The spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements in the mountain forest topsoils (the Silesian Beskids, southern Poland).

Progressive industrialisation and urbanisation in recent decades have dramatically affected the soil cover and led to significant changes in its properties, which inevitably affect the functioning of other components of the forest ecosystems. The total content of Pb, Cd, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, As, and Hg was studied in twenty-five plots at different heights in the topsoil (organic and humus horizons) formed from the Carpathian flysch in the area of the Silesian Beskids (Western Carpathians). The aim of this article is to analyse the spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements in the mountain forest topsoil in different types of plant communities and to determine the relationship between altitude and potentially toxic elements contamination. The soils studied are acidic or very acidic, with an average range of 3.8 (H2O) and 2.9 (KCl). Concentrations of the metals Cd, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Hg on the plots that were analysed are within the range of permissible standards for forest ecosystems in Poland, while Pb and As exceed the permissible standards for this type of ecosystem. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed a high correlation between Fe-Cr (r(32) = 0.879, Pb-Hg r(32) = 0.772, Ni-Cr r(32) = 0.738, Zn-Cd r(32) = 0.734, and Cu-Hg r(32) = 0.743, and a moderate statistically significant positive correlation between Cu-Pb r(32) = 0.667 and As-Pb r(32) = 0.557. No correlation was found between altitude and the occurrence of potentially toxic elements. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) index, on the other hand, indicates that Pb, As, and Cd have the highest impact on soil contamination in all study plots: it classifies soils from moderately to strongly polluted. The enrichment factor (EF) obtained for As and Hg indicates significant-to-very high enrichment in all areas studied. The potential ecological risk index (PLI) calculated for the sites indicates the existence of pollution in all areas examined. The highest risk categories (considerable to very high) are associated with cadmium and mercury.

A Devonian crinoid with a diamond microlattice.

Owing to their remarkable physical properties, cellular structures, such as triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), have multidisciplinary and multifunctional applications. Although these structures are observed in nature, examples of TPMS with large length scales in living organisms are exceedingly rare. Recently, microstructure reminiscent of the diamond-type TPMS was documented in the skeleton of the modern knobby starfish Protoreaster nodosus. Here we report a similar microlattice in a 385 Myr old crinoid Haplocrinites, which pushes back the origins of this highly ordered microstructure in echinoderms into the Devonian. Despite the low Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio of the 'calcite' Devonian sea, the skeleton of these crinoids has high-Mg content, which indicates strong biological control over biomineralogy. We suggest that such an optimization of trabecular arrangement additionally enriched in magnesium, which enhances the mechanical properties, might have evolved in these crinoids in response to increased predation pressure during the Middle Palaeozoic Marine Revolution. This discovery illustrates the remarkable ability of echinoderms, through the process of evolutionary optimization, to form a lightweight, stiff and damage-tolerant skeleton, which serves as an inspiration for biomimetic materials.

Relationships between Heavy Metal Concentrations in Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus L.) Tissues and Soil in Urban Parks.

Anthropogenic ecological ecosystems create favourable conditions for the growth of the nitrophilous medicinal species Chelidonium majus in six urban parks in Southern Poland. This study focuses on the concentrations of trace elements in the soils, leaves, stems, and rhizomes of greater celandine. The soil samples were taken only in the humus horizon (A), which averaged approximately 15 cm in thickness under the clumps of Ch. majus. Regarding the reaction, the soil samples tested can be described as slightly acidic (5.6-6.8 in KCl) to alkaline (7.1-7.4 in H2O). Organic carbon content at all sites is high, ranging from 3.2% to 13.6%, while the highest total nitrogen (Nt) content is 0.664%. The average total phosphorus (Pt) content in all samples is 548.8 mg/kg (and its range is 298-940 mg/kg), such values indicating its anthropogenic origin. In terms of heavy metals, Zn has the highest content in the analysed soil samples compared to the other elements, and its range is from 394.50 mg/kg to 1363.80 mg/kg in soil. In rhizomes, Zn also has the highest values (178.7-408.3 mg/kg), whereas, in stems and leaves, it varies (from 80.6 to 227.5 and from 57.8 to 297.4 mg/kg, respectively). Spearman's rank correlation showed high correlations between the content of Pb, Zn, Cd, and As in the soil and rhizomes of Ch. majus. Despite soil contamination with Pb, Cd, and Zn, Ch. majus does not accumulate them in its tissues. However, the translocation of Hg and Cr from rhizomes to leaves was observed. The different concentrations of metals in each park result from the degree of diversity of the parent rocks on which the soil was formed.

