Anthropogenic Load Research Articles

The modern state of the soil cover of the Transcarpathian lowland: diversity, properties and development dynamics of natural and anthropogenic soils

The regularities and peculiarities of the modern state of the soils of the floodplain complexes of the Transcarpathian lowland under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors were investigated. Prognostic modeling of the dynamics of the further development of soils and soil cover in the region was carried out. It was established that a significant mosaic in space and dynamism characterize the soil cover of floodplains in time. Alluvial, semi-hydromorphic, and hydromorphic soils dominate the flood plains of Transcarpathian rivers. Alluvial soils were the dominant types in the pre-anthropogenic period. They develop in conditions of constant soil ground water level and periodic surface flooding by floodwaters. Alluvial sediment (silt) remains on the surface after the subsidence of flood waters and has a significant impact on the properties, morphology, lithology and fertility of soils. The high content of dusty ground particles in all variants of river silt ensures their rapid inclusion in the process of soil formation and contributes to the improvement of water-physical and physic-chemical properties of alluvial soils. First of all, alluvial soils significantly suffer from anthropogenic interference in the course of flood processes undergo critical changes in water-physical and physic-chemical properties. After the improve of melioration measures that regulate the flood regime in floodplains, significant areas of soil lose alluvial features and later develop as semi-hydromorphic or hygromorphic. Drainage melioration, depending on the further direction of soil-forming processes, can have completely different effects on soil properties. Therefore, it is necessary to approach melioration measures very carefully, foreseeing in advance all the consequences, which may occur on drained territories. The possible profit from the involvement to agricultural production of drained areas can be incomparably smaller, compared to the losses for maintaining the normal functioning of not only these areas, but also the territories adjacent to them. The secondary anthropogenic load is often imposed on the primary hydrotechnical and reclamation soil transformation due to the active agricultural use of drained floodplains. Depending on the duration and method of agricultural production, soils that were formed as alluvial acquire new properties, different from natural ones. Their soil density and soil hardness increase, the water-air regime is disrupted, and their physical and chemical properties change. Deeply drained and additionally changed by technical means, the soils of the hydromorphic range, after the abandonment of resource-consuming extensive production, are left for natural self-recovery, and the further course of soil restoration processes requires careful study and control by scientists. A mosaic natural-anthropogenic soil cover of the alluvial lowland was formed under the combined effect of natural and anthropogenic processes, so alluvial soils need the greatest protection and protection in fact. Such soils are part of unique floodplain complexes, the study, preservation and protection of which should be the primary focus of both scientists and environmentalists.

Assessment of landscape impact on snow chemical composition in terms of mineral geochemical exploration

In areas with cold climate seasonal snowpack is an attractive sampling material for geochemical exploration of deep mineral accumulations. However, previous studies on assessment of exploration efficiency of snow cover have paid little attention to snow composition variability conditioned by local landscape structure.The layered sampling of snow sections was performed in different landscape settings of the local area. The research area is characterized by the absence of ore mineralization zones and low anthropogenic load. The physical-chemical parameters and concentration of wide range of elements were identified in snowmelt. Multi-component data was integrated by means of factor principal component analysis. Besides, additive and differential geochemical indexes were used. The classification snow models were developed using hierarchical cluster analysis. The variance of chemical elements distribution and factor models of geochemical pattern were compared before and after reduction of background fluctuation. In terms of variation coefficient values of chemical elements the area has background parameters of chemical inhomogeneity. In total variance a lateral component prevails over a vertical one. The highest concentrations of chemical elements were found in snow section of forest landscape. It is necessary to take into account the fact of geochemical background fluctuation when interpreting the data of metal assay snow survey.After the reduction of lateral geochemical background fluctuation, the factor model has better classified the chemical elements in terms of their connection with soluble and insoluble occurrence forms. The values of differential index of liquid and solid phases have a similar satisfactory vertical variability in different landscapes. The analysis of chemical elements concentration reveals snow horizons that were or are affected by thaw and percolating water. The snow bottom layer, which is sampled at geochemical exploration, is not strong influenced by elution.

