Events In Central Europe Research Articles

High-frequency spatial sediment source fingerprinting using in situ absorbance data

Sediment fingerprinting is a commonly applied approach to quantify catchment suspended sediment (SS) source contributions. However, due to the high workloads and costs involved in SS sampling and laboratory analyses, traditional procedures often result in a limited number of samples and sampling campaigns, which can hamper the capacity to capture the intra- and inter-storm variations in SS source activation and deactivation. A better understanding of the temporal dynamics in source contributions is needed, however, to improve the understanding of dynamic sediment generation and delivery processes for selecting management practices. In recognition of the extant need to improve high-frequency source estimates and to permit long duration measurement campaigns, the work reported herein presents a sediment fingerprinting procedure using UV–Vis absorbance spectra measured in situ with submersible spectrophotometer probes to estimate spatial SS source contributions based on a confluence-based monitoring strategy. The high-frequency (5-minute intervals) measurements were used to fingerprint SS sources during seven selected periods with varying hydrological conditions. Source apportionment estimates (MixSIAR model) were validated using an independent sediment budget. The results showed a mean deviation of 9.4 ± 6.0 %, compared with the sediment budget, for the seven periods combined (n = 7,282 time steps). The most accurate results (mean absolute error of 5.3 ± 4.3 %) were obtained for the period covering the July 2021 flood event in central Europe (return period for the monitored catchment > 20 years). Overall, modelled variations in SS source contributions mostly followed the sediment budget dynamics. This novel work highlights the potential for using spectrophotometer absorbance data for high-frequency and long-term sediment fingerprinting purposes. We argue that the presented method can lead to new opportunities to improve our understanding of SS sources and their dynamics.

Evaluation of the Compound Effects of the 2022 Drought and Heatwave on Selected Forest Monitoring Sites in Hungary in Relation to Its Multi-Year Drought Legacy

The effects of the changing frequency and severity of drought events in Central Europe may become a growing concern for its forests. In this study, we looked into how Hungary’s forests have been affected by the 2022 compound heatwave and drought, following an arid period from 2018 to 2021. We used our active intensive monitoring plots of the Forest Protection Measuring and Monitoring System (Level II in the ICP Forests) across the country between 2017 and 2022. We analyzed satellite images to support a survey of the large-scale drought utilizing moderate and high-resolution data. The health state of the forest calculated and mapped on the NDVI, ZNDVI, and NDWI indices showed damage and regeneration throughout the period studied. Overall, the forest stands observed tolerated the negative impacts of the drought (126–204 mm water deficit in 2022) based on our biomass data (the summer leaf loss was 14% in each monitoring plot). However, the classified Z-NDVI values of the Sentinel-2 satellite imagery for the period 2017–2022 showed a severe drought in 2022, which was followed by some improvement in 2023.

Climate change impacts on regional fire weather in heterogeneous landscapes of central Europe

Abstract. Wildfires have reached an unprecedented scale in the Northern Hemisphere. The summers of 2022 and 2023 demonstrated the destructive power of wildfires, especially in North America and southern Europe. Global warming leads to changes in fire danger. Specifically, fire seasons are assumed to become more extreme and will extend to more temperate regions in northern latitudes in the future. However, the extent to which the seasonality and severity of fire danger in regions of central Europe will change in the future remains to be investigated. Multiple studies claim that natural variability and model uncertainty hide the trend of increasing fire danger in multi-model climate simulations for future potentially fire-prone areas. Such a trend might be isolated with single-model initial-condition large ensembles (SMILEs), which help scientists to distinguish the forced response from natural variability. So far, the SMILE framework has only been applied for fire danger estimation on a global scale. To date, only a few dynamically downscaled regional SMILEs exist, although they enhance the spatial representation of climatic patterns on a regional or local scale. In this study, we use a regional SMILE of the Canadian Regional Climate Model version 5 Large Ensemble (CRCM5-LE) over a region in central Europe under the RCP8.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway) scenario from 1980 to 2099 to analyze changes in fire danger in an area that is currently not fire prone. We use the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) as a fire danger indicator. The study area covers four heterogeneous landscapes, namely the Alps, the Alpine Foreland, the lowlands of the South German Escarpment, and the Eastern Mountain Ranges of the Bavarian Forest. We demonstrate that the CRCM5-LE is a dataset suitable for disentangling climate trends from natural variability in a multi-variate fire danger metric. Our results show the strongest increases in the median (50th) and extreme (90th) quantiles of the FWI in the northern parts (South German Escarpment and Eastern Mountain Ranges) of the study area in the summer months of July and August. There, high fire danger becomes the median condition by the end of the century, and levels of high fire danger occur earlier in the fire season. The southern parts (Alps and Alpine Foreland) are less strongly affected by changes in fire danger than the northern parts. However, these regions reach their time of emergence (TOE) in the early 2040s because of very low current fire danger. In the northern parts, the climate change trend exceeds natural variability only in the late 2040s. We find that today's 100-year FWI event will occur every 30 years by 2050 and every 10 years by the end of the century. Our results highlight the potential for severe future fire events in central Europe, which is currently not very fire prone, and demonstrate the need for fire management even in regions with a temperate climate.

