On the issue of the formation of an ecologically sustainable multifunctional green infrastructure on the technogeolandscapes of the coastal strip of the Caspian sea

The article presents the results of the substantiation of the sustainable development factors of the coast and park and recreation areas in the context of the use of ecosystem services of the blue economy, in particular, the conceptual relationship between integrated and strategic approaches to the natural asset management, which provide ‘blue’ ecosystem services, is revealed; and the elements of natural infrastructure and nature based solutions within the framework of sustainable development of the coast and park and recreation areas related to climate change and anthropogenic impact on the environment in coastal territorial communities are also highlighted. The developed matrix for making relevant nature based solutions, depending on the needs of the community, the state of the infrastructure and situational factors, is a set of relationships between the types of services (such as managing the quality of stormwater runoff, ensuring the quality of recreation, local economic development, etc.) and strategies for natural asset managing (from today’s most common priority strategy of gray infrastructure in its combination with elements of green infrastructure – to the strategy of balanced combination of gray, green and natural infrastructure). The provisions on improving the management of relevant natural assets are substantiated, namely regarding: their inventory with the prioritization of individual natural assets depending on the needs and financial and organizational capacity of the community; application of an integrated approach to determining the unique characteristics of natural assets, primarily in the context of the use of previously unidentified ecosystem services; comprehensive consideration of factors supporting local government initiatives in the field of natural asset management.

Optimization and trade-off framework for coupled green-grey infrastructure considering environmental performance

Forests play an important role in absorbing the atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, the carbon sequestration potential of a forest is affected by several natural and anthropogenic factor. The aim of this research is to assess and quantify the forest carbon stock and study the effect of species richness, strata, invasive species, grazing, fodder collection, and slope in community forest of Kayarkhola watershed, Central Nepal. A total of 50 circular sampling plots throughout six community forests were taken to quantify tree and sapling biomass. Forest carbon stock was calculated in three major pools- above and below ground tree biomass and above ground sapling biomass in accordance with dense and sparse strata. The total carbon stock stored in dense and sparse forest strata was estimated to be 177.18 tons/ha and 128.175 tons/ha respectively. This study shows that the individual effect of the disturbance factors such as grazing, fodder collection, presence of invasive species and strata doesn’t have significant impact on the tree biomass. However, the combined effect can be significant. The combined effect of species richness, grazing and slope was observed to have greater effect on the tree’s biomass of community forest in central Nepal.

The increasing effects of climate change on urban areas are driving interest in green and blue infrastructure (GBI) as climate mitigation measures. Vegetation as part of GBI plays a key role in urban heat island reduction strategies through multiple ecological and physical processes. However, carbon sequestration capabilities of vegetation as part of GBI are poorly studied. The understanding of the carbon balance of GBI is crucial to holistically assess their potential in sustainably enhancing urban climatic conditions and mitigating climate change effects. In Vienna, the artificial Danube Island is the most important GBI and recreational area in the city. This study aims to provide a holistic carbon balance of its use phase and examines the climate potential of the Island’s vegetation. To achieve this, field and remote sensing data were integrated to calculate the biomass and carbon stock. The total biomass was found to be approximately 40,840 t. Assuming the carbon content is half of the vegetation biomass dry weight, the Danube Island stores 20,420 t of carbon, equivalent to about 74,940 t of CO2​. On the other side of the carbon balance, the study analysed the annual environmental burden of maintenance activities. Using the LCA method and considering the Global Warming Potential (GWP) impact category, the environmental burden was calculated with the Ecoinvent and Swiss non-road databases. Results indicate that maintaining the green infrastructure on Danube Island generates 353 t of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. On the other hand, the Danube Island has the potential to absorb 2,272 t of CO2 per year through its trees and shrubs. On balance, this places the Danube Island squarely on the side of being a carbon sink. This study innovatively combines biomass quantification with LCA to provide a comprehensive carbon balance of urban green infrastructure. The findings underscore the importance of considering both carbon sequestration and maintenance-related emissions in urban climate adaptation strategies.

As a result of increase in the number of residents of megacities, the anthropogenic impact on the public, recreational and agricultural areas is increasing. Anthropogenic load causes degradation of the natural structure of the city and has a negative impact on public health. In current situation, more recreational areas are organized for residents of the city. However, the organization of recreational areas does not always comply with the population requirements. In the formation that sort of spaces, it is necessary to obtain complete and reliable information about the quality of the environment, which can only be obtained through the regular monitoring studies. This article considers a number of recreational, agricultural and public areas under the noise exposure. The spatial organization of recreational areas should be carried out taking into account the main goal of creating a comfortable architectural and planning structure of the urban environment. This article shows the insolvency of the public, recreational and agricultural areas as comfortablespaces.

