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A study of green and charophytic algae diversity in two high-mountain lakes in the Eastern Carpathians (Ukraine) identified 99 species (109 taxa at species and intraspecific rank) in 35 genera from different ecotopes of the studied lakes. Algal species composition was characterized, and the ecological parameters of the lakes were determined from monitoring data recorded over the last century. Environmental analyses using bioindication methods based only on data on the composition of green and charophytic algae confirmed that the environmental inferences were accurate. Degradation of the Nesamovyte and Brebeneskul lake ecosystems, as compared with their earlier states, was noted.

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We studied diatoms from the fifteen springs selected in the Berchtesgaden National Park on behalf of the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment to be sentinel environments of climate-change effects. For three of these springs, diatom data based on samples taken in 1997 were also available. A total of 162 species belonging to 49 genera were found sampling three microhabitat types (lithic materials, bryophytes, surface sediments). The cumulative percentage of all species included in a threat category including endangered species was 43%, confirming previous findings for comparable environments of the Alps. We could find a statistically significant positive association between the Meinzer variability index for discharge and the cumulative relative abundance of aerial diatom species. This study thus highlighted once again the relevance of discharge (and associated water-level) variability as an environmental determinant of diatom assemblages in spring ecosystems. Increased nitrate concentrations in some springs, likely due to diffuse airborne pollution and, locally, to impacts such as forest management, game, and cattle, led to a relevant occurrence of eutraphentic diatom species. Our results show a segregation of the older data in non-parametric diatom-based ordinations, suggesting a strong potential for the use of spring diatoms in studies aiming at tracking the effects of climate and environmental change.

The diversity of centric diatoms is documented for the transitional zone of the lower part of the Southern Bug River (Ukraine) just before entering the Dnipro-Bug Estuary and compared to earlier results from the upstream sampling sites of the same river system. Benthic samples of the following sites were investigated: north of Mykolaiv City (approximately 5 km), in Mykolaiv City (near Varvarivskyi Bridge), and 5 km south of the city. Twenty-four centric diatom taxa belonging to 11 genera were identified, analysed, and documented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). Among them, Aulacoseira nivalis is the first report for Ukraine, A. islandica and is the first confirmed record for the studied area since the 1930s. The maximum number of centric diatom taxa found in one station was 21, the minimum 10. Melosira subglobosa was the most common (documented in 57–80% of sites with centric diatoms) and abundant species 7.3–15.7% in relative abundance to all diatom taxa. The discovered diversity of taxa and its comparison with previous results is discussed with regard to the relevance of estuary zones in the research of diatoms.

The usage of remote sensing data for tracking or monitoring war conflicts is a reality nowadays. The Russian invasion in Ukraine seriously impacted on the environment of the attacked country in all areas: air, soil, water, flora and fauna. The war has created a massive increase in air pollution in some regions of Ukraine, and might have effect in neighbouring countries. The Russian attack has caused many fires at places such as oil depots, industrial complexes, equipment and ammunition stockpiles, the forests, and residential areas. In addition to this, many bridges, hydraulic and other structures located over and near the water bodies were destroyed. These events were analysed in this paper by using publicly available remote sensing data: NOAA-2, Suomi NPP, Aqua and Terra satellites, Sentinel and Landsat satellites, as well as from other sources open to public. We assume that the use of remote sensing data is an excellent tool to monitor effects of military conflicts on environment. The conducted research with proposed method can serve as a good scientific practice that should be implemented for monitoring of the harm to nature caused by wars.