Soil Compaction after Increasing the Number of Wheeled Tractors Passes on Forest Soils in West Carpathians

Soil disturbance and compaction are inherent in ground-based harvesting operations. These changes are affected by numerous factors, related mainly to the technical parameters of the machines, soil conditions, and the technology used. This study aimed to analyze the changes of surface layers of soil caused by skidder traffic without loads on the Cambisols of Western Carpathians. We observed changes in the soil bulk density and penetration resistance. The results showed that only machine traffic caused a 0.32 to 0.35 (g cm−3) increase in soil bulk density. Besides machine traffic, bulk density was affected by soil moisture content. Penetration resistance of soil increased by 0.15 to 1.04 (MPa) after traffic of 40 machines. Penetration resistance showed a lower increase after traffic, and regression and correlation analysis proved a relationship between penetration resistance, skeleton content, and penetration depth, besides the number of machine passes (r = 0.33–0.55). Observing the changes in the physical properties of soils caused by machine traffic allows for a more detailed view of the effects of forest harvesting machinery on forest soils.

Identification of the factors determining the concentration and spatial distribution of Zn, Pb and Cd in the soils of the non-forest Tatra Mountains (southern Poland)

We investigated trace-metal (TM)––Zn, Pb and Cd––concentrations and spatial distributions in the uppermost layers of non-forest soils from Tatra National Park (West Carpathians). We aimed to determine the main factors affecting the distribution of TMs, as well as the risk they posed to the environment. TM concentrations were compared to the target and intervention values established by the Dutch Ministry. Principle component analysis was used to identify the potential factors affecting TM accumulation, with two-factor analysis being applied to further examine the importance of any given factor. To examine the regularity of the TM distribution, semivariograms were created. The semivariograms of Cd and Pb were similar, suggesting a moderate spatial dependence for these metal concentrations, while the Zn variogram indicated a lack of spatial continuity for this metal. We established that the Zn, Pb and Cd exceeded target levels and at some sites, Cd exceeded the intervention values, posing a strong ecological risk to the environment. Our study confirmed that the parent rock was the most important factor affecting the TM accumulation. The carbonate-free soils differed from carbonate soils in the second important factor affecting TM accumulation, for carbonate-free soils it was location when for carbonate soils–TM content in the parent material. The Zn, Pb and Cd distribution patterns indicated that Cd, but also to a lesser degree Pb and Zn, accumulation mainly resulted from long-range transport from industrialised areas, while the Zn concentrations were also affected by local sources, such as the historical mining of Zn ore.

Can the invasive ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus withstand an unusually cold winter in the West Carpathian forest in Central Europe?

The capability of a non-native species to withstand adverse weather is indicative of its establishment in a novel area. An unusually cold winter of 2016/2017 that occurred in the West Carpathians of Slovakia and other regions within Europe provided an opportunity to indirectly assess survival of the invasive ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae). We compared trap captures of this species in the year preceding and succeeding the respective cold winter. Ethanol-baited traps were deployed in 24 oak dominated forest stands within the southern and central area from April to August 2016, and again from April to August 2017 to encompass the seasonal flight activity of X. germanus and to get acquainted with temporal changes in the abundance of this species in these two distant areas. Dispersing X. germanus were recorded in all surveyed stands before and after the aforementioned cold winter. Their total seasonal trap captures were lower in the southern area following low winter temperatures, but remained similar in the central area. Our results suggest that X. germanus can withstand adverse winter weather in oak dominated forests of the West Carpathians within altitudes of 171 and 450 m asl. It is likely that minimum winter temperatures will not reduce the establishment or further spread of this successful invader in forests in Central Europe.

Hydrogeochemistry and Related Processes Controlling the Formation of the Chemical Composition of Thermal Water in Podhale Trough, Poland

The most promising Polish region in terms of its geothermal resource potential is the Podhale Trough in the Inner West Carpathians, where the thermal water occurs in the Eocene-Mesozoic strata. The origin and conditions of formation of the chemical composition of the thermal water are different in a regional scale due to the impact of infiltrating water on the chemical compounds present in nearby thermal intakes, chemical processes responsible for the concentration of major elements and residence time. The article presents the regional conceptual model in regard to the factors controlling the chemistry of thermal water from Podhale Trough and the conditions of its exchange. It was allowed by performing the hydrogeochemical characteristics of studied water and analyzing its changes according to flow direction from HCO3-Ca-Mg type to SO4-Cl-Na-Ca and SO4-Ca-Mg types. The hydrogeochemical modelling was also made allowing identification of the impact of reservoir rocks on the formation of the chemical composition. For confirmation of the theories formulated and for more accurate interpretation of the results obtained from hydrogeochemical modelling, hydrochemical indices were calculated, i.e., rHCO3−/rCl−, rNa+/rCl−, rCa2+/rMg2+, rCa2+/(rCa2+ + rSO42−) and rNa+/(rNa+ + rCl−). The results revealed the most important processes evolving the chemistry of thermal water are progressive freshening of the thermal water reservoir, which in the past was filled with salty water, dissolution of gypsum, and ongoing dolomitization. Conducted research presents the important factors that in the case of increased exploitation of thermal water in the Podhale Trough, may influence the quality of thermal water in terms of its physical and chemical parameters.