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Change of Mn, Ni, and Zn concentrations in soils in the city center of Kastamonu and nearby by the use of soil
Abstract
Environment pollution, especially heavy metal pollution, became one of the most important problems of urban areas. Heavy metals in the air threatening human and environmental health pass to the soil after a while. Thus, soil is the medium, which can reflect the level of pollution at best. In the present study, among the heavy metals posing threat to human health, Mn, Ni, and Zn concentrations were determined in soil samples taken from 15 points, which had different characteristics, in the city center of Kastamonu province and the changes in these heavy metals by location were compared using statistical methods. As a result, it was determined that rather than anthropogenic factors, the concentrations of these heavy metals in the soil samples were shaped by the soil lithology.
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The principal problem in dense cities is air pollution and the damage to the environment caused by air pollution. Roadside landscape plants are exposed to air pollutants, especially in small urban centers caused by congested traffic, heating, and industrial enterprises. According to the type of landscape plants, being a good biomonitor varies according to their absorbing capacity of air pollutants. Chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) are the leading pollutants originating from emissions. They are selected and negatively affect several landscape plants in high concentrations. This study aimed to determine their concentration changes according to organ and washing status by commonly used 14 landscape species in parks. The heavy metal holding capacity of 14 species used was compared; chromium, cadmium, and zinc concentrations changed significantly depending on the factors evaluated to adsorb them. The ranking of the accumulation levels was determined as Zn > Cr > Cd and was detected at higher levels in unwashed organs than in the others. Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murr.) Parl. was shown better biomonitoring features on heavy metal accumulation among all species. Its unwashed leaves’ deposited Cd, Cr, and Zn were 154 ppb, 6400 ppb, and 39,940 ppb, respectively.
Cadmium (Cd) is an element that is toxic to living things at very low doses and it is one of the most important pollutants for the environment. Also, it is classified as a Type 1 carcinogen, and it has a long biological half-life so it is of great importance to monitor the change of Cd concentration in air. This study aimed to determine the variation of Cd concentrations in some plants depending on plant species, organs, and traffic density, evaluated to determine the most suitable species and organ. It can be used as a biomonitor in monitoring the change of Cd concentration. The scope of the study covered determining the variation of Cd concentration in organs of four different plants, Aesculus hippocastanum, Tilia tomentosa, Catalpa bignoides, and Ligustrum vulgare, respectively. These species were investigated depending on traffic density. From the result of the study, it was determined that Aesculus hippocastanum and Tilia tomentosa were the most suitable species to be used as biomonitors of Cd among the species.
Exposure to BTEX concentrations may have a remarkable influence on human health because of their existence in indoor air. It is the only solution to remove BTEX from the environment by either ventilation or filtering. Activated carbon is the primary carbon-rich material for the BTEX pollution control strategy. In this study, Digitalis purpurea L. biomass as lignocellulosic materials was selected as a common substance in nature and carbonization-appropriate processing. The activated carbons (DPAC1-60) were prepared from the pyrolysis of Digitalis purpurea L. biomass at 500–900 °C by chemical activation with Zinc chloride (ZnCl2), Potassium carbonate (K2CO3), Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and Phosphoric acid (H3PO4), respectively. The DPACs structure enrichment was targeted with several conditions (temperature, chemical reagents, etc.). Under the same conditions, the order in which the compared chemicals increased the surface area of DPACs was as follows H3PO4 > H2SO4 > ZnCl2 > K2CO3. The large surface area was contrived with DpAC58 (1753.5 m²/g) at 700 °C by H3PO4 activation. The adsorption capacity of BTEX was reached 162 mg/g at 25 °C and 1500 ppm. Consequently, the study revealed that the prepared DpAC58 from Digitalis purpurea L. biomass is suitable for the removal of BTEX from indoor air. The suggestions and prospects for future research were proposed carbon-based materials for indoor air pollutant-removal applications.