The monograph is devoted to the analysis of changes in the structure of natural and agricultural landscapes under conditions of anthropogenic, including man-made, impact on landscapes. The author summarizes his own research conducted in the forest zone in the subzones of the middle and southern taiga and broad-leaved coniferous forests. The studies were carried out in forests, meadows and swamps, and also studied the formation of the quality of natural waters and the overgrowth of reservoirs in the forest zone. The composition and structure of zonal plant communities and the dynamic successional stages of secondary, derived communities formed in logging, burning, flooding by reservoirs, man-made pollution, as well as integrated anthropogenic impact are considered. Factors of technogenic transformation of landscapes are analyzed. The analysis of the complex of anthropogenic impacts has been carried out and the main trends of anthropogenic dynamics of soil and vegetation cover have been identified, recommendations for optimization and rationalization of nature management under anthropogenic impact are given. The issues of formation of geotechnical systems, their structure and issues of interaction in the system "man and nature" are considered. It is of interest to ecologists, geographers, biologists. It can be used in the work of state bodies for monitoring the state of the environment and in the educational process — by teachers and students dealing with ecology, nature management, biology, environmental monitoring, territory engineering, as well as by researchers, graduate students and applicants.

Evaluating the tropical forest carbon sink

The increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere due to human activities such as fossil fuel burning, deforestation and land-use changes, is causing increases in surface temperature. From the pre-industrial era to the current days, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration has increased from 280 ppm to 398.17 ppm (NOAA, 2015) and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2014) globally averaged combined land and ocean surface temperature data show a warming of 0.85°C per decade over the period 1880 to 2012. Under higher temperatures, the atmosphere has a higher capacity to hold water vapor (Horton et al, 2010), increasing the time interval between rain events and the magnitude of precipitation especially in extreme events. Thus, at higher temperatures the frequency at which precipitations occur tends to decrease while the intensity of such precipitations tends to increase. In the urban environment, where typically the majority of surfaces are impermeable, the impact of climate change tends to exacerbate the occurrence and the intensity of floods as well as droughts and heat waves. Within this context, there has been much discussion about strategies that could effectively help cities to reduce their CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere (mitigation strategies ) and to adapt to the impacts caused by climate change (adaptation strategies ). Regarding the impacts caused by urban floods, a decentralized approach, known as green infrastructure (GI) has been proposed as an alternative to the traditional concrete infrastructures (gray infrastructures [GR]). GI sustains, or attempts to replicate pre-development site hydrology in the post-development condition (Montalto, 2007), taking advantage of natural processes like infiltration, interception and evapotranspiration to manage stormwater (Davis et al, 2012). Beside capturing precipitation and reducing the amount of runoff that is convened to the sewer systems, GI can provide other benefits such as reduction of heat island effects, increased air and water quality, carbon sequestration, expansion of recreational spaces, increased habitat for flora and fauna among others (Wise et al, 2010). Because of their capacity to deliver multiple benefits, GI has been proposed as a sustainable alternative for cities to mitigate and adapt to climate change (Mason & Montalto, 2014; Union European, 2010). Several government grants have been launched recently to focus on the development, application and evaluation of methodologies for integrating GI into urban spaces as adaptation efforts to climate change (DOI, 2014; NOAA, 2014). Nevertheless, the body of literature that assesses GI as an effective strategy to help cities to build resilience to climate change remains small. For instance, the performance of designed urban green spaces under climate change is still poorly understood. In addition, the comparison between potential benefits of GI applied to urban watershed scale with the environmental costs associated with their installation and maintenance is still poorly supported by research (Pataki et al 2011). In order to better explore these research gaps, this thesis aims to evaluate GI as a means of reducing climate risks in the urban northeast environment. To reach out this main objective, we propose three different hypotheses: Hypothesis #1: Green infrastructure can reduce GHG emissions associated with urban drainage infrastructure · Compared to grey (stormwater management) infrastructure strategies, GI releases lesser GHG emissions over its entire useful life Hypothesis #2: GI can help cities adapt to extreme precipitation · GI facilities can significantly reduce urban runoff even during extreme precipitation Hypothesis #3: GI vegetation is not vulnerable to climate change, especially to floods and droughts · The risk of plant mortality within the expected envelope of climate variability (floods and droughts) is insignificant. The three hypotheses, as well as, a preliminary chapter that introduces the thesis topic, are presented separately in a scientific journal format. Chapter 1 reviews literature about the leading climate risks facing the Northeast Region (NE) of Unites States of America (USA), while provides an overview of the ongoing GI initiatives in the USA and their potential value for reducing vulnerability to the key climate risks faced by the urban northeast region. Chapter 2 addresses hypothesis #1 and includes a study conducted at the watershed scale level that used life cycle assessment techniques to compare the carbon footprint of a green and a grey strategy to reduce combined sewer overflow occurrence (CSO) in a highly urbanized watershed. Chapter 3 addresses hypothesis #2 via an investigation at the site scale that evaluated the performance of a bioretention installed in an urban watershed during extreme events including Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Irene. Chapter 4 addresses hypothesis #3 and presents an experiment conducted in a greenhouse that evaluated the response of two species commonly used in vegetated GI sites to consecutive periods of floods and drought. This thesis finalizes with a general conclusion section for all the chapters.

