a borítólapra  Súgó epa Copyright 
Applied Ecology and Environmental ResearchVol. 7. No. 3. (2009.)

Tartalom

  • Borítóen [126.76 kB - PDF]EPA-02583-00016-0010
  • Abstract: Using ecological data compiled from scientific literature on pest, pathogen and weed species characteristic in maize cultures in Hungary, we defined monthly climate profile indicators and applied them to complete a comparative analysis of the historical and modelled climate change scenario meteorological data of the city of Debrecen. Our results call attention to a drastic decline of the competitive ability of maize as compared to several C4 and especially C3 plants. According to the stricter scenarios, the frequency of potential pest and pathogen damage emergency situations will grow significantly by the end of the century.

    Keywords: climate changes, agriculture, seasonality, new method

  • Abstract: Potential and efficiency of coral reef bio-indicators proposed by Reef Check for coral reef monitoring in the Persian Gulf were studied as anthropogenic impact bio-indicators. Data were collected from the coral reefs in the northern part of the Persian Gulf in 2007 using Reef Cheek standard methodology and analyzed using Redundancy Analysis and Indicator Species Analysis. Similar data collected in 2002 and 2003 were also incorporated into our data. According to the results short-spine sea urchin (Echinometra mathaei) showed consistent positive correlation with commercial fishing and high indicator value for commercial fishing areas and could be pointed out as a weak bio-indicator of overfishing. Also Arabian butterfly fish (Chaetodon melapterus), showed negative correlation with commercial fishing and high significant indicator values for none to low fishing areas in 2003 and 2007 and could be considered as indicator of low fishing pressure in the region. None of Fin fishes proposed as indicators of over-fishing, and also other proposed species showed consistent correlation or consistent significant indicator values for any anthropogenic impacts and are not recognized as anthropogenic impact bio-indicators. It is concluded that a much shorter and more efficient list of bio-indicators could be used for monitoring coral reefs in this region.

    Keywords: Reef Check, IndicatorSpecies, Overfishing, Arabian butterfly fish, Short-spine sea urchin

  • J. Bartholy ,
    R. Pongrácz ,
    GY. Gelybó :

    Abstract: North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) can be considered as the primary large scale atmospheric driver of the European climate, especially in winter. In the present paper, first, NAO effects on regional circulation represented by the circulation patterns (CP) using the Hess-Brezowsky Grosswetterlagen (HBGWL) and Péczely classification systems are analyzed. Our results for the 1901-2000 period suggest that the zonal/meridional CP classes occur more often during NAO+/NAO– phase in all seasons in case of both classification systems. Furthermore, Cyclonic/Anticyclonic CP types are more/less frequent in NAO– phase, and less/more frequent in NAO+ phase than in case of normal conditions. Then, NAO and CP joint effects on local temperature and precipitation time series are evaluated for the 20th century. In general, NAO– phase is associated with cold and wet winters, whereas NAO+ phase implies warm and dry winters in the Carpathian basin. If considering cyclone or anticyclone dominance over the region, NAO+ is associated with dry and warm winters, and dry summers in case of Anticyclonic CP class, whereas NAO– phase implies wet and cold winters and autumns in the Carpathian basin (either for the Péczely or the HBGWL classification systems). When Cyclonic CP class occurs using the HBGWL classification system (i) winters tend to be drier and warmer than usual, springs tend to be drier and colder than usual in NAO+ phase; (ii) springs and autumns tend to be wetter than usual, winters tend to be colder than usual in NAO– phase. If the Péczely classification system is used then Cyclonic CP class is associated with (i) significantly warmer winters and colder springs during NAO+ phase; (ii) significantly wetter and colder winters, and wetter autumns during NAO– phase.

    Keywords: North Atlantic Oscillation, Hess-Brezowsky Grosswetterlagen, Péczely CP types, temperature, precipitation

  • P. Gábor ,
    S. Jombach :

    Abstract: The aim of our investigation was to study in detail the relationship between the spatial structure of the urban green surface and land surface temperatures. The research was carried out to support the elaboration of the Environmental Action Programme of Budapest (Hungary) focusing on city planning as well. The ultimate goal was the utilization of the findings to provide planning guidance for the city, on how vegetation could contribute to the mitigation of the negative effects of urban heat island in more effective ways.