Occurring mainly as a result of human activities, global climate change is considered the most important problem of the current years. It was stated that global climate change will directly or indirectly influence the entire organic life on earth and that the group which will be affected by this process at most will be the plants, which have a limited migration mechanism, and especially the forests. In order to protect from the destructive effects of this process, it is important to determine the possible effects of climate change and to take measures addressing the future effects. Within the scope of this study, it was aimed to determine how the appropriate distribution areas of Carpinus betulus and Carpinus orientalis species widely spreading the European continent will be affected by the process of global climate change. In this parallel, by employing 15 bioclimatic variables by the RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway) 4.5 and RCP 8.5 global climate scenarios from the WorldClim database, Maximum Entropy software was used in modeling the years 2040, 2060, 2080, and 2100 and the changes in appropriate distribution areas of these species were calculated in units of area and percentage. As a result of the study, it was determined that the population loss might exceed beyond 25% at the altitudes below 1600 m for Carpinus betulus and beyond 30% at the altitudes below 1000 m for Carpinus orientalis, that the appropriate distribution areas will expand at higher altitudes, and that this increase may be more than 100% at the altitudes of 1000–2000 m for Carpinus orientalis. However, it is projected that the species will not be able to migrate to the newly emerging appropriate distribution areas fast enough and, moreover, significant population losses may occur for this reason.
Clean air is an indispensable resource for modern world. Many people are indifferent to the seriousness of air pollution or have only recently realized the problem. The air pollution continues deteriorating with several emissions every year on global scale. Beside various sources, tobacco smoke has caused the indoor air pollution. One of the most important of these factors is smoking. Especially indoor air pollution occurs depending on tobacco use. Exposure to cigarette smoke is recognized as the most significant health problem in indoor air. The study aims to evaluate the toxic metal accumulation due to tobacco smoke indoors by using some indoor ornamental plants. In this study, Dieffenbachia amoena, Dracena marginata, Ficus elastica, Spathiphyllum wallisii, and Yucca massengena were used houseplants as biomonitors. Accumulation of some toxic metals can be easily seen in indoor plants. Cadmium (Cd), chrome (Cr), and lead (Pb) were selected that high emissions from tobacco smoke. They were determined by taking the leaves of the plant species and analyzed with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations (Pb > Cr > Cd) were higher with tobacco than non-tobacco in all species. The results showed that Spathiphyllum wallisii was selected to be most suitable as biomonitor.
Heavy metals are elements that are very harmful to human and environmental health. Heavy metal concentration in the fruits grown in city centers can reach very high levels and consuming these fruits as food causes a direct intake of heavy metals, which these fruits contain, into a human body and can pose a significant health risk. All the compounds of barium (Ba), which is one of the most dangerous heavy metals, are toxic. Thus, determining the Ba concentration in plants, which are grown in areas with high pollution and consumed as food, is very important. In the present study, it was aimed to determine the change of Ba concentration by species and organ in several fruits grown in areas with high traffic density. Within the scope of this study, Ba concentrations in leaf, branch, bark, seed, and fruits of Prunus ceresifera, Tilia tomentosa, Prunus avium, and Prunus cerasus were compared. As a result, it was determined that the change of Ba concentrations by species and the change by organ were statistically significant in all organs and in all species, respectively. In general, the lowest values were found in Prunus cerasus or Prunus avium, whereas the highest values were observed in Tilia tomentosa. Considering the organs, the lowest values were found in seed and the highest ones in bark and branch.
Plants under water stress alter their normal morphological and physiological processes. However, biomass allocation and nutrient use efficiency remain largely unknown under the interactive effect of irrigation and fertilization for many economically important conifer species. In this study, we compared biomass allocation and resources use efficiency of two-year-old (plug+1) containerized balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L) Mill.] ‘Cooks’ and concolor fir [Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. Ex Hildebr.] ‘Cibola’, and one-year-old bare-root white pine [Pinus strobus L.] transplants grown under variable watering and fertilization conditions. In a controlled greenhouse setting, transplants were submitted to three irrigation levels and two fertilization rates in a factorial experimental design. Fir species, mainly concolor fir, had a greater capacity to utilize water resulting in decreased stem water potential than white pine, leading to increased aboveground growth and shoot-to-root (S/R) ratio. White pine transplants had a higher assimilatory nutrient efficiency, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), root weight ratio, and a lower nitrogen availability index than the two fir species, suggesting a better ability to tolerate water stress. The high rates of fertilization increased nutrient concentration more than growth, suggesting luxury consumption. These results indicate that white pine responds to drought stress by closing their stomata and decreasing their S/R ratio to limit physiological activities, while the two fir species exhibit increased water uptake via expanded fine root networks, increasing the NUE and S/R ratio. However, there was no clear trend for the irrigation and fertilization interaction for NUE for three species, making it difficult to generalize responses.