Green infrastructure, the use of soil, vegetation, and other natural landscape features to manage and treat water, is increasing in popularity as an alternative to traditional grey infrastructure for water management. However, challenges arise to the widespread adoption of green infrastructure practices because of the difficulty in evaluating, accounting for, and valuing the benefits of such practices. Current accounting frameworks do not adequately account for the value of these assets, and the absence of appropriate accounting and evaluation tools may limit the ability of utilities to maintain or expand green approaches. This project developed two potential accounting frameworks to help water utilities assess and account for the ecosystem services provided by green infrastructure. The frameworks were pilot tested at three participating public wastewater and drinking water utilities over a period of five months to assess the benefits and feasibility of implementing national-scale accounting methods for green infrastructure. Several themes on green infrastructure accounting emerged from the pilot tests: the effects of regulatory vs. non-regulatory drivers, the importance of information flow both to the utilities from outside experts and within municipal government, and the need for standardized methods for assessing and accounting for the services provided by green infrastructure. Pilot test participants indicated that with further refinement of the accounting frameworks and the development of standardized guidance for valuing green infrastructure, national-scale implementation of these accounting frameworks is possible. This report discusses the implications of larger-scale adoption and future research needs to facilitate green infrastructure accounting practices. U.S. cities are facing many challenges including aging water infrastructure and the costs associated with upgrades, changing weather patterns, rising demand for clean water, and more stringent water treatment standards. These pressures and others are affecting how municipal water utilities expand, repair, and maintain the infrastructure that carries and cleans our water. Building more grey infrastructure is the traditional approach to addressing these problems. Some municipalities are, however, turning to green infrastructure3 as an option. These municipalities may be investing in green infrastructure directly for water utility management or indirectly by increasing their green space and greenways. No matter the original intent of the investment, green infrastructure may provide a cost-effective alternative that can help water utilities protect source water supplies, reduce stormwater runoff, and improve water quality. Current municipal accounting standards, however, do not adequately account for the benefits provided by green infrastructure. For example, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), which establishes standard accounting practices for state and local governments, requires public utilities to value land assets using the historical purchase price, rather than the current market value and productive capacity. While there are good reasons to value assets at historical cost (such as avoiding over-valuation), this approach may also under-reflect the true asset value of many green infrastructure assets. Furthermore, the lack of a formal approach for accounting for green infrastructure and its benefits may be a barrier to further utility investment in this area and may predispose utilities to favor more investment in grey infrastructure. The lack of comparable accounting methods may also limit utilities' ability to convey green infrastructure's true benefits to ratepayers, policy makers, and investors. This project developed new accounting frameworks to help public drinking water and wastewater utilities more accurately evaluate and catalogue their green infrastructure assets. We developed two model accounting frameworks that could be included in the unaudited supplementary disclosure of a utility's comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). We pilot tested these two frameworks at three participating utilities: The City of Raleigh (NC) Public Utilities Department, The City of Asheville (NC) Water Resources Department, and Clean Water Services (OR). We conducted surveys and semi-structured interviews to understand the utilities' experiences with the accounting frameworks and how the frameworks could be improved. This report summarizes the implications of the pilot tests, including implications of more widespread adoption of the accounting frameworks, and contributes to the growing body of knowledge surrounding green infrastructure, by offering two approaches for accounting and evaluation that more accurately reflect the value that green infrastructure provides for water utilities. This report also outlines the limitations of these frameworks and suggests future research needs. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series . ISBN: 9781780405131 (eBook)