Weather and climate and their human impacts and responses during the Thirty Years' War in central Europe

Abstract. The Thirty Years' War, which took place from 1618 to 1648 CE, was an armed military conflict in Europe. It resulted from the culmination of theological differences between advocates of the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, as well as a power struggle for European political hegemony. This war brought about extensive devastation to Europe. Based on documentary evidence, this paper characterizes the climate, weather extremes, and economic and socio-political events in central Europe during that time. Natural climate forcing indicates a gradual climate deterioration during the first half of the 17th century, associated with a decrease in solar activity towards the Maunder Minimum and increased volcanic activity. The mean temperatures in central Europe from 1618 to 1648 were significantly colder than the reference period of 1961 to 1990 in winter, autumn, and annually, while precipitation and drought means did not differ significantly from the reference period. Summer temperatures, spring precipitation, and drought also exhibited significantly greater variability. As for weather extremes, particularly late winter, late spring and early autumn frosts, floods, intense rain spells, and droughts affected grain, fruit, and vine grape harvests, as well as the yields of other crops. These weather extremes contributed to various human impacts, such as food shortages (reflecting harvests and grain prices), famines, and epidemics. Ultimately, these events, along with the effects of the war, led to a decline in the population. The results obtained are discussed within the broader European context, taking into account climate, weather extremes, and socio-economic impacts.

Urban environment, drought events and climate change strongly affect the growth of common urban tree species in a temperate city

Trees’ ecosystem services help reducing the urban heat island intensity, but are most effective when trees are big and healthy. During the last decades, the frequency of heat waves and drought events in Central Europe has increased, exposing urban trees to even greater stress under already challenging urban growth conditions. To understand the extent to which the urban environment affects tree growth and how trees respond to drought, dendrochronological analyses were conducted on 176 urban trees of six commonly planted tree species: Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides, Robinia pseudoacacia, Platanus x acerifolia, Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur growing within the temperate city of Munich, Germany. The impacts of climate change were studied comparing tree growth between the periods 1980–1999 and 2000–2019, as well as the effect of the urban heat island intensity, comparing urban and suburban zones. Additionally, a drought-tolerance analysis was conducted to investigate the recovery following different dry years. Species-specific trends showed the highest average basal area increment (BAI) for P. x acerifolia (44.9 cm²/year) and the lowest for T. cordata (18.4 cm²/year). In terms of the urbanisation impact on growth, significantly higher BAI was recorded for A. platanoides and T. cordata in the suburban areas, in contrast to F. sylvatica. Analysing the complete sample, the results showed growth reduction since the year 2000 (−28%). Higher drought tolerance was found for R. pseudoacacia, P. x acerifolia and Q. robur. Accumulated drought stress showed significant negative responses for A. platanoides and T. cordata. With the predicted climate change scenarios, the present study can deepen the knowledge about drought tolerance of urban trees in temperate climate and improve species selection. In particular, R. pseudoacacia and P. x acerifolia could be further planted in cities as were less affected by high urbanisation degree and grew the most despite drought and climate change conditions.

