Abstract
As a special forest vegetation reserve, the Prašnik rain forest is a highly protected area which owes its protection not only to a unique composition of trees, but also to its geographical position and, to an extent, historical events. It is situated on the Sava River left bank, north of the city of Stara Gradiška (cca. 3 km). The study area belongs to the southwestern part of Pannonian Basin, specifically the Sava Depression. The aim of this study was to assess a possible impact of war activities in Croatia (23 years ago) when numerous mines were laid in this region and to establish a major and trace metal baseline concentrations for future investigations. Ten topsoil (S) samples were taken randomly with adjacent vegetation (bark and leaves) at each site. Major and trace metal concentrations were measured for all three types of samples using the ICP method. Analysed soils are composed of quartz, micaceous mineral, 14Å mineral, plagioclase and mixed layer minerals. All metal values in the sample taken from an ex-mine crater are 2-4 times higher compared to other. Generally, positive statistically significant Kendall’s Tau correlation coefficients of trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn) were found for all combinations of the S (soil), B (bark), and L (leaf) groups. Such results indicate that the war activity have played a certain role in a distribution pattern of soil as well as vegetative trace metal levels.
Highlights
The expansion of industrial, mining and war activities, rapid growth of population as well as other reasons, have caused extensive trace metal contamination of the environment because they are continuously being added to soil, waterways and surrounding atmosphere (Aksoy et al 2000; Ernst 1990, 1995; Stanišić et al 2012, Lucaciu et al, 1999)
This paper aims to investigate the possible influence of landmine explosion on selected major and trace metal concentrations in soil (S) and the adjacent vegetation (bark (B) and leaf (L)) and to establish the baseline concentrations of the aforementioned metals for the area of the Prašnik special forest reserve
Soil analysis included the determination of mineral composition in the investigated area and concentrations of major and trace metals measured in 10 samples in total
Summary
The expansion of industrial, mining and war activities, rapid growth of population as well as other reasons, have caused extensive trace metal contamination of the environment because they are continuously being added to soil, waterways and surrounding atmosphere (Aksoy et al 2000; Ernst 1990, 1995; Stanišić et al 2012, Lucaciu et al, 1999). Trace metal content in the soils were investigated in the northwestern part of the country (Vrbek & Pilaš, 2004) for the same type of biocenosis (Quercus robur and Carpino betuli) but did not include vegetation material and were focused only on Pb, Zn and Cu. Mesić et al (2014) made a brief assessment of soil and vegetation polution due to war activities for the area of the special forest reserve Prašnik, but there was no major study of major and trace metal content in soil and the adjacent vegetation. The same scenario plays out with the high content of certain metals (Kabata-Pendias, 2011)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