Comparative actualistic study hints at origins of alleged Miocene coprolites of Poland.

Excrement-shaped ferruginous masses have been recovered from the Miocene of Turów mine in south-western Poland. These siderite masses have been the subject of much controversy, having been interpreted either as being coprolites, cololithes or pseudofossils created by mechanical deformation of plastic sediment. Here we present the results of mineralogical, geochemical, petrographic and microtomographical analyses. Our data indicate that these masses consist of siderite and iron oxide rather than phosphate, and rarely contain recognizable food residues, which may suggest abiotic origins of these structures. On the other hand, evidence in support of a fecal origin include: (i) the presence of two distinct morphotypes differing in size and shape, (ii) the presence of rare hair-like structures or coalified inclusions and (iii) the presence of rare fine striations on the surface. Importantly, comparative actualistic study of recent vertebrate feces shows overall resemblance of the first morphotype (sausage-shaped with rare coalified debris) to excrements of testudinoid turtles (Testudinoidea), whose shell fragment was found in the investigated locality. The second morphotype (rounded to oval-shaped with hair-like structures), in turn, is similar to the feces of some snakes (Serpentes), the remains of which were noted in the Miocene of the neighborhood areas. Other potential producers (such as lizards and crocodiles) and even abiotic origins cannot be fully excluded but are less likely.

Vegetation- and Environmental Changes on Non-Reclaimed Spoil Heaps in Southern Poland.

The study focused on the changes in vegetation and soils on an undeveloped area of coal mine spoil heaps. The process of vegetation changes was evaluated on the basis of historical cartographic materials and fieldwork. Changes of vegetation in nearly 200 years are presented herein. The main purpose of this study is to present an analysis of spatio-temporal changes in vegetation and their influence on soil features. The diversity of ecological species in terms of habitat requirements, tendency of hornbeam communities formation, and the relationship between forest communities and soil features was found. The basic soil properties were examined under selected plant communities (pH, Corg, Nt), available forms of elements (P, K, Mg), and as plant nutrients and heavy metal occurrence (Fe, Zn, Mn, Co, Cd, Pb, Sr, Cr, Cu). The soil organic carbon (Corg) content varied from 3.17 ± 0.007% to 17.7 ± 0.21% and significant differences were observed between sites. The highest total nitrogen (Nt) content was recorded in the soils of the sites that were represented by Populus-Betula stands (0.60 ± 0.01%). Soil acidity (pH) varied greatly, ranging from acidic (pH = 4.1) to weakly acidic (pH = 5.9). The highest value for Mgavail (205.43 ± 0.5 mg·kg-1) was noted in the soils under Calamagrostis epegijos (L.) Roth community and for Pavail (184.07 ± 3.77) and Kavail (346.19 ± 2.92 mg·kg-1) under the Quercus-Pinus stand. On all sites, Zn was a dominant element and its concentration ranged from 526.1 to 1060.4 mg·kg-1. Obtained results show how important it is to study the issue of vegetation changes and the formation of the landscape within an industrial city. The described results are important for the management of urban greening issues. Human influence on the disintegration and development of the natural environment is clearly visible. Due to the diversity of former mining areas and their time of creation, the studied area is one of the most important experimental areas for the determination link between vegetation and soil.