Scénáře budoucích změn nebezpečných sdružených událostí ve střední Evropě

Many recent high-impact weather and climate events developed due to several concurrent climatic drivers amplifying their negative impacts on society and environment. In this paper, we analyse scenarios of future changes in cold–windy and dry–hot compound events in Central Europe, using an ensemble of CORDEX regional climate models forced by two possible greenhouse gas concentration pathways (low-emission RCP4.5 and high-emission RCP8.5). A distinct decrease of compound cold–windy days was found. At the end of the 21st century, the frequency of these days is projected to decrease by 64% (86%) under the RCP4.5 (8.5) pathway (against the 1970–2000 period). By contrast, climate models simulate longer of dry–hot seasons over Central Europe. In mid-21st century, their median length is projected to increase by 5–20 days regardless of the concentration pathway. At the end of the 21st century, dry–hot seasons are projected to become longer by as much as a whole month under RCP8.5. Although model simulations are to some extent uncertain, scenarios of possible future changes in compound events can be useful in adaptation to ongoing climate change.

A speleothem record of seasonality and moisture transport around the 8.2 ka event in Central Europe (Vacska Cave, Hungary)

AbstractA stalagmite was collected in northern Hungary from the Vacska Cave, where monitoring and ventilation-based site selection had been conducted. The stalagmite covers the 10–8 ka (relative to AD 1950) period, including the so-called 8.2 ka event, and showed preceding signs of climate change that were evaluated by petrographic observations, 14C activities, Sr concentrations, and stable isotope compositions of calcite and inclusion-hosted water. Comparisons of speleothem records show that isotope peaks at ca. 8.5 ka are related to a regional climate anomaly, rather than to a continental-scale event. In accordance with regional proxy records, the 8.2 ka event was associated with a series of temperature and precipitation amount changes, starting with cooling and a reduction in the winter-to-summer precipitation ratio, and then becoming a humid and warm phase at 8.15 ka. X-ray diffraction-based crystallinity parameter (FWHM) values provided evidence for diagenetic alteration of the stable oxygen isotope compositions of inclusion waters. Nevertheless, the stable hydrogen isotope compositions of inclusion waters and the oxygen isotope values of the host calcite revealed elevated d-excess values, and therefore increased Mediterranean moisture contribution during the 8.2 ka event, which indirectly indicate the southward displacement of moisture transport from the Atlantic Ocean.

Driving Forces and Socio-Economic Impacts of Low-Flow Events in Central Europe: A Literature Review Using DPSIR Criteria

Recent drought events in Europe have highlighted the impact of hydrological drought and low-flow events on society, ecosystems, and the economy. While there are numerous publications about flood risk management and the socio-economic consequences of floods, these have hardly been systematically dealt with in the scientific literature regarding low flows. This paper fills this gap by summarizing the current state of research in the form of a systematic literature review combining the criteria of the drivers–pressures–state–impacts–responses (DPSIR) framework with the propositional inventory method. In particular, the driving forces of low-flow events, their pressures, and the impacts on different economic sectors such as navigation, fisheries, industry, agriculture, forestry, energy, and tourism and recreation as well as resulting competitive usage claims for water and responses are presented and validated through expert interviews. In doing so, the study examines the causal chain of low-flow events and serves as a fundamental base for the future development of a damage cost database for low-flow events by preparing literature data on the socio-economic consequences of low-flow events for parameterization.

