Poor Habitat Research Articles

Importance and potential of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in 21st century

Abstract We are currently witnessing significant global changes in climate conditions. We cannot change the natural conditions, but with regard to sustainable landscape management, we can increase our knowledge of tree species and adapt forest management to them. Surprisingly, one of the most affected tree species in Central Europe today is Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The following literature review summarizes over 200 studies from 1952–2022 regarding Scots pine across its entire range while addressing various topics in the ecology and management of this taxon. It is a tree species with a large natural range, nearly covering the entire Eurasian area. In the Czech Republic, it is the second most important tree species in terms of industrial wood production. Scots pine is characterized not only by a significant genetic variability of its populations but also by its wide ecological plasticity. Typically, it grows on sandy soils, poor habitats, and stony scree–but also in peat bogs. The wide habitat valence justifies the economic significance of this species, both in terms of its high production potential (mean annual increment of up to 10.8 m3 ha-1 yr-1) but also its wide range of use. However, in the light of climate variations, the practices of Scots pine silviculture are also gradually transforming from the traditional reforestation by clear-cutting to a more natural system–shelterwood felling. In view of climate change, its range of distribution is changing, as with other species, but Scots pine remains a very resistant tree species, depending on the habitat.

The Influence of Invasive Alien Plants on Umbrella Butterflies of the GenusPhengarisand Diversity of Heteroptera True Bugs

AbstractThe Natura 2000 initiative and National Parks are the most important forms of nature protection in European countries. However, conservation efforts are often hampered by biological invasions, which are some of the most serious environmental problems. The aim of this study was to assess, in protected areas, the impacts of invasive plants – alienSolidagospp. onPhengarisbutterflies andHeracleum mantegazzianumon Heteroptera true bugs.Ph. teleiusandPh. nausithouswere surveyed in the Jaworzno Meadows Natura 2000 site using the Capture-Mark-Recapture method. Heteroptera were surveyed using transect captures in Magurski National Park. The sizes of local populations of the butterflies were lower in patches with higher goldenrod cover. A high cover of the host plant may mitigate the negative impact of goldenrod during the early stage of invasion. In the case of poor habitat quality, nearby unprotected habitat patches act as ecological traps for butterflies due to the application of mowing during the butterfly flight period. The invasive giant hogweed had the most significant impact on reducing the number of Heteroptera individuals. Its influence was also observed at the assemblage level. The negative impact of hogweed has been detected despite the application of the first eradication treatments of this plant. Success in eradicating hogweed may be limited due to the spread of the plants from locations where removal is not applied.

You're stressing me out! Effect of interspecific competition from red deer on roe deer physiological stress response

AbstractCortisol is the main glucocorticoid hormone commonly measured to assess adrenocortical activity in vertebrates in response to potential stressors. Competition and habitat quality may act as chronic stressors leading to an increase in cortisol accumulation. Moreover, chronic cortisol concentrations may seriously hamper the reproductive potential, health status and body condition of a species. Using hair collected from the rump of 88 adult roadkill roe deer Capreolus capreolus in the north‐eastern Italy, we aimed to assess the effect of both ungulate competitor population densities and habitat suitability on the long‐term physiological stress response of roe deer, using hair cortisol as a reference parameter. Our findings revealed that roe deer showed higher cortisol concentrations in response to higher red deer Cervus elaphus population density, most likely as a consequence of direct interspecific competition. No significant cortisol changes were however recorded in response to both wild boar Sus scrofa and roe deer population densities, probably as a result of reduced competition because of abundant feeding resources, different species population densities and spatial/temporal avoidance among species. Moreover, the absence of a significant effect as far as habitat suitability is concerned, suggest that roe deer are well adapted to live even in poor quality habitats most likely as long as they are close to better quality habitats which provide access to food resources and refuge sites. Our results highlight the importance of hair cortisol as a suitable parameter to assess physiological chronic stress response towards different environmental/ecological conditions.