Global climate change will cause significant changes in climate parameters, especially temperature increases and changes in precipitation regimes worldwide. Since the life of living things is directly related to climate parameters, this process will inevitably affect all living things. The plants will be the most affected living things from this process because they do not have an effective movement and migration mechanism. Therefore, global climate change will cause significant species and population losses in plants. To minimize the potential loss of species and populations, it is necessary to predetermine the potential changes in species’ distribution areas and take necessary actions. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the distribution areas of three Tilia species (Tilia tomentosa, Tilia cordata, and Tilia platyphyllos), which have economic, ecologic, and social value and show the local distribution in Turkey and to determine how they will be affected by global climate change. Within this scope, nineteen bioclimatic variables, Emberger climate classification, aspect, and topographic altitude variable were used in the modeling process. By modeling the scenarios SSP 245 and SSP 585, the projections were made for 2040, 2060, 2080, and 2100 regarding the areas suitable for the growth of these species and how these areas will change compared to their current situation. The results suggest that the distribution areas of all three Tilia species will change due to climate change, and the area of loss will be 43.5 km² (4%) for T. tomentosa, 9953.6 km² (15%) for T. platyphyllos, and 448.0 km² (19%) for T. cordata. Moreover, a more important point here is that increases and decreases will be observed in their distribution areas, and these changes will occur in a short process and at significant levels. In this case, the migration mechanism that these species will require must be provided by humans.
Two-year-old (plug+1) containerized Abies balsamea (L) Mill. and Abies concolor saplings were grown under various irrigation in the greenhouse to examine gas exchange parameters end of the growing period when they were exposed to extreme drought stress. Relative height growth (RHG) and relative root collar diameter (RRCD) were measured next to gas exchange parameters, such as net photosynthetic rate (Anet), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE=Anet/gs), and water use efficiency (WUE=Anet/E). As a result, Abies balsamea saplings had a higher RHG and RRCD than Abies concolor. Species had a significant effect on leaf gas exchange parameters that Abies balsamea had a higher Anet, gs, and a lower iWUE than Abies concolor. Increasing irrigation increased Anet and E. The interaction of species and time was statistically significant for gs and iWUE measurement. İncreasing prolonged drought decreased gs and did not change iWUE values for Abies balsamea, while increased gs and reduced iWUE for Abies concolor saplings. Even though Anet, E, and WUE were not statistically significant under the interaction of species and time, there is a decreasing trend for Abies balsamea on these parameters. In contrast, Abies concolor had a decreasing trend on Anet, and WUE and an increasing trend for gs when the saplings were exposed to extreme drought or extended the dehydration period were observed. Abies balsamea had a better performance and drought tolerance than Abies concolor when exposed to a prolonged drought.
Air pollution is one of the most important problems threatening the organic life and ecosystem throughout the world. Among the components of air pollution, the most important ones are the heavy metals that can be toxic and carcinogenic even at low concentrations and even the nutrient elements can be harmful when at high concentrations. Thus, monitoring the heavy metal pollution in the air is very important and plants are widely used as biomonitor for this purpose. However, which plants and organs are more suitable for monitoring which heavy metal pollution can be determined with detailed studies. In the present study, it was aimed to determine which plant species and which organ of that species would be more suitable for monitoring the concentration of magnesium (Mg) in air. For this purpose, five organs of five species grown in regions having different traffic densities were examined. In conclusion, it was found that Mg concentration in washed bark of Robinia pseudoacacia, wood of Platanus orientalis, washed leaves of Ulmus minor, and non-washed leaves of Acer negundo and Nerium olender increased with increasing traffic density.
Today, environmental pollution, air pollution in particular, is among the most important problems in the world. Air pollution, which has become a global issue, is estimated to cause the death of around 1 in 8 people worldwide. Due to the significance of air pollution, all components of air pollution are of great importance for human health, and thus the studies on air pollution are highly important, especially in areas with high population density. In this study, it was aimed to determine the regional and periodic change of CO2 and particulate matter pollution in the city of Misurata, one of the important cities of Libya. The study was conducted in the city centre of Misurata, and the measurements were made once in every three days between November and February at 7 different locations selected in the city centre. As a result of the measurements made, the changes in the pollution parameters were evaluated on the basis of zones and months. As a result of the study, the cleanest areas were found to be the industrial area (B3) located in the east of the city and the zone (B4), where the Al-Swehli farm was located, while the dirtiest areas were found to be the main street (B1 and B2) in the city centre and the city centre, in general. In terms of months, the lowest CO2 values were obtained in January, and the highest value was in February, whereas the lowest particulate matter values were obtained in January and the highest values in December.