Distinct Responses of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to Drought Intensity and Length—A Review of the Impacts of the 2003 and 2018–2019 Drought Events in Central Europe

A combined severe heatwave and drought, starting in 2018 and lasting for several months, restarted the discussion on the resistance of European beech to climatic changes, with severe growth reductions, early leaf senescence, leaf browning, and diebacks reported across Central Europe. These responses may result in long-term impacts such as reduced vitality of beech, especially under potential future drought periods. While the 2003 drought caused severe crown damage and defoliation and a loss in vitality, resulting in insect and fungal infestations and subsequent dieback, the drought in 2018 was even more severe in terms of geographical scale, duration, and intensity with reports of complete diebacks and severe mortality across Central Europe. These impacts were exacerbated in some regions by the consecutive drought in 2019 and secondary attacks from pathogens, as well as a further loss in vitality. Such enhanced drought exposure of beech trees could push them beyond their hydraulic safety margins. Moreover, growth legacy effects due to past droughts may lead to lower recovery over time, potentially leading to subsequent tree death. In order to better predict the future of beech growth and vitality in Central Europe, both short- and long-term legacy effects of defoliation and their influence on post-drought growth should be explored, and adaptive forest management strategies evaluated. Moreover, synergistic or additive interactions of legacy effects with drought, as well as with biotic disturbances, require further investigation. Long-term forest monitoring data facilitates investigations of drought responses of beech.

Analysis of significant tornado events in Central Europe: synoptic situation and convective development

Analysis of significant tornado events in Central Europe: synoptic situation and convective development

Modification of the microclimate and water balance through the integration of trees into temperate cropping systems

Climate change scenarios predict an increased occurrence of droughts and heatwaves, as well as extreme rainfall events in Central Europe. Alley cropping, which is the inclusion of rows of trees and shrubs in agricultural land, could enhance the resilience of cropping systems, as these systems are expected to positively modify the microclimate and water balance of croplands. This review analyses the effect of alley cropping on the microclimate and water balance, based on the available evidence from temperate alley cropping systems. Within alley cropping systems, the tree rows generate gradients in microclimatic variables, whereby strongest effects are observed in or close to the tree rows. Field-scale studies on light intensity (n=20), wind speed (n=4) and surface runoff (n=3) all reported a reduction compared to sole cropping systems. Effects on air temperature (n=10), relative humidity (n=5) and evapotranspiration (n=6) varied among studies, with the majority reporting a decrease in daytime temperatures (50% of studies), variable effects on relative humidity (60%) and an increase in evapotranspiration (50%) due to higher evapotranspiration by trees. Highest variation among studies was found for soil moisture, with 41% of studies reporting temporal and spatial differences within the system. This variation among studies likely depends on the purpose of the trees (short rotation coppice vs. fruit and/or timber trees) and design of the system. Also site context, such as topography, landscape diversity and climate, could play a role, but these factors are rarely taken into account. Only few studies investigated landscape-scale effects (n=3), such as groundwater recharge and moisture recycling. Future research should investigate the role of site context in the functioning of alley cropping systems and quantify landscape-scale effects. The process understanding gained from those studies will contribute to designing alley cropping systems that enhance the climate change resilience of current central European cropping systems.

Quantification of meteorological conditions for rockfall triggers in Germany

Abstract. A rockfall dataset for Germany is analysed with the objective of identifying the meteorological and hydrological (pre-)conditions that change the probability for such events in central Europe. The factors investigated in the analysis are precipitation amount and intensity, freeze–thaw cycles, and subsurface moisture. As there is no suitable observational dataset for all relevant subsurface moisture types (e.g. water in rock pores and cleft water) available, simulated soil moisture and a proxy for pore water are tested as substitutes. The potential triggering factors were analysed both for the day of the event and for the days leading up to it. A logistic regression model was built, which considers individual potential triggering factors and their interactions. It is found that the most important factor influencing rockfall probability in the research area is the precipitation amount at the day of the event, but the water content of the ground on that day and freeze–thaw cycles in the days prior to the event also influence the hazard probability. Comparing simulated soil moisture and the pore-water proxy as predictors for rockfall reveals that the proxy, calculated as accumulated precipitation minus potential evaporation, performs slightly better in the statistical model. Using the statistical model, the effects of meteorological conditions on rockfall probability in German low mountain ranges can be quantified. The model suggests that precipitation is most efficient when the pore-water content of the ground is high. An increase in daily precipitation from its local 50th percentile to its 90th percentile approximately doubles the probability for a rockfall event under median pore-water conditions. When the pore-water proxy is at its 95th percentile, the same increase in precipitation leads to a 4-fold increase in rockfall probability. The occurrence of a freeze–thaw cycle in the preceding days increases the rockfall hazard by about 50 %. The most critical combination can therefore be expected in winter and at the beginning of spring after a freeze–thaw transition, which is followed by a day with high precipitation amounts and takes place in a region preconditioned by a high level of subsurface moisture.