Changes to the coastal flora of Wirral, Merseyside (v.c.58)

Changes over more than 200 years in the landscape, vegetation and flora of coastal habitats of the Wirral peninsula in north-western England are described. These include the creation of new salt-marshes, following ongoing accretion of sediments as well as destruction of habitats following urbanisation and industrialisation. These changes led to the development of new Open Mosaic Habitats increasing floral diversity. The role of hybrids and new species to the Wirral coast is discussed in relation to changes in floral diversity with losses largely confined to species of totally destroyed and relatively nutrient poor habitats and occurring before 1900.

Spatio-temporal genetic structure of the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) populations inhabiting national parks in South Korea: Implications for conservation and management of protected areas

Population or habitat connectivity is a key component in maintaining species and community-level regional biodiversity as well as intraspecific genetic diversity. Ongoing human activities cause habitat destruction and fragmentation, which exacerbate the connectivity due to restricted animal movements across local habitats, eventually resulting in the loss of biodiversity. The Baekdudaegan Mountain Range (BMR) on the Korean Peninsula represents “biodiversity hotspots” and eight of the 22 Korean national parks are located within the BMR. Given the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) is the most common and ecologically important small mammals in these protected areas, the population genetic assessment of this species will allow for identifying “genetic diversity hotspots” and also “genetic barriers” that may hinder gene flow, and will therefore inform on effective conservation and management efforts for the national park habitats. We collected samples from hair, tail, or buccal swabs for 252A. agrariusindividuals in 2015 and 2019. By using mitochondrial DNA cytochromeb(cyt b) sequences and nine microsatellite loci, we determined levels of genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, and gene flow among eight national park populations ofA. agrariusalong the BMR. We found high levels of genetic diversity but the occurrences of inbreeding for all the nine samples analyzed. Our results also indicated that there was detectable temporal genetic variation between the 2015 and 2019 populations in the Jirisan National Park, which is probably due to a short-term decline in genetic diversity caused by reduced population sizes. We also found a well-admixed shared gene pool among the national park populations. However, a significant positive correlation between geographic and genetic distances was detected only in mtDNA but not microsatellites, which might be attributed to different dispersal patterns between sexes. There was a genetic barrier to animal movements around the Woraksan National Park areas. The poor habitat connectivity surrounding these areas can be improved by establishing an ecological corridor. Our findings of the presence of genetic barriers in some protected areas provide insights into the conservation and management efforts to improve the population or habitat connectivity among the national parks.

Habitat quality, urbanisation & pesticides influence bird abundance and richness in gardens

Gardens are regularly portrayed as green oases, refuges for wildlife that has been displaced from the countryside by intensive farming practices which have reduced habitat availability. Pesticides are also commonly used in urban areas, but few studies have investigated their impacts. In this study, we explored how bird richness and abundance in gardens across the UK are influenced by habitat quality, urbanisation level and pesticide practices. To achieve this, we collaborated with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) which runs Garden Birdwatch, a citizen-science-based garden bird recording scheme. Participants in the study were asked to complete a questionnaire about their pesticide practice. From the 615 gardens that provided useful data, we found that 32.2 % applied pesticides in their gardens and that glyphosate comprised 53.3 % of these applications. We found that bird abundance and species richness was lower in suburban compared to rural gardens but positively influenced by measures of garden quality and by surrounding habitat quality. We show that there was an interaction between the habitat quality of the surrounding area and pesticide use: negative effects of pesticides on species richness were more pronounced in gardens in areas of high habitat quality compared to those surrounded by poor habitat. We found that pesticide use, and particularly glyphosate and metaldehyde, negatively predicted the abundance of house sparrows, a fast-declining bird species. The average house sparrow abundance was 12.1 % lower in gardens applying any pesticide, 24.9 % lower with glyphosate, and 38.6 % lower with metaldehyde. Overall, our study shows that garden bird abundance and richness is strongly influenced by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors, and suggests that garden management, particularly regarding pesticide use, has a significant effect on bird life.