From past to the present, cultural, medicinal, landscape and culinary use of junipers has contributed to it being one of the most widely distributed woody plants in the world. Therefore, it is so important that finding appropriate production methods to obtain quality seedlings in line with the usage area. In the present study, it was tried to determine the best conditions and applications on propagation by cuttings of three juniper taxa including Juniperus communis L. ‘Hibernica’, Juniperus chinensis L. ‘Stricta’, and Juniperus chinensis L. ‘Stricta Variegata’. For this purpose, two different greenhouse treatments (Greenhouse-1 with the air temperature at 20±2°C, rooting table temperature at 25±2°C and humidity level at 70±2%; Greenhouse-2 with the air temperature at 20±2°C, rooting table temperature at 20±2°C and humidity level at 70±2%) and different auxin applications (Indole-3-Butyric Acid, Indole-3-Acetic Acid and α-Naphthalene Acetic Acid at concentrations of 3000 and 5000 ppm) were designed. The highest rooting percentages were generally achieved in Greenhouse-1. IAA 5000 ppm treatment for J. communis ‘Hibernica’ (93.33%) and J. chinensis ‘Stricta’ (66.67%, also in Greenhouse-2) and IBA 3000 ppm treatment for J. chinensis ‘Stricta Variegata’ (60.00%) showed the best rooting results. This study, in which the best production conditions are investigated in some juniper taxa, is a guiding feature for the producers to ensure the sustainable utilization of junipers.
Global climate change is defined as a process that affects all living things and ecosystems globally and is claimed as the most critical problem of the current century. Turkey, which is shown as one of the most affected countries by this process, is among the “countries at risk.” It is stated that the temperature will increase throughout the country until 2100, and this increase may reach 6 ºC. In order to determine the possible effects of global climate change, it is necessary to predict how the climate structure and basic parameters may change. From this point of view, this study is aimed to determine the change of temperature and precipitation, climate types (according to De Martonne, Lang, and Emberger climate classification) which are the most critical climate parameters until 2050 and 2070 in Düzce, one of the important cities of our country. The current situation and possible changes in 2050 and 2070 have been compared using RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. As a result of the study, the temperature, precipitation, and related climate types would change significantly throughout the province of Düzce, and this change will show itself as a significant temperature increase and change in precipitation regime. In addition, a shift in climate types towards continental climate types is predicted until 2070. In order to avoid the destructive effects of global climate change, it is recommended to take measures on a sectoral basis.
Air pollution is becoming increasingly dangerous which is quite a significant issue of today’s world, especially air pollution from heavy metal, whose emission increases with industrial and traffic activities. This is of great importance in terms of environmental pollution and human health. Heavy metals do not deteriorate and disappear easily on earth. They are liable to bioaccumulate within cells in organisms. Most of them demonstrate harmful effects in addition as a result of advanced accumulation, and thus they emerge as toxic and carcinogenic. Therefore, it is of great importance to observe the changes in heavy metal concentrations in the air. One of the most effective techniques for monitoring the change of heavy metal concentrations in the atmosphere is the use of annual rings of trees as biomonitors. In this study, in the annual rings of the Cedrus atlantica Manetti tree cut at the Kastamonu province at the end of 2019, the variation of the concentrations of some of the heavy metals most associated with traffic density was tried to be determined. Within the scope of the study, Cr and Mn concentration in the outer bark and the inner bark was compared with the direction and wood for the variation of heavy metal concentrations. Also, variance analysis and Duncan test were applied and evaluated. As a result of the study, while the highest values in many heavy metals are generally obtained in the outer bark, the transfer of metals in the wood is limited, and some heavy metal concentrations change significantly depending on the direction, especially in the wood. This change is related to the traffic density, so Cedrus atlantica Manetti annual rings are very suitable as biomonitors for air pollution control.
Exhaustion of stratospheric ozone found at a height of 10–30 km around the world causes the solar UV-B (280–320 nm) radiation to penetrate through the atmosphere more, and thus to reach the Earth’s surface quicker. The protective ozone layer gets damaged by human activities constantly, and the increasing levels of UV radiation present threats to all life forms, plants, animals, and even microorganisms. However, the studies conducted on the effects of UV radiation on plants, and especially forest trees, are rather limited. In this study, it was aimed to identify the effects of UV-B radiation on some germination and seedling characteristics of Anatolian black pine seeds. Within the scope of the study, seeds were exposed to UV-B radiation for 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min for germination experiments; and the germination speed (GS) was calculated as the ratio of the germinated seeds to the solid seeds at the end of the 7th day, whereas the germination percentage (GP) was calculated as the ratio of the germinated seeds to the solid seeds at the end of the 35th day. The seeds reserved for the seedling experiment were exposed to UV-B radiation for 1, 3, 5, and 7 h. With the measurements made at the end of the day, the seedling length (SL), the terminal bud length (TBL), the branch number (BN), the root collar diameter (RCD), the stem fresh weight (SFW), the root fresh weight (RFW), the stem dry weight (SDW) and the root dry weight (RDW), and the rooting percentage (RP) were determined. Variance analysis and Duncan test were applied to the obtained data with the help of SPSS package program. The study results revealed that the exposure time to increased UV-B radiation significantly affected all characters; the least affected character was RP, and that the most affected characters were RDW, SDW, and RCD. As a result of the study, it was found that even the applications with the lowest intensity took effect in most of the characters, that the seedling development decreased by more than 80% in terms of some characters at the end of 7-h application, and that even the decrease in the RP character, which was the least affected by the 7-h UV-B application, was above 50%.
With climate change, global warming has increased adverse effects on living things in our country. In these adverse effects, water scarcity is the most crucial problem due to the increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation. Forests are the most affected ecosystem among others by water scarcity in our country. This study tried to determine the 5-year-old seeds and 1-year-old seedlings (produced from the same seeds) of some Turkish red pine provenance’ responses to different water stress levels. First, how the water stress levels (0, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6, -0.8 MPa) affect seed germination of these provenances was determined. Secondly, gas exchange parameters [net photosynthesis (Anet), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE)] under different water stress were determined in the seedlings obtained from these species' seeds. As a result of the germination test, Denizli-Çameli (DC) provenance had the highest rate (48%), while Maraş-Suçatı had the lowest rate (29%) under control treatment. The highest germination rate was obtained in Burdur/Bucak provenance (5%) under -0.2 MPa osmotic potential. For gas exchange parameters, Antalya/Gündoğmuş provenance had the highest Anet, gs values while DC provenance had the lowest Anet, gs, and E values when provenance is considered as a single factor. Besides, increasing in irrigation increased Anet, gs, and E while decreased the iWUE. The lowest seedling E under water stress can be explained because this species responds to the water shortage by closing its stomata. Among the Turkish red pine origins, DC provenance showed higher drought tolerance than others.
In this study, the possibilities of disposal of environmental waste, silica fume, and waste glass powder as substitutes in the mortar samples in Portland cement were investigated. For this purpose, Portland cement (CEM I), silica fume (SF), waste glass powder (WGP), CEN standard sand, and water were used in mortar production. Additive cements were obtained by using the SF, WGP, and SFWGP substitution methods in Portland cement at the rates of 10, 20, 30, and 40%. The flexural strength, compressive strength, radiation permeability (determination of linear absorption coefficient), high temperature, and alkali-silica reaction (ASR) effect on SF, WGP, and SFWGP were examined and compared with the control PC 42.5R samples. Mortar samples of 40 × 40 × 160 mm size were obtained with the grouts/mortars produced, and the samples were exposed to five temperature effects, namely, 20, 150, 300, 700, and 1000 ° C. Samples kept at 20 ° C are accepted as baseline. A total of 429 samples were studied, including the cooling process in the air (spontaneously in the laboratory, 20 ° C ± 2). After the samples achieved room temperature, flexural and compressive strength tests were carried out at 28 and 90 days. Test results demonstrate that SF, WGP, and SFWGP, which are environmental wastes, can be disposed both as a pozzolanic additive material both alone and together in cement mortars, can be utilized in buildings with high fire hazard, and the sample with the highest linear absorption coefficient is the sample obtained with SFWGP, and also, the expansion values that occur in SF and WGP are less than the control sample.