A dynamic history of admixture from Mediterranean and Carpathian glacial refugia drives genomic diversity in the bank vole.

Understanding the historical contributions of differing glacial refugia is key to evaluating the roles of microevolutionary forces, such as isolation, introgression, and selection in shaping genomic diversity in present‐day populations. In Europe, where both Mediterranean and extra‐Mediterranean (e.g., Carpathian) refugia of the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) have been identified, mtDNA indicates that extra‐Mediterranean refugia were the main source of colonization across the species range, while Mediterranean peninsulas harbor isolated, endemic lineages. Here, we critically evaluate this hypothesis using previously generated genomic data (>6,000 SNPs) for over 800 voles, focusing on genomic contributions to bank voles in central Europe, a key geographic area in considering range‐wide colonization. The results provide clear evidence that both extra‐Mediterranean (Carpathian) and Mediterranean (Spanish, Calabrian, and Balkan) refugia contributed to the ancestry and genomic diversity of bank vole populations across Europe. Few strong barriers to dispersal and frequent admixture events in central Europe have led to a prominent mid‐latitude peak in genomic diversity. Although the genomic contribution of the centrally located Carpathian refugium predominates, populations in different parts of Europe have admixed origins from Mediterranean (28%–47%) and the Carpathian (53%–72%) sources. We suggest that the admixture from Mediterranean refugia may have provisioned adaptive southern alleles to more northern populations, facilitating the end‐glacial spread of the admixed populations and contributing to increased bank vole diversity in central Europe. This study adds critical details to the complex end‐glacial colonization history of this well‐studied organism and underscores the importance of genomic data in phylogeographic interpretation.

The fate of one university in the context of changing borders in Central Europe (Kolozsvár — Cluj — Szeged)

An example of how epoch-making historical events in Central Europe affected the fate of an elite educational institution is the history of the second Hungarian university, founded in 1872 in the main city of Transylvania, Kolozsvár. This university was forced to leave Transylvania as a result of its reunification with the Kingdom of Romania in December 1918 following the First World War. Romanian professors from the “Old Kingdom” entered the university buildings built in the era of Austro-Hungarian dualism, located in the same city that changed its name from Kolozsvár, to Cluj. They were tasked by the new authorities to facilitate the integration of the region into Romania. The Hungarian University moves within the new borders of Hungary, to the city of Szeged. The creating of this powerful center of elite Hungarian culture became one of the essential directions of the cultural policy of the conservative regime. Its representatives saw the transformation of Hungary into a bastion of high European culture on the threshold of the Balkans as one of the ways to compensate for the enormous national infringement that the Trianon Peace Treaty of 1920 was for millions of Hungarians. The resettlement to Szeged, however, by no means put an end to the history of the Hungarian University of Transylvania. After the second Vienna arbitration for the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary (August 1940), the Hungarian university in Cluj was restored, and the Romanian one moved within the narrowed borders of Romania. In the post-war Romania, under the left-wing authorities, and later the communist regime, which was not interested in aggravating the Hungarian-Romanian contradictions, both Romanian and Hungarian universities functioned in Cluj for a decade and a half, until in 1959, amid the rise of Romanian nationalism, an independent Hungarian university was closed.

Quantifying the Central European Droughts in 2018 and 2019 With GRACE Follow‐On

AbstractThe GRACE‐FO satellites launched in May 2018 are able to quantify the water mass deficit in Central Europe during the two consecutive summer droughts of 2018 and 2019. Relative to the long‐term climatology, the water mass deficits were −112 ± 10.5 Gt in 2018 and −145 ± 12 Gt in 2019. These deficits are 73% and 94% of the mean amplitude of seasonal water storage variations, which is so severe that a recovery cannot be expected within 1 year. The water deficits in 2018 and 2019 are the largest in the whole GRACE and GRACE‐FO time span. Globally, the data do not show an offset between the two missions, which proves the successful continuation of GRACE by GRACE‐FO and thus the reliability of the observed extreme events in Central Europe. This allows for a joint assessment of the four Central European droughts in 2003, 2015, 2018, and 2019 in terms of total water storage deficits.