Abstract: Steppe landscapes, which are within Ukraine, over the last few centuries has undergone significant negative changes due to the unreasonable use of soil resources (excessive ploughing), soil salinity under irrigation in agriculture and other forms of anthropogenic impact. The territory of modern Zaporizhzhya region, which belongs to steppe landscapes, as a result of human activities is also dramatically changed. For the further organization of the rational environmental management, first of all, it is necessary to provide scientific-based recommendations for the reduction of anthropogenic human impact on the landscapes of the region. Nowadays, this is a topical and very important issue, but without a perfect research algorithm, the solution of the question is impossible. The main methods of studying the anthropogenic impact and the state of regional nature management have been considered in the article. On the basis of existing methods and rules the four main stages of the study have been identified and the algorithm that reflects the sequence and conditionality of the procedure for anthropogenic impact on the landscapes of Zaporizhzhya region has been developed. At the first stage, collection and systematization of the available information with a corresponding set of actions, including field studies, took place. At the second stage, the theoretical and methodological base of the research was formulated – from the generalization of theoretical foundations of the research, the definition of the object and subject, the analysis of the current state of the study of the issue to the development of its own solution of the scientific issue. The third stage envisaged the study of the structure features and functioning of the landscapes of Zaporizhzhya region – from the analysis of natural and anthropogenic factors of the formation of modern landscape structure, the specific features of natural conditions and resources, the anthropogenization processes to the analysis of the actual structure and peculiarities of natural and anthropogenic landscapes functioning. At the fourth stage, the current state of regional environmental management of Zaporizhzhya region has been analyzed, the features of the manifestation of unfavourable natural means, as well as the analysis of the dependence of their manifestation on the level of anthropogenic transformation, have been revealed. The author’s suggestions as to the organization of rational environmental management in the region and the basis of the management system of the landscape have been formulated through the procedure of accurate accomplishment of its stages such as planning, design, implementation and control. Keywords:

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has been increased and was reached approximately to 390 mg/L at December 2010 (Tans, 2011). Rising trend of carbon dioxide in past and present time may be an indicator capable of estimating the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the future. Cause for increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide was already investigated and became general knowledge for the civilized peoples who are watching TV, listening to radio, and reading newspapers. Anybody of the civilized peoples can anticipate that the atmospheric carbon dioxide is increased continuously until unknowable time in the future but not in the near future. Carbon dioxide is believed to be a major factor affecting global climate variation because increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide is proportional to variation trend of global average temperature (Cox et al., 2000). Atmospheric carbon dioxide is generated naturally from the eruption of volcano (Gerlach et al., 2002; Williams et al., 1992), decay of organic matters, respiration of animals, and cellular respiration of microorganisms (Raich and Schlesinger, 2002; Van Veen et al., 1991); meanwhile, artificially from combustion of fossil fuels, combustion of organic matters, and cement making-process (Worrell et al., 2001). Theoretically, the natural atmospheric carbon dioxide generated biologically from the decay of organic matter and the respirations of organisms has to be fixed biologically by land plants, aquatic plants, and photosynthetic microorganisms, by which cycle of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be nearly balanced (Grulke et al., 1990). All of the human-emitted carbon dioxide except the naturally balanced one may be incorporated newly into the pool of atmospheric greenhouse gases that are methane, water vapor, fluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide (Lashof and Ahuja, 1990). The airborne fraction of carbon dioxide that is the ratio of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide to the emitted carbon dioxide variation was typically about 45% over 5 years period (Keeling et al., 1995). Canadell at al (2007) reported that about 57% of human-emitted carbon dioxide was removed by the biosphere and oceans. These reports indicate that the airborne fraction of carbon dioxide is at least 43-45%, which may be the balance emitted by human activity. The land plants are the largest natural carbon dioxide sinker, which have been decreased globally by deforestation (Cramer et al., 2004). Especially, tropical and rainforests are being

