Role of Soil Algae on the Initial Stages of Soil Formation in Sandy Polluted Areas

Skreczko

2021

Land

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This research was conducted on an area of inland sands characterised by various degrees of overgrowth by vegetation and soil stabilisation. This landscape’s origin is not natural but is connected to human industrial activities dating from early medieval times, which created a powerful centre for mining and metallurgy. This study aims to identify the changes in the above- and belowground phytomass in the initial stages of succession and their influence on the chemical properties and morphology of the soil. It was found that Salix arenaria dominated in primary phytomass production in all plots tested. The amounts of this species found in each community were as follows: 8.55 kg/400 m2 (algae–mosses), 188.97 kg/400 m2 (sand grassland–willow), 123.44 kg/400 m2 (pine–willow–mosses), 14.63 kg/400 m2 (sand grassland–mosses–willow), and 196.55 kg/400 m2 (willow–pine–sand grassland). A notable share of Koeleria glauca was found in the phytomass production of Plots IV (45.73 kg) and V (86.16 kg). Basic soil properties (pH, Corg, Nt), available plant elements (P), and plant nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, P, Fe) beneath the dominant plant species were examined. Soil acidity (pH) varied greatly, ranging from acidic (pH = 3.2) to weakly acidic (pH = 6.3). The content of organic carbon (Corg) in individual plots beneath the dominant species in the humus horizon ranged from 0.28% to 1.42%. The maximum contents of organic carbon and total nitrogen were found in organic (O) and organic-humus (OA) horizons. The highest Pavail content was found in organic and organic-humus horizons, ranging from 10.41 to 65.23 mg/kg, and in mineral horizons under K. glauca (24.10 mg/kg) and Salix acutifola (25.11 mg/kg). The soil features and phytomass were varied differently across individual sites, representing different stages of succession.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Changes in Soil Features and Phytomass during Vegetation Succession in Sandy Areas

Skreczko

2021

Land

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“…It has been considered that cyanobacteria success at high latitudes is due to their wide range of tolerance to conditions and to maintaining slow but constant growth rates, despite the frigid ambient temperatures (Taton et al, 2003; Quesada and Vincent, 2012). However, we have seen how they are metabolically comparable to photosynthetic eukaryotes as diatoms, considered as crucial in colonization and in primary and secondary succession processes (Rahmonov et al, 2015). Therefore, cyanobacteria could be competing at the same level as the other primary producers within the microbial mat community, with comparable photosynthetic efficiency, which is relevant in a cyanobacteria-based microecosystem where they also provide structural integrity to the microbial mat.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon Pathways Through the Food Web of a Microbial Mat From Byers Peninsula, Antarctica

et al. 2019

Microbial mats are complex communities that represent a large biomass fraction in non-marine Antarctic ecosystems. They confer structure to soils and constitute, by themselves, intricate microecosystems, where a great variety of microorganisms and microfauna contributes to the ecosystem functions. Although in recent years Antarctic microbial mats have been thoroughly investigated, trophic relationships within the communities remain unresolved. We therefore conducted a study of the trophic relationships of a microbial mat from Byers Peninsula, Antarctica, using DNA analysis and stable isotopes as trophic tracers. Our results suggested, based on a Bayesian mixing model, that at least four trophic levels are present within this microecosystem: primary producers (cyanobacteria and diatoms), primary consumers (rotifers and tardigrades), secondary consumers (nematodes) and decomposers (fungi). Nematodes would play a key role as top consumers of the community, connecting the two carbon inputs described into the system, as omnivores at the secondary trophic level. In addition, carbon pathways from primary trophic level to consumers take place quickly during the first 24 h after its incorporation in the primary producers, dispersing across all the trophic levels and reaching secondary consumers in less than 11 days. This suggests that, given the changing physical conditions and presumably short periods of activity, there is a fine temporal coupling among the organisms in the community, minimizing the redundancy in function performance among trophic levels.

“…Today, city parks are often created in areas changed by human activity and on artificially (anthropogenically)-created grounds composed of rocks of diverse origin, from various geological periods, and characterized by diverse chemical compositions (Rahmonov 2014). To a large extent, this contributes to the emergence of microhabitat mosaics which are inhabitated by species with varying ecological preferences, from algae to flowers (Czaja et al 2014;Rahmonov et al 2015). This is one of the most important causes of biodiversity in anthropogenic areas, including urban parks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecological diversity of vegetation within urban parks in the Dąbrowski Basin (southern Poland)

Banaszek

Leksy

Proccedings of 10th International Conference "Environmental Engineering"

2017

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The aim of this work is to present the diversity of flora in terms of ecological requirements. The research was conducted in the area of two urban parks in the area of two cities in southern Poland: Bedzin and Czeladz. These parks were established in different historical periods, and were planned (and are managed) differently. The results of the investigation have shown that the occurrence of 192 vascular species has been observed in the Gora Zamkowa (Castle Hill) Park, while in the Grabek park, 334 such species are known to exist. Such disparity is the result of the occurrence of micro-habitats and of the differences between the ways the two parks are managed. It is also due to these parks’ different functions. In the first case, the park area is protected by law. In the latter case, human activity has created a new ecological niche for organisms with a high degree of ecological tolerance. Based on the ecological values, the following groups of plants were distinguished: saxi-frages grasslands, xerothermic grasslands, beech forests, alder forests and artificial planted trees. Analysis has shown that ur-ban parks are potential places for growth various type of vegetation and also for increasing biodiversity, and can constitute particularly important hotspots for biodiversity in the cityscape, even if their primary role is recreational. As the study shows, the environment of a highly urbanized and industrialized region can also have a positive influence on ecological and floristic diversity.