Constraints on the pre-eruptive magmatic history of the Quaternary Laacher See volcano (Germany)

Ba zonation patterns in sanidine phenocrysts from mafic and intermediate phonolite and crystal-rich cumulates from the Laacher See volcano (12.9 ka) in western Germany document diffusion times suggestive of periodic recharge events throughout the magma reservoir’s entire lifespan of ~ 24 ky. Phenocrysts analysed from samples that formed late at the base of the compositionally zoned magma reservoir by mixing and mingling between a resident phonolite magma and recharging basanite show resorption and thin (2–10 μm) late-stage Ba-rich overgrowth. Short diffusion profiles across these boundaries give diffusion times of ~ 1.5–3 years at most, which are interpreted to be the maximum duration between the most recent recharge by the basanite and eruption. The lack of such late overgrowth in samples from other parts of the phonolite reservoir suggests that effect of this mixing and mingling was limited to the crystal-rich base. Sanidines in the cumulates, by contrast, are generally devoid of zoned crystals. Only rare cumulate crystals with resorbed outer boundaries and very thin overgrowths (a few microns) with very sharp compositional changes imply the remobilization of cumulates only months before eruption. Based on the diffusion timescales and storage temperatures obtained in a previous study, we present a genetic model for the conditions and timing of storage and (re-)activation of the magma system prior to the eruption of Laacher See, which is the largest volcanic event in Central Europe since the last glaciation.

Climate and structure of the 8.2 ka event reconstructed from three speleothems from Germany

The most pronounced climate anomaly of the Holocene was the 8.2 ka cooling event. We present new 230Th/U-ages as well as high-resolution stable isotope and trace element data from three stalagmitesfrom two different cave systems in Germany, which provide important information about the structure and climate variability of the 8.2 ka event in central Europe. In all three speleothems, the 8.2 ka event is clearly recorded as a pronounced negative excursion of the {\delta}18O values and can be divided into a 'whole event' and a 'central event'. All stalagmites show a similar structure of the event with a short negative excursion prior to the 'central event', which marks the beginning of the 'whole event'. The timing and duration of the 8.2.ka event are different for the individual records, which may, however, be related to dating uncertainties. Whereas stalagmite Bu4 from Bunker Cave also shows a negative anomaly in the {\delta}13C values and Mg content during the event, the two speleothems from the Herbstlabyrinth cave system do not show distinct peaks in the other proxies. This may suggest that the speleothem {\delta}18O values recorded in the three stalagmites do not primarily reflect climate change at the cave site, but rather large-scale changes in the North Atlantic. This is supported by comparison with climate modelling data, which suggest that the negative peak in the speleothem {\delta}18O values is mainly due to lower {\delta}18O values of precipitation above the cave and that temperature only played a minor role. Alternatively, the other proxies may not be as sensitive as {\delta}18O values to record this centennial-scale cooling event. This may particularly be the case for speleothem {\delta}13C values as suggested by comparison with a climate modelling study simulating vegetation changes in Europe during the 8.2 ka event. ...

Ambient conditions prevailing during hail events in central Europe

Abstract. Around 26 000 severe convective storm tracks between 2005 and 2014 have been estimated from 2D radar reflectivity for parts of Europe, including Germany, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. This event set was further combined with eyewitness reports, environmental conditions, and synoptic-scale fronts based on the ERA-Interim (ECMWF Reanalysis) reanalysis. Our analyses reveal that on average about a quarter of all severe thunderstorms in the investigation area were associated with a front. Over complex terrains, such as in southern Germany, the proportion of frontal convective storms is around 10 %–15 %, while over flat terrain half of the events require a front to trigger convection. Frontal storm tracks associated with hail on average produce larger hailstones and have a longer track. These events usually develop in a high-shear environment. Using composites of environmental conditions centered around the hailstorm tracks, we found that dynamical proxies such as deep-layer shear or storm-relative helicity become important when separating hail diameters and, in particular, their lengths; 0–3 km helicity as a dynamical proxy performs better compared to wind shear for the separation. In contrast, thermodynamical proxies such as the lifted index or lapse rate show only small differences between the different intensity classes.