Functional characters and ontogenetic structure of populations of Ziziphora clinopodioides (Lamiaceae) at the range border (Republic of Khakasia)

The object of this study is a characteristic subshrub of Khakasia, Ziziphora clinopodioides (Lamiaceae). The study of functional traits and the structure of the Z. clinopodioides populations at the eastern limit of its distribution (Republic of Khakasia) has been carried out for the first time. The materials were collected in 2022–2023 in true and meadow steppes of the forest-steppe belt. Environmental factors influencing functional traits and the ratio of individuals of different ontogenetic states have been identified. It has been established that disturbed steppes on sandy soils with the presence of stones and low moisture represent the ecological optimum for this species. Under these conditions, the indices of most of the studied functional traits (the number of vegetative shoots per 1 composite skeletal axis, the number of generative shoots with paracladia, the number of paracladia, the number of flowers in paracladia, the number of flowers in the main inflorescence) reach the highest values. In undisturbed steppes on sandy loam soils with moderate moisture, Z. clinopodioides is in unfavorable conditions, and develops individuals with minimal values of functional traits. All the studied populations are normal, complete or incomplete. Left-sided and bimodal ontogenetic spectra are formed in disturbed steppes on sandy soils with the presence of stones and low moisture; in the undisturbed steppe on sandy loam soil with moderate moisture, the spectrum type is bimodal. The density of individuals depends on the degree of soding in the community and anthropogenic load. With an increase in the total projective cover and in the absence of anthropogenic impact, the density of individuals decreases. The causes of restructuring of functional characters and changes in the ontogenetic spectrum of populations of Z. clinopodioides under the influence of various environmental factors at the range border are discussed.

Horodynamic Mapping of Open Sands in the East of the Stavropol Region

The desertification processes that are dynamically occurring in the north-east of the Stavropol Territory are closely interrelated with climatic conditions, which necessitates the rapid mapping of qualitative changes in the state of open sands in accordance with various scenarios. The mapping was carried out on the basis of the technique of chorodynamic (diachronic) mapping for two periods (July-August 2022 and June-July 2023), data on the monthly dynamics of open sand areas, precipitation and dust storms were used to select time slices. The mapping was carried out visually on the basis of multispectral satellite images of Landsat for each month. In 2022, 14 dust storms were registered, in 2023 none were registered, and days with critical wind speeds were accompanied by heavy precipitation, in connection with which a significant decrease in the visible areas of open sands was revealed as a result of overgrowth. Based on the available data, using overlay operations, schemes of qualitative transitions in the test area (part of the Levokumsky district) corresponding to qualitative transitions in the “dry” and “wet” scenarios were compiled. Despite the progressive overgrowth of the sands, stimulated by the absence of dust storms and abundant precipitation in 2023, starting from areas with the lowest sediment capacity, the restoration of the original plant communities without carrying out phytomeliorative measures is extremely unlikely due to high anthropogenic load and seed desertification, as a result of which low-value annual crops grow on open sands (weed solyanka, kumarchik, nightshade horned, etc.).

Composition of the Low Molecular Weight Metabolome of Potamogeton perfoliatus (Potamogetonaceae) as an Indicator of the Transformation of the Ecological State of the Littoral Zone

The composition and nature of changes in the low-molecular-weight metabolome (NM) of Potamogeton perfoliatus L., growing in 6 biotopes of Lake Ladoga with different types of the anthropogenic load has been analyzed. According to the research results, it was found that the total number of low molecular weight organic compounds (LMWOCs) in the P. perfoliatus NM composition is directly dependent on anthropogenic load, which is well marked by the development of cyanobacteria. The greater the intensity of pollution or eutrophication of waters, or the higher the number of cyanobacteria, the lower the total number of LMWOCs and their concentration. A strongly pronounced dependence of the total concentrations of groups of NM compounds on the anthropogenic disturbance of the biotope and the concentration of cyanobacteria was revealed. A decrease in the number, relative amount, total concentration of carboxylic acids, number and content of unsaturated fatty acids, and, at the same time, an increase in the composition and content of phenols and the total content of aldehydes and ketones depends on an increase in anthropogenic pressure. The specific composition of NM of pierced pondweed depends on its response to biotic and abiotic factors of the aquatic environment, including anthropogenic ones. The revealed features of the change in the composition of P. perfoliatus NM make it possible to use it as an integral indicator of the anthropogenic impact on the littoral biotopes of water bodies and the deterioration of their ecological state.