The vegetation cover characteristics of anthropogenically disturbed birch stands of Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe are studied. The research purpose is to study the current state of under story vegetation cover of the birch stands, which have been exposed to recreational and anthropogenic impacts for a long time, as well as to assess the degree and nature of its changeover the 12-year period since the last research. The studies were carried out on the sample plots laid out in mixed herbs birch stands. Cenosises are characterized by V–VI age classes,II–IV quality classes, and 0.6–0.9 density of stocking. The birch stands are located in the main transfer of Krasnoyarsk industrial emissions. Phytocenoses were under significant anthropogenic and recreational impact for a long time. At each facility, 30 sites (1 m2 each) were laid, where species composition, horizontal and vertical structure, projective cover and occurrence of undergrowth and forest live cover species were assessed. The comparative analysis of floristic lists was performed using the Sorensen-Czekanowski coefficient (Ksc). The degree of species diversity was estimated by using the Shannon index; the degree of recreational transformation – synanthropization index. Cuttings were taken from 10 sites (20 × 25 cm each) for recording the phytomass stock of forest live cover on each sample area. Plants were cut off at the litter level, sorted by species, dried and weighed. Rating scales of digression were used to study the recreation influence. The degree of anthropogenic impact was determined by the content of toxic ingredients in plants of living ground cover. It is found that the toxic elements concentration in plants does not reach excessive values at which homeostasis disturbance happens. It was concluded that the changes in vegetation cover observed in 2017 in relation to the state of 2005 are more due to recreational than anthropogenic impact; which changed due to the introduction of a new technology at the JSC “RUSAL Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Plant”, which made it possible to reduce toxic industrialemissions. According to the study results, the species composition of the undergrowth and forest live cover was determined, the features of its change over a 12-year period were revealed. It is noted that species diversity has decreased and the proportion of synanthropic species has increased across all plots. Total forest live cover phytomass and individual species phytomass are determined at each plot. The regularities of change in different species contribution to the total stock of phytomass, depending on recreational impact changes, were identified. The ground cover recreational digression stages are determined by analyzing the changes in species diversity, the quantitative ratio of ecological-cenotic groups, the structure and the absolute value of phytomass. For citation: Goncharova I.A., Skripal’shchikova L.N., Barchenkov A.P., Shushpanov A.S. Understory Vegetation Cover Components Assessment in Anthropogenically DisturbedBirch Stands of Krasnoyarsk Forest-Steppe. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2020, no. 1, pp. 75–87. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2020-1-75-87 Funding: The study was carried out within the framework of the basic research projects of the Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS “Biodiversity of Indigenous Coniferous and Derivative Forest Ecosystems” (No. 0356-2016-0301) and “Dynamics of Siberian Forests in a Changing Climate. Monitoring of the Living State, Productivity and Ranges of the MainForest-Forming Species of Woody Plants” (No. 0356-2018-0739).

Environmental problems of Transcarpathia recreational zones were studied. The unique geoeconomic location, landscapes diversity and picturesque sceneries contribute to the development of tourism in the region. The main recreational areas of the region are both the Carpathian Mountains and the Transcarpathian Lowland. By types of activity, the recreational areas of Transcarpathia can be divided into natural (water, climatic, landscape, air, balneological, geological, geographical), natural anthropogenic (ski resorts, health and treatment areas, dendrological parks) anthropogenic (historical and cultural, zoos, animal farms, botanical gardens).
 Natural recreational areas, resorts and health centers are influenced by the greatest anthropogenic impact. Every year the tourism industry uses more and more natural areas and resources, creates special natural and social landscapes. Spontaneous and irrational use of such areas creates several environmental problems associated with damage, pollution and early depletion of recreational resources. Negative destructive changes occurring in recreational areas often lead to the degradation of the natural object.
 Unorganized tourism causes great damage to the environment. Disastrous environmental problems are the result of unauthorized placement of recreation centers, illegal hunting or fishing, harvesting wild herbs, berries and medicinal plants, mushrooms, cones, harvesting birch sap, unauthorized lighting of fires, collecting botanical and zoological species, etc.
 Depletion of natural resources and environmental pollution are negative factors that most disrupt the ecological state of recreational areas of Transcarpathia. First of all, it is manifested in uncontrolled deforestation, soil erosion, air pollution from road emissions, and so on. To preserve the satisfactory ecological state of the main recreational areas of Transcarpathia, preservation of landscapes and biological diversity of the region, it is necessary to implement a set of measures.
 Priority actions to maintain the quality of the natural environment of the region must include not only permitting and prohibitive measures, but also measures aimed at restoring and improving the state of natural resources and minimizing the negative anthropogenic impact on the environment.
 The development of organized ecological tourism is an effective way to solve the ecological problems of recreational areas of Transcarpathia.
 Organized ecological tourism can provide financial support for environmental protection and increase the importance of unique natural areas.