    Keywords: Green surface, land surface temperature, satellite image, land use, urban heat island, human comfort, vegetation, remote sensing

  • Climatic effects on the phenology of geophytes253-266en [229.91 kB - PDF]EPA-02583-00016-0060

    Abstract: Nowadays, the scientific and social significance of the research of climatic effects has become outstanding. In order to be able to predict the ecological effects of the global climate change, it is necessary to study monitoring databases of the past and explore connections. For the case study mentioned in the title, historical weather data series from the Hungarian Meteorological Service and Szaniszló Priszter’s monitoring data on the phenology of geophytes have been used. These data describe on which days the observed geophytes budded, were blooming and withered. In our research we have found that the classification of the observed years according to phenological events and the classification of those according to the frequency distribution of meteorological parameters show similar patterns, and the one variable group is suitable for explaining the pattern shown by the other one. Furthermore, our important result is that the dates of all three observed phenophases correlate significantly with the average of the daily temperature fluctuation in the given period. The second most often significant parameter is the number of frosty days, this also seem to be determinant for all phenophases. Usual approaches based on the temperature sum and the average temperature don’t seem to be really important in this respect. According to the results of the research, it has turned out that the phenology of geophytes can be well modelled with the linear combination of suitable meteorological parameters

    Keywords: climate change, phenophases, meteorology, cluster analysis, correlation, phenological models

  • Abstract: A study pertaining to seasonal variation in physicochemical properties was carried out at five sites of Tapi estuarine zone for a period of one year i.e. July 2008 to June 2009. It revealed that the estuarine zone was significantly influenced by freshwater input during monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Concentration of all the nutrients and dissolved oxygen (DO) was relatively high during the monsoon, whereas, and salinity were at their minimum level during this period. Phytoplankton production peak in terms of chlorophyll-a (Chl a) was observed in summer and winter during which a typical marine condition prevailed. In present study observed correlated values of salinity, nitrate, phosphate, silicate, values are significantly high in the estuarine zone. Cluster analysis carried out for both monthly and station-wise and average values gives different clusters depending on the affinity and relation between months and sites due to environmental conditions prevailed in the estuary zone. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used in the ordination of samples (site, season and physicochemical parameters). The PCA was performed using all variables, Eigenvalues accounts and Scree plot showed that the first three Principal Components are the most significant components which represent more than 75% of the variance in water quality parameters in Tapi estuary, 48.5% by PC1, 14.4% by PC2 and 12.1% by PC3.

    Keywords: Estuary, Dissolved nutrients, Cluster analysis, Principal Component Analysis

  • Abstract: Several toxicological studies into the effects of aquatic pollutants on the liver of teleost fish exist in literature. The focus on the liver in these studies is predicated on its central nature in the scheme of biotransformation and excretion of xenobiotics following exposure in polluted water bodies. As a consequence of the latter primary role of the liver in these processes it is regarded as a predilective site for the sub lethal effects of xenobiotics on the organism usually detectable at histological level. Hepatic histopathology recorded in livers from feral populations of the brackish water catfish Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus from locations on the Lagos lagoon complex with significant anthropogenic inputs from denizen populations and industries are presented. Liver sections from sixty specimens from two locations on the Lagos lagoon complex (Badagry lagoon: 6024’N, 2056’E; and Lagos lagoon: 6029’N, 3022’E) were analysed. Observed pathologies included hydropic degeneration (58%), portal / sinusoidal congestion (33%), hepatic necrosis (26%), hemosiderosis (12%) and foci of cellular alterations (FCA’s). No obvious oncologic features were observed; the presence of the hydropic Vacuolation lesion was taken as prelude to the development of neoplasms and discussed as such.

    Keywords: Liver, Pathology, Fish, Toxicology, Water quality