Anthropogenic Factor as a Relief-forming Factor of the Coastal Zone of the Black Sea Coast of the Krasnodar Territory (On the Example of the Tuapse-Adler Coastline)

The ever-increasing technogenic and anthropogenic load on the seacoasts, which significantly affects natural coastal processes, is increasingly beginning to act as a determining relief-forming factor. Hydraulic structures erected in the coastal zone have a dual effect on the natural coastal processes. On the one hand, they themselves are an artificially created relief, and on the other hand, the structures being erected have a significant effect on natural coastal processes. The example of the coastal section between Tuapse and Adler, located within the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar Territory, which experiences enormous technogenic and anthropogenic load on the coast, shows the need to identify anthropogenic coastal dynamic systems as an independent relief-forming factor. At the same time, an assessment should be made of both the processes occurring within the system and its impact on the natural processes occurring in the adjacent coastal areas.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons of small reservoirs of the Tomsk region

Relevance. The assessment of the state of natural waters includes the determination of a number of physico-chemical indicators, on the basis of which various indices and classifications are developed. However, they do not take into account a number of pollutants that have a significant impact on the state of the reservoir, for example, polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The article considers some aspects of determining priority pollutants, which include polyaromatic hydrocarbons, according to environmental hazard criteria: toxicity, carcinogenicity, prevalence, frequency of occurrence, source of origin (anthropogenic or natural). Hydrochemical parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen content, biological oxygen consumption (BPK5), and ion content are taken into account to determine water quality. An attempt was made to assess the impact of polyaromatic hydrocarbons on the ecological state of water bodies and to take into account their contribution to changes in the values of the water pollution index. All these data prove the relevance of the study. Aim. To establish the composition of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the surface waters of small reservoirs of the Tomsk region to assess anthropogenic load and to show the relationship with the indices of natural water quality. Methods. Extraction, liquid adsorption chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, amperometry, titrimetry. Results. Small lakes of the Tomsk region were studied for the content of 13 polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The authors have carried out the identification by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. The total content of polyaromatic compounds in the studied surface water samples varies from 0.37 to 0.54 mcg/l. In the polyaromatic hydrocarbons mixture in aqueous samples, there is an increased content of light 2–3 nuclear polyarenes with better solubility (naphthalene, fluorene and phenanthrene), as well as benz[a]anthracene. The content of inorganic components represented by cations and anions does not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. The water pollution index was calculated; all lakes are moderately polluted, closer to polluted. The paper demonstrates the dependence of the water pollution index coefficient on the content of high-molecular polyaromatic hydrocarbons and the ratio of high-molecular to low-molecular polyaromatic hydrocarbons. It is shown that the higher the value of the water pollution index coefficient, the higher the proportion of difficult-to-oxidize components in surface waters.

Assessment of Natural Resource Potential and Anthropogenic Load in the Macroregion of Northern Eurasia Based on a Basin Approach

Assessment of Natural Resource Potential and Anthropogenic Load in the Macroregion of Northern Eurasia Based on a Basin Approach

Seabird nutrients increase coral calcification rates and boost reef carbonate production