Shifts Between and Among Populations of Wheat Rhizosphere Pseudomonas, Streptomyces and Phyllobacterium Suggest Consistent Phosphate Mobilization at Different Wheat Growth Stages Under Abiotic Stress.

Climate change models predict more frequent and prolonged drought events in Central Europe, which will exert extraordinary pressure on agroecosystems. One of the consequences is drought-related nutrient limitations for crops negatively affecting agricultural productivity. These effects can be mitigated by beneficial plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. In this study, we investigated the potential of cultivable bacterial species for phosphate solubilization in the rhizosphere of winter wheat at two relevant growth stages - stem elongation and grain filling stages. Rhizosphere samples were collected in the Global Change Experimental Facility in Central Germany, which comprises plots with conventional and organic farming systems under ambient and future climate. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria were selectively isolated on Pikovskaya medium, phylogenetically classified by 16S rRNA sequencing, and tested for in vitro mineral phosphate solubilization and drought tolerance using plate assays. The culture isolates were dominated by members of the genera Phyllobacterium, Pseudomonas and Streptomyces. Cultivation-derived species richness and abundance of dominant taxa, especially within the genera Phyllobacterium and Pseudomonas, as well as composition of Pseudomonas species were affected by wheat growth stage. Pseudomonas was found to be more abundant at stem elongation than at grain filling, while for Phyllobacterium the opposite pattern was observed. The abundance of Streptomyces isolates remained stable throughout the studied growth stages. The temporal shifts in the cultivable fraction of the community along with considerable P solubilization potentials of Phyllobacterium and Pseudomonas species suggest functional redundancy between and among genera at different wheat growth stages. Phosphate-solubilizing Phyllobacterium species were assigned to Phyllobacterium ifriqiyense and Phyllobacterium sophorae. It is the first time that phosphate solubilization potential is described for these species. Since Phyllobacterium species showed the highest drought tolerance along all isolates, they may play an increasingly important role in phosphate solubilization in a future dryer climate.

The Uprising of Francis Rákóczi the Second in the Сontext of Russian Diplomacy

The uprising of Francis II Rákóczi in 1703–1711 is a frequently debated topic in European historiographies (especially in Hungarian, Slovak and Polish). For the Slovak historiography (since its beginning), anti-Habsburg uprisings in the 17th and early 18th centuries has been a key issue. There is a number of works that deal with the last anti-Habsburg uprising in Hungary in detail. The aim of this study is to examine the mentioned events through the prism of a different historical source, the Russian newspaper “Vedomosti”, which in 1703 to 1711 captured relatively detailed information about the uprising of Francis II Rákóczi. The first report about the anti-Habsburg uprising in Russian Journal “Vedomosti” was published in October 1703. Most reports describe military operations on the Slovak territory, which makes their content interesting for Slovak historiography. The study analyses the problems of international relations and political interests of the Imperial Russian court with regard to Francis II Rákóczi in the context of sources, scholarly literature as well as information from the newspaper itself. Reports of the Francis II. Rákóczi’s uprising in the Russian periodical from 1703–1711 may not be of key importance to the scholarly research of the uprising itself, but they demonstrate the interest of the Russian diplomacy in the events in Central Europe and Hungarian anti-Habsburg rebellions in the context of European policy in the early 18th century. After the conclusion of the treaty of Satmár, Francis II Rákóczi remained interesting for European politics, even in a different context. After 1711, Tsar Peter the Great invited F.Rákóczi and his supporters to immigrate to Russia. However, such an option was unacceptable to F.Rákóczi himself.