The paper deals with the results of chemical analyses of the precipitation collected with the bulk method in and out of the pedunculate oak forest near Lipovljani in Croatia, for the period 1997-2001. A considerable higher total annual deposition of the majority of analysed determinants has been found in the forest. The results point to the importance and influence of the forest cover on the reception and distribution of dry and wet pollution in the forest ecosystem of pedunculate oak

Soil microorganisms are important for plant growth and beneficial for the nutrition and the development of a variety of soil animals. Together with soil invertebrates they also improve nutrients availability in soils. Although not frequent in Europe , magnesite emissions can affect the nutritional status of the vegetation and the survival of soil microorganisms as well as other biota locally, and thus may be crucially responsible for the quality of the entire biotic system. The observed gradients of soil microbial characteristics reflect the physico-chemical properties of soils around the magnesite plant and may be used to predict transitory changes during amelioration

Pollution problems in forest ecosystems resulting from 100 year long operation of three smelter complexes in Central Spis are reviewed. Original data are presented with respect to temporal and spatial trends of nitrogen, sulphur and heavy metal pollution, and elemental composition of individual aerosols on leaf surface. Spruce stands in Central Spis are loaded by pollutants 1.7 times more than are critical values and the highest concentrations of As, Fe, Hg, and N were found in this region. Low Tatra National Park was the cleanest region where no element maxima were found

Problems of the environment pollution in Ziarska basin are connected with the operation of Aluminium plant from 1953. After replacement of old production technology by a a new one by Norwegian company Hydro Aluminium emission of dust of Al2O3 dropped from 766 tons per year to 243 tons per year, emission of fluorides dropped from 847 to per year to 65.9 tons per year and of SO2 have increased from 716 to 974 tons per year. The mentioned reduction of emission reflected markedly in a great reduction of vegetation loading by fluorine. In the year 2001 we found statistically sifnificant difference for total Ksupz (coefficient of loading) in coniferous and broadleaved tree species in A polution zone in comparison with the zone B, C and D

A long-term effect of heavy metal pollution originating from Copper Smelter and Refinery Division Glogow on a Scots pine stand was carried out in the protective zone surrounding the smelting/refining plant. The effect of enhanced Cu, Pb and Zn availability on the structure of ectomycorrhizal communities was assessed above- and below-ground among several subplots dominated by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Three different approaches were performed: sporocarp inventories, morphological analysis of ectomycorrhizal roots and molecular techniques based on PCR-RFLP method. Only a few sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal species were observed

Selected parameters of the nutrients cycling process for forest ecosystem were investigated in period 1989-2000 at Prednji Vrh in the area affected by the Sostanj thermal power station. In the year 1995 desulphurization of exhaust gases from the TPP Sostanj caused considerable reduction of SO2 emission. We could not find serious tree-ring width decline in spruce. In the year 1956 and 1978 tree-ring widths rapidly declined. In the year 1995 slight icrement recovery could be observed. One probably climatically (drought) induced pointer year (1992) occurred

Black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) was chosen as bioindication species for several reasons. Black pine stands are located throughout Istria, at various distances from the above mentioned power plant. Black pine does not shed needles in the autumn, thus prolonging their exposure to sulphur dioxide emissions. Also neeedles stay on branches for several years, giving us the possibility to analyse the effect on older needles

Waste streams associated with a variety of agricultural runoff sources are major contributors of nutrients, pesticides and enteric microorganisms to surface and ground waters. Water soluble anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) was found to be a highly effective erosion-preventing and infiltration-enhancing polymer, when applied at rates of 1-10 g m (super -3) in furrow irrigation water. Water flowing from PAM treated irrigation furrows show large reductions in sediment, nutrients and pesticides. Recently PAM and PAM+CaO and PAM+Al(SO (sub 4) ) (sub 3) mixtures have been shown to filter bacteria, fungi and nutrients from animal wastewater. Low concentrations of PAM [175-350 g PAM ha (super -1) as PAM or as PAM+CaO and PAM+Al(SO (sub 4) ) mixture] applied to the soil surface, resulted in dramatic decreases (10 fold) of total, coliform and fecal streptococci bacteria in cattle, fish and swine wastewater leachate and surface runoff. PAM treatment also filtered significant amounts of NH (sub 4) , PO (sub 4) and total P in cattle and swine wastewater. This points to the potential of developing PAM as a water quality protection measure in combination with large-scale animal feeding operations. Potential benefits of PAM treatment of animal facility waste streams include: (1) low cost, (2) easy and quick application, (3) suitability for use with other pollution reduction techniques. Research on the efficacy of PAM for removal of protozoan parasites and viruses and more thorough assessment of PAM degradation in different soils is still needed to completely evaluate PAM treatment as an effective waste water treatment. We will present analysis and feasibility of using PAM, PAM+Al(SO (sub 4) ) (sub 3) , and PAM+CaO application for specific applications. Our results demonstrate their potential efficacy in reducing sediment, nutrients and microorganisms from animal production facility effluents. Abstract

Thirty Atriplex lines were examined for potential habitat improvement and phytoremediation of selenium (Se) contaminated sites. Studies were conducted to determine the biomass production, Se accumulation, and resistance of each line to the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, an agriculturally important insect. Plants were tested using three salinity treatments: (1) control, no Se; (2) NaCl and CaCl2 salts and 1 mg l-1 Se (12.7 μM) added as sodium selenate; and (3) iso-osmotic to treatment 2 containing high concentrations of sulfate and 1 mg l-1 Se added as sodium selenate. Insect bioassays measured survival, growth, and development. Atriplex patula, A. spongiosa 415862, A. hortensis, A. hortensis 379088 and A. hortensis 379092 were among the top biomass producers and Se accumulators, yet they exhibited significantly reduced insect growth, development, and survival. High background sulfate strongly reduced Se accumulation, suggesting that phytoremediation potential is greatest in saline areas having low to moderate sulfate levels. However, these lines grew well in high salinity soils, indicating possible use as a self-seeding cover crop to improve habitat. All plant lines grown in control and high sulfate salinity treatments are acceptable oviposition sites for S. exigua, indicating that these plants would help reduce populations of this key agricultural pest.