While excessive anthropogenic nutrient loads are harmful to coral reefs, natural nutrient flows can boost coral growth and reef functions. Here we investigate if seabird-derived nutrient subsidies benefit the growth of two dominant corals on lagoonal reefs, submassive Isopora palifera and corymbose Acropora vermiculata, and if enhanced colony-level calcification rates can increase reef-scale carbonate production. I. palifera and A. vermiculata colonies close to an island with high seabird densities displayed 1.4 and 3.2-times higher linear extension rates, 1.8 and 3.9-times faster planar area increase, and 1.6 and 2.7-times higher calcification rates compared to colonies close to a nearby island with low seabird densities, respectively. While benthic ReefBudget surveys in combination with average coral growth rates did not indicate differences in reef-scale carbonate production across sites, coral carbonate production was 2.2-times higher at the seabird-rich island when using site-specific linear growth rates and skeletal densities. This study shows that seabird-derived nutrients benefit fast-growing branching as well as previously unstudied submassive coral taxa. It also demonstrates that nutrient subsidies benefit colony-scale and reef-scale calcification rates, which underpin important geo-ecological reef functions. Restoring natural nutrient pathways should thus be a priority for island and reef management.

Ecological Capacity and Bioenergy Potential of Agrocenoses as a Way of Sustainable Agriculture

Background: Calculation of bioenergy potential and ecological capacity are promising methods for assessing the state of an agro-landscape, allowing us to promptly respond to changes in its sustainability. The article presents the results of soil research and calculation of bioenergy potential of the farm territory in the zone of dry steppe on chestnut soils. Methods: Assessment of anthropogenic load on agricultural landscape is based on ecological standards and point system of relative fertility. The determination of the ecological capacity by BEPT of an agrocenosis occupied by winter wheat and sunflower was carried out according to the method of V.M. Volodin, R.F. Eremina, N.F. Mikhailova. Determination of erosion and geomorphological characteristics of the research object was carried out using geoinformation technologies. The basis for creation of digital elevation model (DEM) is the data of radar survey of the Earth surface (SRTM4). Result: Soils of the research object have low and average humus content. Nitrogen level in the soil varies from very low to good; nitrogen availability in the fields is average. Provision with mobile phosphorus is average. Soil potassium content is mostly high. As a result of calculations, it was found that in the conditions of the dry steppe zone, the bioenergy potential of the agrolandscape area occupied by winter wheat is 2735.72 GJ/ha, sunflower-2647.4 GJ/ha. At the same time, the ecological capacity of the field occupied by winter wheat is 2764.6 GJ/ha and sunflower-2676.8 GJ/h.

Index of development of transport infrastructure as a factor of sustainable development of the coastal zone of the Sea of Azov, Russia

As a zone of interaction between land and sea, coastal zones are becoming a strategic area for achieving a sustainable expansion of economic space. The object of study is the coastal zone of the Sea of Azov (Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory). The subject of the study is an assessment of the dynamics of transport infrastructure development index as a factor in the sustainable development of the coastal zone of the Sea of Azov.Methodological approaches to assessing the sustainable development of the territory were based on a methodology based on methods of system analysis, mathematical modeling, and GIS technologies. An indicator has been formulated that considers the area of the territory, the population, the length of public roads of local importance, the shipment of goods of local production, the work and services performed on their own, in order to measure the ‘economic’ load on the transport infrastructure.The analysis of the state of the transport infrastructure of the regions of the coastal zone for the period from 2015 to 2021 was carried out. Based on an analysis of the transport infrastructure index, it was concluded that the attraction of municipalities to the Rostov agglomeration, together with the strengthening of social, trade and infrastructure contacts with megacities will lead to a further increase in the anthropogenic load on the territory. The areas studied of the Krasnodar Territory belong to the Northern Economic Zone – a territory with a diversified economy, characterised by cross‐border links with neighboring regions.Highways are the most important link in the transport and logistics system. The level of development and the technical condition of the road network have a significant and diverse impact on the economic and social development of both the state as a whole and it individual regions.

