and point to the pollution of forest ecosystems already in the initial stage of motorway operation.

Content of Cadmium and Nickel in Soils and Assimilatory Organs of Park Woody Species Exposed to Polluted Air.

The rising level of pollutant emissions is becoming one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. Therefore, this work is focused on evaluating Cd and Ni contamination of soils and assimilatory organs of two native (Acer platanoides L., Taxus baccata L.) and two non-native (Negundo aceroides Moench, Thuja occidentalis L.) woody species in urban parks of SW Slovakia. The contents of Cd and Ni in soils were determined by the AAS method and, in the assimilatory organs of trees, by the AAS-ETA method. The studied soils (Fluvisol, Phaeozem) have neutral soil reactions and a moderate organic matter content. Cadmium soil contamination is considerable to very high; in the case of Ni, it is moderate to low. Cadmium levels detected in leaves were 31% higher than in needles, while Ni levels were 27% lower. Significant ecological factors in relation to the studied woody species were evaluated using PCA. The first three principal components of PCA significantly correlated with Cd (PC1) and Ni (PC3) contents in soils and Cd content in assimilatory organs (PC2), thus suggesting that these elements could especially originate from industrial and vehicular sources. Knowledge of the factors affecting the accumulation of risk elements in the assimilatory organs of park woody species can be successfully used, especially in the assessment of the quality of the urban environment and the selection of suitable cultivars for planting in areas with air pollution.