1. Phytoplankton pigments reveal size structure and interannual variability of the coastal phytoplankton community (Adriatic Sea)Vesna Flander-Putrle, Janja Francé, Patricija Mozetič, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: In coastal seas, a variety of environmental variables characterise the average annual pattern of the physico-chemical environment and influence the temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton communities. The aim of this study was to track the annual and interannual variability of phytoplankton biomass in different size classes in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea) using phytoplankton pigments. The seasonal pattern of phytoplankton size classes showed a co-dominance of the nano and micro fractions during the spring peak and a predominance of the latter during the autumn peak. The highest picoplankton values occurred during the periods with the lowest total phytoplankton biomass, with chlorophytes dominating during the colder months and cyanobacteria during the summer. The highest number of significant correlations was found between phytoplankton taxa and size classes and temperature, nitrate and nitrite. The most obvious trend observed over the time series was an increase in picoplankton in all water layers, with the most significant trend in the bottom layer. Nano- and microplankton showed greater variation in biomass, with a decrease in nanoplankton biomass in 2011 and 2012 and negative trend in microplankton biomass in the bottom layer. These results suggest that changes in trophic relationships in the pelagic food web may also have implications for biogeochemical processes in the coastal sea.
Keywords: phytoplankton, biomass, phytoplankton size classes, phytoplankton pigments, HPLC, interannual variability, trends, Adriatic Sea
Published in DiRROS: 16.07.2024; Views: 26; Downloads: 7
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2. Contaminant trends in urban groundwater: case study from Ljubljana (central Slovenia)Janja Svetina, Joerg Prestor, Brigita Jamnik, Primož Auersperger, Mihael Brenčič, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Urban areas can significantly alter the quality status of aquifers if appropriate strategies to prevent and detect groundwater contamination are not implemented in time. The prevention of groundwater contamination should be a priority due to its potential long-term impact on the environment and the high cost of remediation. For effective and sustainable groundwater management, it is crucial to proactively monitor a wide range of compounds to prevent their spread, progression and increasing concentrations. This study is one of the few to analyse the trends of various urban groundwater contaminants (nitrate, sulphate, hexavalent chromium, pesticides, PCE and TCE) from a groundwater management perspective. Characteristic trends are assessed using linear regression and the Mann–Kendall method, while significant changes in trends are determined using the Darken and Pettitt tests. The time span of the analysed trends covers the transition period before and after the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and the Groundwater Directive (2000/60/EC). This study confirms the effectiveness of enforcement measures to protect groundwater quality, as evidenced by several statistically significant decreasing trends. On the other hand, this study emphasises the importance of intervention-targeted sampling campaigns and the reporting of raw analytical values according to the ISO 11843 series of standards. This approach is essential to detect upward trends in emerging contaminants at an early stage and prevent them from reaching levels that could negatively impact the economy or even jeopardise the safety of drinking water supplies.
Keywords: groundwater contamination, contaminant trends, groundwater management, urban aquifer, Ljubljansko polje
Published in DiRROS: 25.03.2024; Views: 290; Downloads: 114
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3. Differences in reporting the ragweed pollen season using Google Trends across 15 countriesJean Bousquet, Ioana Agache, Uwe Berger, Karl-Christian Bergmann, Jean-Pierre Besancenot, Philippe J. Bousquet, Thomas Casale, Gennaro d'Amato, Igor Kaidashev, Musa Khaitov, Ralph Mösges, Kristof Nekam, Gabrielle L. Onorato, Davor Plavec, Aziz Sheikh, Michel Thibaudon, Robert Vautard, Mihaela Zidarn, 2018, review article Abstract: Background: Google Trends (GT) searches trends of specific queries in Google, which potentially reflect the real-life epidemiology of allergic rhinitis. We compared GT terms related to ragweed pollen allergy in American and European Union countries with a known ragweed pollen season. Our aim was to assess seasonality and the terms needed to perform the GT searches and to compare these during the spring and summer pollen seasons. Methods: We examined GT queries from January 1, 2011, to January 4, 2017. We included 15 countries with a known ragweed pollen season and used the standard 5-year GT graphs. We used the GT translation for all countries and the untranslated native terms for each country. Results: The results of "pollen," "ragweed," and "allergy" searches differed between countries, but "ragweed" was clearly identified in 12 of the 15 countries. There was considerable heterogeneity of findings when the GT translation was used. For Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, the GT translation was inappropriate. The country patterns of "pollen," "hay fever," and "allergy" differed in 8 of the 11 countries with identified "ragweed" queries during the spring and the summer, indicating that the perception of tree and grass pollen allergy differs from that of ragweed pollen. Conclusions: To investigate ragweed pollen allergy using GT, the term "ragweed" as a plant is required and the translation of "ragweed" in the native language needed.
Keywords: allergy and immunology, allergens, seasonal allergic rhinitis, rhinitis, pollen, ambrosia, Google Trends, hay fever
Published in DiRROS: 20.11.2020; Views: 1311; Downloads: 307
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