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To date, phenological research has provided evidence that climate warming is impacting both animals and plants, evidenced by the altered timing of phenophases. Much of the evidence supporting these findings has been provided by analysis of historic records and present-day fieldwork; herbaria have been identified recently as an alternative source of phenological data. Here, we used Rubus specimens to evaluate herbaria as potential sources of phenological data for use in climate change research and to develop the methodology for using herbaria specimens in phenological studies. Data relevant to phenology (collection date) were recorded from the information cards of over 600 herbarium specimens at Ireland's National Herbarium in Dublin. Each specimen was assigned a score (0-5) corresponding to its phenophase. Temperature data for the study period (1852 - 2007) were obtained from the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (CRU); relationships between temperature and the dates of first flower, full flower, first fruit and full fruit were assessed using weighted linear regression. Of the five species of Rubus examined in this study, specimens of only one (R. fruticosus) were sufficiently abundant to yield statistically significant relationships with temperature. The results revealed a trend towards earlier dates of first flower, full flower and first fruit phenophases with increasing temperature. Through its multi-phenophase approach, this research serves to extend the most recent work-which validated the use of herbaria through use of a single phenophase-to confirm herbarium-based research as a robust methodology for use in future phenological studies.

The aim of this work was to analyze the impact of three different moisture contents (MC), at 45% MC, 65% MC, 75% MC, on the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin during fungi treatment by Flammulina velutipes of Agropyron elongatum 'BAMAR' and on biogas production. The analysis of chemical composition shown that F. velutipes had greater selectivity for lignin biodegradation with the highest hemicellulose and lignin removal at 29.1% and 35.4%, respectively, and lowest cellulose removal (20.48%) at 65% MC. F. velutipes cultivated at 65% MC increased biogas production of 398.07Ndm(3)kg(-1)VS(-1), which was 120% higher than the untreated sample. These treatment conditions resulted in 134% more methane yield compared with untreated sample. The results of this study suggested that A. elongatum is a potential biomass for biogas production in agriculture biogas plant and white-rot fungus F. velutipes provides an effective methods for improve biodegradation of A. elongatum.

Abstract In the future, rice production is likely to be impacted by climate change and associated risks including pest complexes and consumption of chemical inputs, thereby decreasing production at a regional scale and one of the major global concerns. In fact, among the biotic stresses, damage caused by insect pests, which can be categorized as either minor or major pests, can severely constrain the potential yield of rice. Hence, planting transgenic rice is considered a solution for reducing environmental and human health impacts. Therefore, in this research, life cycle assessment for environmental and human health impacts of transgenic and non-transgenic rice cultivars was considered. Hence, four transgenic lines (driven from back cross of Khazar cultivar with transgenic line of Tarom Molaii) along with conventional cultivars (non-transgenic parents) were cultivated under the standard of biosafety protocol in three isolated sites in north of Iran in 2016. In order to conducted life cycle assessment, first, the results of each site were analyzed separately, and since there were not differences among the impact categories and indices in different sites, the average for the results of the three sites are being presented. Results show that decreased insecticides application in transgenic cultivars lowers the need for labor, machineries, and fuel, thereby contributing to reduction in use of energy and greenhouse gases emission from construction, transportation and application of inputs during cultivation. Furthermore, most investigated impact categories were obtained high for Tarom Molaii and Khazar and less for three transgenic lines. In addition, the most important categories were non-renewable energy, global warming, aquatic eutrophication, aquatic acidification, terrestrial acid/nutri, land occupation, terrestrial ecotoxicity, ozone layer depletion, ionizing radiation, respiratory inorganics, respiratory organics, cumulative energy demand, ecological footprint, greenhouse gas protocol, water footprint, carcinogens and non-carcinogens. Therefore, according to the findings of this research, it was observed that the emission amount of environmental pollutants has a positive correlation with the consumption of inputs and field management practices.

Sewage sludge production is increasing, as is the importance of its safe and sustainable disposal. The study examine the impact of fertilizing poor quality soil with sewage sludge from three sizes of wastewater treatment plants (WTP) (small, medium and large) located in Central Poland, applied in two doses (3 and 9tons per hectare), on biomass yield and selected biochemical parameters in willow plants. The WTPs were selected based on the size criterion given in Polish regulations. Three variables were analyzed in the leaves and roots of willow cuttings after twenty weeks of cultivation: the degree of oxidative reaction, assessed as thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARS) content; catalase activity (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), reflecting the efficiency of the antioxidative response; and changes in the concentration of proline, one of the major cellular osmoprotectants. For plants growing in poor-quality soil, sewage sludge administration results in a large increase of willow biomass by creating good conditions for plant growth associated with protection against oxidative damage, efficient functioning of the antioxidant system and maintenance of the osmotic balance between the soil environment and plant roots. The greatest increase was 204% of control in the case of 9tha-1 sludge from the medium WTP. Biomass production correlated with the applied sludge dose. After sewage sludge application lipid peroxides were reduced in leaves (81%) and roots (69%), CAT activity was enhanced (to 855% in leaves) and proline level was increased in root tissues. The application of sewage sludge originating from small WTPs offers the best conditions than larger WTPs: sludge from large WTPs may cause oxidative damage and exceed the possibilities of plants to counteract stress factors, especially when used in high doses.

According to predicted changes in climate, waterlogging events may occur more frequently in the future during autumn and winter at high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. If excess soil water coincides with the process of cold acclimation for plants, winter survival may potentially be affected. The effects of waterlogging during cold acclimation on stomatal aperture, relative water content, photochemical activity of photosystem II, freezing tolerance and plant regrowth after freezing were compared for two prehardened overwintering forage grasses, Lolium perenne and Festuca pratensis. The experiment was performed to test the hypothesis that changes in photochemical activity initiated by waterlogging-triggered modifications in the stomatal aperture contribute to changes in freezing tolerance. Principal component analysis showed that waterlogging activated different adaptive strategies in the two species studied. The increased freezing tolerance of F. pratensis was associated with increased photochemical activity connected with stomatal opening, whereas freezing tolerance of L. perenne was associated with a decrease in stomatal aperture. In conclusion, waterlogging-triggered stomatal behavior contributed to the efficiency of the cold acclimation process in L. perenne and F. pratensis.

Abstract The stocks of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and aluminium (Al) in different compartments of the aboveground tree biomass were estimated in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in Lithuania. Simulated removals of metals due to the forest biomass extraction in a model Scots pine stands during a 100-year-long rotation period were compared with metals pools in sandy soil and the fluxes through atmospheric deposition. Applying whole tree harvesting, total removal comprised about 20 kg ha−1 of each Al and Mn, and 5 times lower amount of each Zn and Fe. The metals were mainly removed with stemwood and living branches. However, metal export with aboveground biomass represented relatively small proportion of metals in mineral sandy soil. The annual inputs of Fe and Zn with atmospheric deposition were over 10 times higher than the mean annual removals with total aboveground biomass. The content of metals in forest biomass fuel ash was relatively small to compare with their total removals. The findings of this study have an important implications for future practice, i.e. the recommended maximum forest biomass fuel ash dose for the compensating fertilising could be increased with respect to balanced output – input in Lithuania.

Abstract The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and the Council from 23 October 2000 has been transposed by European Union countries into their own legal systems. Member States have introduced several changes in the internal regulations. Access to this data is not always easy or possible. Consequently, the international research project KINDRA was established to assess existing groundwater-related practice and scientific knowledge based on a new Hydrogeological Research Classification System. In order to transpose the Water Framework Directive regulation, Poland adopted a series of activities into internal policy: adopted an amendment to the Water Law, created a water management plan and has established rules for the rational use of water by introducing a country water-environment programme and water permit. The result of survey on groundwater management shows that Poland is in a good situation with regard to the transposition of the Water Framework Directive, especially in relation to groundwater monitoring. This is because, among other factors, the Polish Hydrogeological Survey carries out its tasks in relation to quality or quantity assessment. The results of their work are published as reports, bulletins etc. These materials are a potential source of information which can be a valuable contribution to the Knowledge Inventory of Hydrogeology Research. There are many institutions and bodies whose activities concern groundwater monitoring and water quality control, but their reports, bulletins and publications are often only available in the Polish language, so their achievements and practical knowledge cannot be widely disseminated in Europe. An opportunity to improve the situation would be the widespread use of an English title and abstract together with the national language.