An Integrated Spatial Fuzzy‐Based Site Suitability Assessment Framework for Agricultural BMP Placement

ABSTRACTAssigning crisp class boundaries to landscape features can result in the loss of vital information for land evaluation objectives, especially when these boundaries lack clear definitions. This challenge becomes particularly pronounced when land suitability is assessed for implementing agricultural best management practices (BMPs)—conservation measures aimed at reducing the environmental risks of farming activities to aquatic ecosystems while simultaneously achieving water quality and economic objectives. To address the limitations associated with Boolean suitability assessment frameworks, we have introduced an integrated spatial, fuzzy‐based land evaluation framework that considers a range of hydrological and economic determinants for BMP placement. By employing data‐driven fuzzy membership functions and overlay operators, this framework generates a joint suitability index for BMP placement across agricultural watersheds. The application of the proposed framework to the Thames River Watershed in southwestern Ontario, Canada, produced the first joint suitability index of the watershed. Further analysis of the average farm‐level joint suitability scores identified statistically significant clusters of highly suitable and unsuitable lands for BMP placement, with 85% of highly suitable lands being situated in the upper basin areas. The proposed framework is adaptable to various agricultural production geographies, especially in data‐limited environments, allowing for strategic BMP placement to mitigate the global impacts of anthropogenic nutrient loadings on aquatic ecosystems. For optimal results, context‐specific applications should prioritize research on locally relevant fuzzy membership functions and BMP implementation drivers.

Three-Year Monitoring of Microorganisms' Composition and Concentration in Atmospheric Aerosols of Novosibirsk City and Suburbs.

The atmospheric environment is formed under the influence of local and distant sources as a result of horizontal and vertical transport. In the present work, microbiological analysis of 604 samples of atmospheric aerosol collected in the period from September 2020 to September 2023 at four sites differing in anthropogenic load, located in Novosibirsk and the region, was carried out. Day and night aerosol samples were collected during 12 h every two weeks by filtration using Sartorius reinforced Teflon membranes, then sown on a set of nutrient media. The taxonomic affiliation of the isolated microbial isolates was determined based on phenotypic characteristics and analysis of 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences. Changes in the composition and concentration of culturable microorganisms depending on the season, time of day, and site of aerosol sampling were observed. In winter, lower fungi and bacteria of the genera Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus dominated with an average concentration from zero to 12.5 CFU/m3 of aerosol. In the warm period, the concentration and diversity of cocci, spore-forming and non-spore-forming bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi (up to 1970 CFU/m3), among which pathogenic microorganisms were found, increased sharply in aerosols. The use of 16S metabarcoding techniques has greatly expanded the range of aerosols' microbial diversity detectable.

Cascaded reservoirs promote phosphorus bioavailability of surface sediments in the Upper Mekong River

As a key nutrient for primary productivity in freshwater ecosystems, the effect of upper cascade reservoirs on the downstream phosphorus (P) loading is subject to an ongoing scientific debate in the Mekong River. To investigate the effects of cascade reservoirs on the forms of P and its bioavailability in surface sediment, two rounds of field research were carried out both in a free-flowing river (Nu River) and in the Upper Mekong River (Lancang River) during winter and summer. Results showed that while the P was trapped with sediments and environmental parameters changed significantly, high relative abundance of bioavailable phosphorus (BioP, generally include Fe-bound P, Al-bound P, and Organic P) in sediment was detected in reservoirs and at near the border between China and Myanmar. The increased Bio-P in reservoirs may be caused by sediments sorting, anaerobic surface sediments, appropriate temperature, longer residence time and algae-nutrient positive feedback loops. Accumulated Bio-P in sediments may elevate the phosphorus release to overlying water and exacerbate eutrophication in reservoirs. Considered the intense anthropogenic phosphorus loading, nutrients enrichment risk in the lower Mekong River should receive more attention in further research.

Исследование методов и современных технических решений очистки аэрозольных выбросов промышленности

The analysis and characterization of aerosol emissions into the atmosphere are given, the ways of formation of primary and secondary aerosols are considered. The process of atmospheric aging of aerosols, which has a negative impact on the environment, is considered. The functional links between aerosol emissions, their source and impact on climate and public health are presented. The possible influence of the reactions of liquid and solid aerosol particles on the properties of atmospheric air is considered. The main methods of purification of industrial aerosol emissions are considered: adsorption purification, thermal and catalytic neutralization, chemisorption and absorption purification. The ways of increasing the efficiency of adsorption processes, for example, the separation of adsorbent in the apparatus, are analyzed. The essence of the process of thermal neutralization of gas mixtures is described, it is established that thermal installations based on the direct combustion method work more efficiently when combining thermal and catalytic neutralization methods, designs of combined equipment are presented, and ways to increase the intensity of the apparatus are considered. The process of gas purification based on the absorption process is considered. It is determined that absorption plants for cleaning gases from harmful components are the most effective and efficient due to the high level of technical implementation of the process. The development and improvement of the main absorber equipment is aimed at achieving maximum cleaning efficiency with an optimal pressure drop that determines energy consumption. The analysis shows the negative impact of natural and anthropogenic aerosols on the environment. In order to correctly solve the problem, information on the sources, composition and properties of aerosols is needed to select the most effective and economically profitable cleaning method, which will help reduce the anthropogenic load on the atmosphere.