Effect of season, habitat type and anthropogenic pressure on the bird diversity in the vineyards agroecosystems in the region of Fes‐Meknes

AbstractAgroecosystems are becoming more developed in Morocco, which requires conducting research about their importance to indigenous avifauna. We studied the influence of seasonality and parcel characteristics, including habitat type and anthropogenic pressures on bird diversity in vineyards. Our findings show that bird diversity varies by habitat type with heterogeneous parcels being more diverse than homogeneous parcels; in addition to that, bird diversity was higher in edge habitat, olive and uncultivated land while it was lower in vine habitat, whereas the cereal was the poorest habitat in the vineyards. Our results revealed that avian diversity changes with the seasons, being higher in winter, autumn and spring than in the summer. Evaluation of anthropogenic pressures indicates that avifauna diversity was negatively associated with the distance to the nearest building and the nearest edge, but positively associated with the distance to the nearest water source. Our research identifies potentially important variables influencing bird diversity in these agricultural ecosystems, which can help us to understand more clearly the ecological needs of birds of this habitat. As a result, we make some recommendations to help preserve bird diversity and improve their survival, including securing and protecting edge habitat, boosting habitat diversity and contributing to the overall effort to reduce climate change impacts, all of which will not be possible without the cooperation of landowners, farmers, managers and researchers.

Ecology and age, but not genetic ancestry, predict fetal loss in a wild baboon hybrid zone.

Pregnancy failure represents a major fitness cost for any mammal, particularly those with slow life histories such as primates. Here, we quantified the risk of fetal loss in wild hybrid baboons, including genetic, ecological, and demographic sources of variance. We were particularly interested in testing the hypothesis that hybridization increases fetal loss rates. Such an effect would help explain how baboons may maintain genetic and phenotypic integrity despite interspecific gene flow. We analyzed outcomes for 1020 pregnancies observed over 46 years in a natural yellow baboon-anubis baboon hybrid zone. Fetal losses and live births were scored based on records of female reproductive state and the appearance of live neonates. We modeled the probability of fetal loss as a function of a female's genetic ancestry (the proportion of her genome estimated to be descended from anubis [vs. yellow] ancestors), age, number of previous fetal losses, dominance rank, group size, climate, and habitat quality using binomial mixed effects models. Female genetic ancestry did not predict fetal loss. Instead, the risk of fetal loss is elevated for very young and very old females. Fetal loss is most robustly predicted by ecological factors, including poor habitat quality prior to a home range shift and extreme heat during pregnancy. Our results suggest that gene flow between yellow and anubis baboons is not impeded by an increased risk of fetal loss for hybrid females. Instead, ecological conditions and female age are key determinants of this component of female reproductive success.

Distribution Pattern of Trachoma in Pakistan and Monitoring the Effects of Water Availability upon Disease prevalence

Background: Trachoma is the current most crucial infectious disease and one of the big vectors leading to global preventable blindness. After cataracts and glaucoma, being the most prevalent disease, trachoma acquired a third place among the most common ocular disease. It is among the seven most neglected tropical diseases and is accounted for 0.006 to 0.008 billion people (mostly women) living with optical deterioration predominantly in poor resource habitats. Aim: To estimate pervasiveness of active trachoma and measure its burden in four districts of KPK. Additionally, it is aimed to determine the distribution patterns of the infection while considering factors such as, age, gender, and dwellings. Methodology: The sample size (n=3036) estimation is undertaken while considering the past minimal prevalence of trachoma in the country. The data on the basis of structured questionnaire and observations study collected from four districts of KPK. Detailed analysis was conducted using SPSS 24.0 by using descriptive analysis, correlation and Chi Square test of independence. Results and conclusion: The first thing done is testing normality of data using Shiparo Wilk test, and it is found that all the variables are non-normal. It is found that in most of the cases, the use piped water strongly influence the contamination and lead to increment in disease. The correlation result shows significant results stating the effect of decrease of animals in house improved trachoma grading. Keywords: Trachoma, Blindness, KPK, Semi-Structural Interviews

Impact of land use change on habitat quality and regional biodiversity capacity: Temporal and spatial evolution and prediction analysis

The ecological stability of a region and the promotion of its coordinated environmental and economic development depend on habitat quality, which is a key indicator of the territory’s biodiversity capacity. A case study is done in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, to determine how land use changes affect habitat quality. The types of land use in 2030 are simulated based on 2000, 2010, and 2020. The InVEST and CA-Markov models analyze and predict how land use will change in Suzhou. Spatial analysis methods, such as the standard deviation ellipse, the center of gravity analysis, spatial autocorrelation, and random forest models, were used to reveal the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of habitat quality and to analyze its influencing factors. The bare land, building lands, and non-construction lands significantly increased in Suzhou city’s land use types between 2000 and 2030 due to land use changes, while the water bodies and forests gradually decreased. Most of the high-quality habitats in this region are found in the water bodies and the mountains. In contrast, the poor habitat quality in this area is mainly concentrated in urban construction lands. The habitat quality gradually declined over time, and its center of gravity followed the migration path from northeast to southwest. The temporal and spatial distribution of habitat degradation in Suzhou reveals a trend of habitat degradation from downtown to suburban areas. This degradation is most common in mountainous and forest areas where the landscape is highly fragmented. Habitat quality in Suzhou city has changed over time and space due to spatial patterns, socioeconomic factors, land use, and the natural environment, with land use having the most significant impact.

Rhizocarpon geographicum Lichen Discloses a Highly Diversified Microbiota Carrying Antibiotic Resistance and Persistent Organic Pollutant Tolerance.

As rock inhabitants, lichens are exposed to extreme and fluctuating abiotic conditions associated with poor sources of nutriments. These extreme conditions confer to lichens the unique ability to develop protective mechanisms. Consequently, lichen-associated microbes disclose highly versatile lifestyles and ecological plasticity, enabling them to withstand extreme environments. Because of their ability to grow in poor and extreme habitats, bacteria associated with lichens can tolerate a wide range of pollutants, and they are known to produce antimicrobial compounds. In addition, lichen-associated bacteria have been described to harbor ecological functions crucial for the evolution of the lichen holobiont. Nevertheless, the ecological features of lichen-associated microbes are still underestimated. To explore the untapped ecological diversity of lichen-associated bacteria, we adopted a novel culturomic approach on the crustose lichen Rhizocarpon geographicum. We sampled R. geographicum in French habitats exposed to oil spills, and we combined nine culturing methods with 16S rRNA sequencing to capture the greatest bacterial diversity. A deep functional analysis of the lichen-associated bacterial collection showed the presence of a set of bacterial strains resistant to a wide range of antibiotics and displaying tolerance to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Our study is a starting point to explore the ecological features of the lichen microbiota.

Novel Ecosystems in the Urban-Industrial Landscape–Interesting Aspects of Environmental Knowledge Requiring Broadening: A Review

Human activity is affecting and transforming the natural environment, changing the ecosystem mosaic and natural biogeochemical processes in urban-industrial landscapes. Among the anthropogenic ecosystems, there are many present features of Novel Ecosystems (NE), e.g., the de novo created habitats on post-mineral excavation sites. The biological nature of the functional mechanisms of Novel Ecosystems is mostly unknown. In natural and semi-natural ecosystems, biodiversity is considered as the primary element influencing ecosystem processes and functioning. The preliminary studies conducted on post-mineral excavation sites have shown that, in poor oligotrophic habitats, the species composition of the assembled vascular plants is non-analogous, distinctive, and not found in natural and semi-natural habitats. This paper aims to present the gaps between scientific identification of the biological mechanisms driving ecosystem processes and functioning (including the expanding areas of Novel Ecosystems created de novo). Among the identified gaps, the following issues should be listed. The detailed identification and understanding of the processes and biodiversity-dependent functioning of Novel Ecosystems is crucial for proper environmental management, particularly when facing the challenges of ecological constraints and of global change. The ecology of Novel Ecosystems is a social and economic issue because of the relationships with densely populated urban-industrial areas.

Habitat use by female desert tortoises suggests tradeoffs between resource use and risk avoidance.

Animals may select habitat to maximize the benefits of foraging on growth and reproduction, while balancing competing factors like the risk of predation or mortality from other sources. Variation in the distribution of food resources may lead animals to forage at times or in places that carry greater predation risk, with individuals in poor quality habitats expected to take greater risks while foraging. We studied Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in habitats with variable forage availability to determine if risk aversion in their selection of habitat relative was related to abundance of forage. As a measure of risk, we examined tortoise surface activity and mortality. We also compared tortoise body size and body condition between habitats with ample forage plants and those with less forage plants. Tortoises from low forage habitats selected areas where more annual plants were nutritious herbaceous flowering plants but did not favor areas of greater perennial shrub cover that could shelter them or their burrows. In contrast, tortoises occupying high forage habitats showed no preference for forage characteristics, but used burrows associated with more abundant and larger perennial shrubs. Tortoises in high forage habitats were larger and active above ground more often but did not have better body condition. Mortality was four times higher for females occupying low forage habitat than those in high forage habitat. Our results are consistent with the idea that tortoises may minimize mortality risk where food resources are high, but may accept some tradeoff of greater mortality risk in order to forage optimally when food resources are limiting.

Features of Plant Community and Driving Forces of Plant Community Succession in the Typical Desert Wetlands

Desert wetlands play a significant role in flood regulation, water purification, biodiversity maintenance, and regional ecological environment improvement. Vegetation is a key factor affecting wetland function and it is important to study the features of plant community and the driving forces of plant community succession. The Ningxia Habahu National Nature Reserve, a typical desert wetland ecosystem, was selected to study the features of wetland plant communities including plant density, biomass and frequency, and vegetation coverage, as well as the habitats, structural characteristics, species composition, dominant population structure, and other characteristics of different ecosystems. Data was collected using long-term fixed-point observation, sampling monitoring, and other methods. The results showed that the total plant density, total biomass, Magalef index and Shannon–Wiener index of the different desert wetlands in the reserve area were all relatively low, which was caused by the poor habitat and salinization of the arid environment. There was no significant difference between the root–shoot ratio of the wetland plants in the reserve area and that of the construct species of other ecosystems. The specific leaf area of the wetland plants was also not significantly different from that of the construct species of other ecosystems. Vegetation nitrogen-to-phosphorus (N/P) ratios were found to be the key driving force for the succession of plant community in the desert wetlands. These results not only provide underlying insights for the improvement of species diversity and ecological environment, but also provide a scientific basis for the sustainable protection and restoration of typical desert wetlands.

Habitat Variations of Two Commercially Valuable Species Along the Chilean Waters Under Different-Intensity El Niño Events

The synchronous response of the spatial distribution pattern of Dosidicus gigas and Trachurus murphyi habitat along the Chilean waters to different-intensity El Niño events was examined based on the habitat suitability index (HSI) models inclusive with the key environmental factors of sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), sea surface salinity (SSS), water temperature at 400-m depth (Temp_400 m) for D. gigas, sea surface temperature (SST), mixed layer depth (MLD), Temp_400 m for T. murphyi, and Niño 1 + 2 index. Results showed that all the environmental factors except MLD were significantly correlated with the Niño 1 + 2 index. Compared with weak (WE) and moderate (ME) El Niño events, the suitable range of SSHA and SSS for D. gigas decreased, resulting in a decreased suitable habitat area and increased poor habitat area during the strong (SE) El Niño years. In space, the suitable habitat of D. gigas was mainly distributed in north-central Chile with an east–west strip pattern; it decreased significantly in the northwestern waters off Chile and moved southwestward under SE El Niño events. For T. murphyi, the ME El Niño events yielded a contracted suitable range of water temperature and MLD decreased, consequently leading to a decreased suitable habitat area and increased poor habitat area of T. murphyi compared to WE and SE El Niño events. The suitable habitat of T. murphyi was mainly distributed in the 42°–47°S area and varied non-significantly during the WE and SE El Niño events; however, it clearly decreased in the southwest area of Chile and shifted northeastward under ME El Niño events. Our results indicated that El Niño events with different intensities strongly affected the habitat pattern of D. gigas and T. murphyi off Chile by changing the regional marine environment.

The environmental quality and macroinvertebrate community structures of wetlands found in the Lake Tana Watershed, Ethiopia

The present study was conducted to assess the environmental quality status and macroinvertebrate community structures of wetlands using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. A multimetric biotic index approach was used for the study. The findings revealed 3,367 macroinvertebrates belonging to 37 families. The percentages of Ephemeroptera, Odonata, and Tricoptera (%EOT), percent Diptera, percent filterercollectors, the ratio of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera to Chironomid (EPT/C), the Biological Monitoring Working Party Score, and the Shannon–Wiener diversity index were all significantly related to human disturbance and could be used to assess water quality. Based on the macroinvertebrate index, human disturbance had a significant impact on Shesher wetland, a relatively lower impact on Avaji and Yitamot, and a moderate impact on Chimba, while Dena and Wonjeta had good habitat quality. Their water quality was very poor, poor, moderate, and very good, in that order. Farming, leather tanning, waste dumping, and effluent discharges were responsible for the poor habitat quality of impacted wetlands. Therefore, unless managed properly, human disturbance activities in the wetlands catchment were threatening macroinvertebrates and the wetlands ecosystem. Hence, implementation of catchment-based management together with continuous health status monitoring and a standalone wetland policy should be established.

Exploring the connection of physical habitat health of the wetland with its gas regulating services

Many scholars assessed habitat health and measured gas regulation service of wetlands separately. However, no such targeted work was done to answer how habitat health can control gas regulation? Therefore, the present study investigated the role of habitat health on the gas regulation service of wetlands. Multi-parametric Machine Learning (ML) based modelling approach was applied to assess habitat health considering physical wetland hydrological factors and habitat degrading factors. Three primary atmospheric gas regulation functions of wetland, namely Methane (CH4) emission, Carbon (C) sequestration, and Oxygen (O2) release, were observed associating with habitat health. Very poor habitat health prevailed over 227 km2 of wetland, whereas very good habitat health covered 299 km2 of wetland. But out of the very good habitat health zone, 69% belonged to the perennial river of this region. On the other hand, it was estimated that the amount of annual CH4 emission, C sequestration, and O2 release from the wetlands of this region were respectively 8.01 × 1000 tons, 908.98 × 1000 tons and 664.51 × 1000 tons. The association of habitat health was positive with CH4 emission and negative with C sequestration and O2 release. Following the association, habitat health zone-wise variation of emission, sequestration, and release was also very prominent. The very good zone of habitat health was observed to have 60% higher CH4 average emission and 56% lesser C sequestration than very poor habitat health.

Macroinvertebrate Assemblages along the Longitudinal Gradient of an Urban Palmiet River in Durban, South Africa.

Simple SummaryRivers are the most threatened ecosystems globally. However, much attention has been directed to natural rivers as urban streams are regarded as unnatural with poor capacity to provide ecosystem services. This study was carried out to explore the capacity of an urban Palmiet River to provide refuge for aquatic biota and the importance of solid wastes in providing habitat for macroinvertebrates in severely disturbed urban rivers. The water was found to be of good quality in the upper reach/headwaters and polluted in the industrial area. However, the river showed the ability to self-purify as the water showed some improvement as it flows downstream. Various sensitive and tolerant groups of macroinvertebrates were found along the river. Although the current condition of the river can still support biodiversity and the functioning of the river, it is unclear if the system could endure further disturbance. Some sites with good-quality water showed low or absence of sensitive organisms due to poor habitat. It is evident that macroinvertebrate assemblages are influenced by the water quality and availability of physical habitat, and solid wastes may provide additional habitat in severely disturbed streams. These findings attest that urban river functioning does not differ from that of a natural river, and it should be appreciated as it provides important ecosystem services for local communities.Urban rivers are regarded as unnatural because they drain catchments characterized by impervious surfaces. The present study explored macroinvertebrate communities in relation to water and habitat quality along the longitudinal gradient of an urban Palmiet River in Durban, South Africa. Sampling was conducted across six sites along the river. The water quality has shown a significant variation (ANOVA, p < 0.05) across six sites. Good-quality water was observed at Site 6, whereas Site 5 exhibiting hypertrophic condition. Sites 4 to 1 were all eutrophic; however, nutrient levels showed to decrease from Site 4 down to Site 2 and increased again at Site 1. A similar trend was observed for habitat quality, with Site 6 showing excellent and Site 5 exhibited poor habitat. Coinciding with water and habitat quality, macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance showed significant differences across six sites. Sensitive palaemonids, notonemourids, and amphipods were only observed in the headwaters and have contributed over 50% of the variation in abundance between Site 6 and other sites. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) plot has also shown clear discrimination (MANOVA, p < 0.001) for the Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) across the six sites. Macroinvertebrate communities have shown a clear association between water and habitat quality. These findings affirm the ecological importance of urban rivers as they provide refuge to aquatic biodiversity, with anthropogenic litter providing additional habitats for other taxa. Despite the current conditions supporting biodiversity and the functioning of the river, it is unclear if the system could endure further disturbance.

Phosphorus Fertilizers from Sewage Sludge Ash and Animal Blood as an Example of Biobased Environment-Friendly Agrochemicals: Findings from Field Experiments

Wastes of biological origin from wastewater treatment systems and slaughterhouses contain substantial amounts of phosphorus (P) with high recovery potential and can contribute to alleviating the global P supply problem. This paper presents the performance of fertilizer (AF) and biofertilizer (BF) from sewage sludge ash and animal blood under field conditions. BF is AF incorporated with lyophilized cells of P-solubilizing bacteria, Bacillus megaterium. In the experiments with spring or winter wheat, the biobased fertilizers were compared to commercial P fertilizer, superphosphate (SP). No P fertilization provided an additional reference. Fertilizer effects on wheat productivity and on selected properties of soil were studied. BF showed the same yield-forming efficiency as SP, and under poorer habitat conditions, performed slightly better than AF in increasing yield and soil available P. Biobased fertilizers applied at the P rate up to 35.2 kg ha–1 did not affect the soil pH, did not increase As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb content, and did not alter the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi in the soil. The findings indicate that biobased fertilizers could at least partially replace conventional P fertilizers. Research into strain selection and the proportion of P-solubilizing microorganisms introduced into fertilizers should be continued.

Differences in Growth–Climate Relationships among Scots Pines Growing on Various Dune Generations on the Southern Baltic Coast

This study focuses on analyzing the growth rate and growth–climate relationship in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing on coastal dunes of different ages on the Southern Baltic coast. Podzols have developed on these dunes. Depending on dune age, however, podzols are characterized by a different degree of development and richness, which represents the main factor differentiating the studied habitats: the oldest brown dunes (BD), younger yellow dunes (YD), and the youngest white dunes (WD). Samples were taken from 68 trees using Pressler borers. Using classic cross-dating methods, local chronologies were compiled that served as the basis for further analyses. Basic analyses of soil properties were also performed. Trees growing on brown dunes display the widest tree-rings and the highest rate of cumulative radial growth. Both rates are the lowest for trees growing on white dunes (WD). The dominant meteorological factor shaping tree-ring widths is late winter/early spring air temperature (February/March). However, in poorer habitats with inferior soil air–water conditions, rainfall sums and rainfall distribution through the year become progressively more significant factors. On white dunes (WD), the strongest growth–climate correlations are obtained for summer precipitation. These results identify habitat richness as the main factor shaping growth dynamics in Scots pines growing on dunes. Due to the protective function of the studied tree stands (coast protection), and in light of the rising sea levels and increasing storm intensities, further studies are required, aiming at understanding all interrelationships occurring in these valuable ecosystems.