Birds in rocky habitats of the Tatra Mountains (Carpathians): species diversity and multiple ecological relationships

Rocky habitats are regarded as biodiversity hot-spots.Along with high species diversity,diverse ecological relationships can be observed in these habitats.Large groups of bird species use rocks in various ways:as perching/roosting sites,breeding or foraging habitats,information exchange sites,display arenas or as sources of minerals and water.Because of the inaccessibility of these environments,their role and importance to animals has been underestimated.We evaluated the use of rocky habitats by birds in the Tatra Mountains(49°13'N,19°57'E,Carpathians,central Europe).Rocky habitats were used by 29 bird species,eight of which used cliffs directly(i.e.for nesting,foraging or resting).The number of species recorded as using cliffs was correlated with the surface area of the cliff face.A total of 20 forms of rocky habitat use were recorded,in five behavioural categories:vocalization,foraging,perching,flight and nesting.Prevailing behaviours were flying by a rock face,circling above the face,and vocalization on a tree/shrub growing next to a rock.Rocks provide a nesting habitat for specialized petrophilic species and permit the existence of numerous ecological relations between species and habitats.The results of this study show that rocky habitats support the diversity of ecological relationships.     

Effect of weather conditions on the incidence of Lophodermium yellow needle blight in the dwarf mountain pine in the Karkonosze and Izerskie Mountains (Poland)

The study aimed to determine, by using a statistical model, the effect of weather conditions on the incidence of Lophodermium yellow needle blight causing by new species for science- Lophodermium corconticum, in the mountain dwarf pine growing in the subalpine Karkonosze Mountains and the Izerskie Mountains(Poland). Needles showed symptoms of yellow spots, gradual discolouration and premature fall in July. The assessment of healthiness of infected mountain dwarf pine needles spanned three years(2011- 2013) and was conducted in several test sites in the Karkonosze and Izerskie Mountains. The results were analyzed by taking into account the meteorological conditions. Field observations seem to indicate that the highest infestation of mountain dwarf pine occurs in June and July, while September and October see a significantly lower disease index in the Karkonosze Mountains. The lower indices of the infestation of mountain dwarf pine are characteristic for the vegetation in the Hala Izerska high mountain pasture; whereas the environmental conditions prevailing in the Kocio? Ma?ego Stawu cirque and above the Samotnia hostel are conducive to the development of Lophodermium yellow needle blight.     

Regional vulnerability assessment for debris flows in China—a CWS approach

Based on former conceptual models of vulnerability, this paper aims to improve the quantitative model for regional vulnerability assessment by analyzing in-depth the relation between vulnerability, exposure, coping capacity, and resilience. Taking the mountain settlements in the upper reaches of Min River, China, as a case study, the method of Contributing Weight Superposition (CWS) is applied in establishing both a model and a system for the vulnerability assessment of elements at risk. The CWS approach consists of 13 index factors including population, economic and road densities, building and farmland coverage, hazard-affected areas, urbanization rate, and GDP per capita. Accordingly, a debris flow hazard vulnerability zoning map was obtained and the assessment results show that the distribution of high and comparatively high vulnerability zones, where economic activities are considerably high, has a close correlation to the topography of the catchment and population characteristics. The results thus may serve as a pertinent guidance for settlement relocation, population distribution readjustment, and management to prevent and reduce hazards in the upper reaches of Min River and beyond.     

Geochemical background of potentially toxic trace elements in reclaimed soils of the abandoned pyrite–uranium mine (south-central Poland)

Spatial distribution patterns of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, U and Zn were determined in topsoil samples collected after 40 years of chemical remediation conducted in the inoperative “Staszic” pyrite–uranium mine in the Holy Cross Mountains, south-central Poland. Soil samples were taken from 58 sites using a systematic random sampling design. Selected samples were subjected to an X-ray diffractometry analysis on bulk soils and separated clay fractions. Hematite, goethite and gypsum are common mineral phases in soil samples. Technogenic soils developed on reclaimed mine spoils show uniform spatial element distribution patterns and additionally a distinct enrichment in As, Pb, Mn, U and Zn. Mineral and chemical composition of soils vs. rocks points to the lithogenic source of the determined elements. The results of chemical analysis have been used for evaluation of geochemical background of trace elements in the study area with the iterative 2σ-technique. This investigation shows that using mean crustal element concentrations (Clarke values) as proxies of threshold values in soils are not useful for determination of strongly positive geochemical anomalies. A modified enrichment factor, i.e. a local enrichment factor, is proposed for identification of sites where soils are contaminated.