SOME LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TRANSITION TO THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN UKRAINE

The article is devoted to the study of the legal aspects of the European Green Deal implementation in Ukraine, in particular in the context of the energy sector transformation the by increasing the share of renewable energy sources. There have been examined the key trends in the legal development of renewable energy and determines the environmental challenges caused by climate change and other negative factors affecting the environment, as well as analyzes the potential possibilities of adapting national environmental legislation to European legal standards in the field of renewable energy use. The author emphasizes the economic, social and environmental benefits of achieving the goals of the European Green Deal on the way to ensuring the sustainable development of Ukraine, calling for the creation of a clear and coherent system of legislation dedicated to the legal regulation of renewable energy in Ukraine. The results of the study points the urgency of creating an effective legal framework for the economy green transformation and the adaptation of energy and environmental policies to European requirements and standards. In the context of modern global environmental problems related to climate change, excessive pollution of atmospheric air, water and forest ecosystems, soil degradation as a result of both increasing anthropogenic load on natural resources and due to the development of objective laws of nature, one of the key priorities European environmental policy outlined the transition to the principles of sustainable development, which, in turn, generated the need to search for optimal mechanisms and concepts for ensuring such a transition. The European Green Course, adopted by the EU in 2019, is an ambitious and progressive strategy for the transformation of the European continent into a climate-neutral one by 2050. As a comprehensive conceptual package of legislative initiatives, to achieve this goal, the European Green Course includes not only the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, but also a significant increase in the share of renewable energy sources, an increase in the energy efficiency of European countries, and the integration of the energy markets of individual countries with the EU energy market. For Ukraine, the issue of implementing a policy of sustainable development by transitioning to the use of renewable energy sources is not only part of its European integration obligations, but also a time-tested necessity, taking into account the state of the country’s energy sector both during the war period and in the context of the post-war reconstruction of our country.

Industrial Testing of a Hybrid Technology for Water Purification from the Oka River Using the Method of Charcoalization with Powdered Sorbent

The development of the industrial sector and the increase in production capacity have a positive effect on the economic situation of the country, but not on environmental safety. Insufficiently purified and polluted wastewater is constantly discharged into water sources, the amount of which directly depends on the industrial development of the region. Thus, the anthropogenic load on the Oka River affects the composition of water in the source, there are often bursts of instantaneous emissions, as well as the flowering of phytoplankton in the summer. The latter further significantly reduce the efficiency of water purification to drinking quality. Therefore, the development of technologies that will be able to maintain purification at the required level is an urgent task. The article presents the method of charcoalization, which allows to neutralize pollution in a short time and improve the water treatment quality. An industrial experiment of the developed technology was carried out at an operating water treatment plant with testing of two extreme do-sages of sorption material. The optimal dose of coal pulp was determined, the impact on significant purification performance was described, and the technological solutions have been developed to determine the point of coal pulp input and the dosage multiplicity. The conducted research has made it possible to expand knowledge in the field of drinking water preparation and to determine significant water parameters that are affected by the sorption purification method.

Four years of landslide observation with anthropogenic loading as an additional trigger - Analysis of seasonal and annual variability of physical parameters

Determining the structure and evolution of landslides is crucial for geophysical hazard assessment. In this study, we employed an approach integrating the methodologies of multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) and electrical conductivity to image temporal and spatial changes within a landslide in southern Poland. The area, located in the Outer Carpathians, experiences significant climate fluctuations, compounded by anthropogenic activities such as recreational skiing requiring artificial snow.Our combined seismic and electrical methods techniques reveal the landslide's susceptibility to environmental factors on both annual and seasonal scales. Additional analysis, including data clustering and remote sensing, identifies three distinct landslide zones with varying vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic influences.While focusing on a specific area, our approach has global applicability to similar mass movements. This research addresses a gap in understanding time-dependent geophysical observations of moisture-driven landslides, providing valuable insights for hazard identification and mitigation strategies.

Assessment and condition of a small river in urbanized areas (with the example of the river Kurdyum of the municipal formation “Saratov city”)

The results of the study of the ecological status of the Kurdyum river within the municipal formation “Saratov city” are presented. The hydrochemical regime, hydrophilic flora and vegetation of the watercourse were studied in the 2022–2023 field seasons. The ecological status of the river by structural parameters of macrophytes was assessed. The species composition of aquatic plants in the river Kurdyum was represented by 41 macrophyte species belonging to 32 genera, 23 families and three divisions (Charophyta, Polypodiophyta, and Magnoliophyta). The families Potamogetonaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Typhaceae and Ranunculaceae predominated by the number of species. The genus Potamogeton contained the greatest number of species (four) while other genera were represented by one – two species. Hydrophytes were a numerous ecological group, accounting for 51% of the total number of species. New locations of species rare for the Saratov region (Myriophyllum verticillatum and Zannichellia palustris) were revealed. The vegetation cover of the Kurdyum river is characterized by the greatest phytocenotic diversity of true aquatic vegetation. The impoverishment of the phytocenotic composition of helophytic and hygrophytic vegetation is explained by the lack of favorable conditions for the development of their phytocenoses (the watercourse has abrasion banks along a significant length) or trampling and eating by grazing animals. The studied river is characterized by species diversity in comparison with previously studied urban watercourses. Index comparison has revealed an inverse relationship between species diversity and the level of anthropogenic load. Cluster analysis has revealed that the structure of flora and vegetation from the source to the mouth of the river is not homogeneous and is formed under the influence of a combination of hydrological, chemical and anthropogenic factors. The results of our chemical analysis of the water showed that the maximum permissible concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, surfactants, NO2 and NH3 were exceeded throughout the river. However, the environmental indicators assessed based on the structural parameters of macrophytes allow us to consider the ecological status of the watercourse satisfactory. Thus, the Kurdyum river is moderately polluted with a high trophic status.

Sedimentary antimony stable isotope record of anthropogenic contamination in a karst lake in southwestern China

Anthropogenic sources of antimony (Sb) are an important driver of pollution in the Earth environment, but their roles in the historical changes of Sb pollution in lake ecosystems are currently poorly understood. This study documents the sedimentary Sb deposition fluxes in Hongfeng lake (HFL), in southwestern China during 1958–2021 and quantifies the changes of anthropogenic contributions to sediments using Sb stable isotopes. Mean Sb concentration (mean: 1.89 mg kg−1) and deposition flux (mean: 302.1 ng cm−2 a−1) in lake sediments remained relatively stable from 1958 to 1980. Sb deposition fluxes increased rapidly since 1980, peaked at 990.8 ng cm−2 a−1 in 2000, and then decreased consistently, reaching 306.9 ng cm−2 a−1 in 2021. Generally, the historical changes in Sb isotopes were anticorrelated with Sb deposition fluxes and enrichment factors, suggesting a lower ε123Sb signature in anthropogenic loading sources, and highlight the ability of Sb isotopes to distinguish anthropogenic signatures from natural processes in complex hydrological systems. Using a binary end-member mixing model, the contributions of anthropogenic sources to the accumulated of Sb in the lake sediments were estimated to be 20 % before 1980s and increased approximate 58 % during 2000–2015, then decreased to 24 % in 2021, likely reflecting the changes of degree in regional industrial activities. Our results help to better understand the response of Sb pollutions to anthropogenic activities and would in turn benefit the controls Sb contamination in lake ecosystems.