Natural ecosystems within urban areas play a crucial role in providing essential ecosystem services, thus urban green spaces play a crucial role in ensuring the health and well-being of city residents. Urban parks and other forms of green infrastructure offer a multitude of benefits to city dwellers. Central to the definition of green infrastructure are two core functional attributes: connectivity and multifunctionality (Wang and Banzhaf, 2018; Hansen and Paulet, 2014). Connectivity pertains to both the physical interconnectedness of green spaces and the functional connections facilitating wildlife movement and interaction (Hansen and Pauleit, 2014; Baudry and Merriam, 1988). On the other hand, multifunctionality refers to the capacity of green infrastructure to fulfill diverse roles and provide a range of advantages within the same area. The concept of multifunctionality suggests that a single green infrastructure intervention can yield multiple interrelated ecological, social, and economic benefits. Public green spaces, accessible to all city residents, such as parks, squares, and gardens, exhibit substantial variations in landscape composition, biological diversity, and urban infrastructure integration. Consequently, their roles in terms of connectivity, provision of ecosystem services, and benefits received also diverge. In order to provide the responsible authorities with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions in the planning and management of urban parks and other green spaces, the quality assessment of these green spaces is undertaken (Daniels et al., 2017; Baycan-Levent et al., 2009). Addressing this complex and multidimensional task, diverse tools for comprehensive quality assessment of urban green spaces have emerged in recent years (Knobel et al., 2019; Meng and Wang, 2022). This article reviews the existing evaluation tools for parks, which assess their multifunctionality, as well as discusses the key indicators employed for assessing selected parks in Vilnius. The review of the tools has revealed the existence of around 40 instruments, detailed in international scientific literature. These tools collectively encompass over 150 individual indicators. While only a few tools propose evaluations using statistical or remote data, the majority involve on-site audits of park areas. However, remote evaluations offer the advantage of saving human and financial resources. When comparing parks within a city or across different cities, remote assessments have demonstrated greater efficiency. For the analysis of Vilnius city parks, nine pivotal indicators were selected from pre-existing tools, enabling the assessment of the ecological condition, recreational attractiveness, and anthropogenic pressure on these areas. This set of indicators, labeled as ERAL (Ecology-Recreation-Anthropogenic Load), addresses an often-overlooked aspect of assessment – anthropogenic impact. The evaluation revealed that parks with a significant portion of mature trees, particularly those classified as forest parks, exhibited the most favorable ecological condition. Among these parks, the relatively young parks like Ozo, Neries senvagės, and Japoniško sodo demonstrated the highest recreational potential. Conversely, some of the newer and smaller parks in the city center, marked by lower ecological quality, such as Liuteronų and Reformatų sodai, and Pamėnkalnio skveras, experienced comparatively heightened levels of human-induced pressures. This evaluation could be broadened, and its outcomes could inform the planning process. Future research could encompass refining the proposed assessment by incorporating additional indicators for ecological status, recreational potential, and anthropogenic impacts, along with more intricate remote sensing or freely accessible internet data. Another avenue of investigation could involve assessing the reliability and quality of such relatively swift and cost-effective remote data and web-based evaluations. Such insights would enhance comprehension of scenarios where such assessments are applicable or not.

Rhizosphere-induced changes of Pinus densiflora (S. and Z.) grown at elevated atmospheric temperature and carbon dioxide are presented based on experiments carried out in a two-compartment rhizobag system filled with forest soil in an environmentally controlled walk-in chamber with four treatment combinations: control (25°C, 500 μmol mol−1 CO2), T2 (30°C, 500 μmol mol−1 CO2), T3 (25°C, 800 μmol mol−1 CO2), and T4 (30°C, 800 μmol mol−1 CO2). Elevated temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide resulted in higher concentration of sugars and dissolved organic carbon in soil solution, especially at the later period of plant growth. Soil solution pH from the rhizosphere became less acidic than the bulk soil regardless of treatment, while the electrical conductivity of soil solution from the rhizosphere was increased by elevated carbon dioxide treatment. Biolog EcoPlate™ data showed that the rhizosphere had higher average well color development, Shannon–Weaver index, and richness of carbon utilization compared with bulk soil, indicating that microbial activity in the rhizosphere was higher and more diverse than in bulk soil. Subsequent principal component analysis indicated separation of soil microbial community functional structures in the rhizosphere by treatment. The principal components extracted were correlated to plant-induced changes of substrate quality and quantity in the rhizosphere as plants' response to varying temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide.