Arsenic Uptake by Two Tolerant Grass Species: Holcus lanatus and Agrostis capillaris Growing in Soils Contaminated by Historical Mining

The study focused on two grass species Holcus lanatus and Agrostis capillaris abundant in the sites of former As mining and processing in the Sudetes. Arsenic uptake from soils was examined to assess a risk associated with its accumulation in grass shoots and to check its dependence on soil fertilization. The research involved a field study and greenhouse experiment. In the field study, soil and plant samples were collected from 33 sites with 72–98,400 mg/kg total soil As. Arsenic uptake by grasses differed widely. Both species indicated a strategy typical for eliminators, although As concentrations in more than 50% of the shoot samples exceeded 4 mg/kg, a maximum permissible value for fodder. In the greenhouse experiment, commercial cultivars of both species were grown in five soils containing 394–19,600 mg/kg, untreated and fertilized. All seedlings died in the soil with highest total As, and considerable phytotoxicity was observed in other soils, particularly in nonfertilized ones. Fertilization resulted in the improvement of plant growth and reduction of As uptake except for Agrostis capillaris fertilized with manure. Further research should focus on identifying tolerant genotypes growing in extremely enriched sites and analysis of factors that will efficiently reduce As phytoaccumulation.

Cotula alpina (Asteraceae) naturalised in the British Isles

Cotula alpina (Hook f.) Hook f. is an Australian herb that has been naturalised in Britain since the 1970s and is now locally abundant in parts of northern England and northwest Scotland. Its method of arrival is unknown but it is likely to have originated from gardens and perhaps also from wool shoddy. It appears to be spreading rapidly due to high seed production and effective dispersal by sheep, humans and vehicles and is now locally abundant on moorland tracks and in adjacent acid grassland and heather moorland managed for grouse. Due to its evergreen and mat-forming habit it can outcompete community dominants such as Agrostis capillaris and Festuca ovina in areas where levels of grazing are high. It appears to be well suited to the British climate and is therefore likely to spread into similar habitats in other regions where it could pose a threat to localized species associated with short grassland on acidic soils. Its overall abundance and ability to regenerate rapidly from seed means it is unlikely to be easily controlled or eradicated, although exclusion of grazing may help to reduce its abundance in some areas.

Burnt down beech wood area at the location of Visoka Stena second year after the fire on Vidlič Mountain

Second year after the fire broke out on Vidlič Mountain during the summer of 2007, the changes of burnt down beech wood vegtation were recorded. Fitocenological research of the beeech wood habitat at the location of Visoka Stena two years after the fire, was carried out in accordance with Braun-Blanquet method. The results of the terrain research were given in the form of fitocenological table. It was noticed that the most present species were Rubus idaeus, Epilobium angustifolium, Galium mollugo, Doronicum columnae, Lactuca muralis and Securigera varia. Turf grass such as Brachypodium sylvaticum, Poa nemoralis, Poa badensis, Festuca varia, Festuca valesiaca and Agrostis capillaris was also present which is a significant factor in the succession process as grass is a powerful colonist. The conclusion was that revitalization of the beech wood depends on how much the beech trees had been destroyed by the fire.