Significant environmental damage can result from the use of natural resources such as cement, aggregate, and water in concrete production. Thus, more sustainable alternatives for concrete production are needed to protect the environment and natural resources. In this study, lightweight pervious concrete production involving recycled coarse aggregates (RCAs) with potential to cause environmental pollution was investigated. First, RCAs were produced from concretes possessing low compressive strength and were classified. Second, pervious concretes were produced from these RCAs. Third, the mechanical properties, permeability, and abrasion strength of the pervious concretes were determined. The water/cement (w/c) ratios of the mixtures were determined to be 0.32, 0.34, and 0.36, and the aggregate/cement (a/c) ratios were selected to be 3.5 and 4. Twelve different pervious concretes were produced and tested in total. The bulk densities (BD) of the mortars varied over an interval of 1160–1080 kg/m³. The aim was to design pervious concretes with lightweight bulk densities. When the w/c ratio was 0.34, the compressive, splitting tensile and abrasion strengths were high. The compressive strength of the pervious concretes varied over an interval of 1.50–2.00 MPa. It was determined that for optimal permeability, the most appropriate w/c ratio was 0.36, and the best a/c ratio was 4. When the a/c ratio was 4, the strength values were high, and as a result, the mechanical properties were poor. With respect to aggregate gradation, it was determined that a grain size distribution of 9.50–12.50 mm was most suitable for this pervious concrete. Recycled aggregates with low strength produced low strength concrete. Therefore, the pervious concrete produced in this study is most suitable for pedestrian roads where heavy vehicle traffic does not exist.
The last century witnessed a boom in the world population, reaching an unprecedented level. In particular, in recent decades, the population has concentrated in cities. Migration from rural areas to urban areas brings many problems to urban areas, necessitating the opening of new settlement areas. These new settlement areas that are needed are mostly determined in line with the initiatives of local authorities based on the situation of infrastructure facilities, not scientific evaluations. If the wrong places are selected, various natural events each year may cause the loss of property and lives, in addition to significant amounts of energy consumption. This study uses various parameters and creates a method for place selection based on multiple criteria. The district of Atakum in the city of Samsun, which has been subject to continuous migration and where new settlement areas have been established, is selected as the study area. Within the scope of this study, in addition to landslide and flood risks, which constitute the most important natural disasters in the region, situations of high voltage electricity transmission lines in places where the establishment of a residential area would be objectionable are evaluated. The situation of biocomfort, which is significantly important, especially with respect to energy efficiency as well as human health, peace, and comfort, is also evaluated. This study is conducted based on these criteria, and as a result, it calculates that only 15.11% of the district of Atakum is appropriate for use as a settlement area. In addition to serving as a reference for the short- and long-term area planning studies that will be conducted in the region, this study also holds significance due to the new perspective it offers regarding urban planning studies.
Population growth, which is the main source of the biggest problems of the world today, combined with migration from rural areas to urban centers, causes the urban centers to be even more concentrated. This necessitates the opening of new residential areas in many city centers, but new residential areas are mostly determined by the decisions of local authorities, who may not base their decisions on scientific data. With the wrong area selection, ordinary natural events can be potentially catastrophic. Such events can result in large numbers of casualties and material damage every year. In this study, an example of applying a method for location selection using various parameters has been realized. The study focuses on Bafra, Turkey (the study area). Risk maps were created in terms of floods and overflows; maps of regions and high-voltage power transmission lines that enjoy a protected area status; and maps of regions in terms of biocomfort suitability. As a result of the evaluation made according to these criteria, it is calculated that only 1.96% of the total working area is suitable for use as a residential area. In relevant literature studies, it was observed that the studies related to the selection of residential areas were carried out only depending on a single standard or criterion. Some suggested biocomfort, and others used vulnerability to risks such as landslide, flood, and earthquakes as their main principle. Studies based on multi-criteria were generally used for purposes such as solid waste site selection and determination of the road routes. The study aims to shed light on the multi-criteria method in an attempt to standardize it in regional planning studies and to inspire similar studies in which different criteria can be used to achieve the maximum efficiency.
In this study, copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) analyses were performed, and the results were modelled by artificial neural networks (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). Samples were taken from 3 stations selected on the Bartin River for 1 year between December 2012 and December 2013. Radial basis neural network (RBANN), multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks models, and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) were applied to the data in order to predict the heavy metal concentrations. As a result of the study, the RMSE and MAE values of all the heavy metal models were found to have very low error values during the test phase, and it was found that the models created using MLP had R2 values higher than 0.77 during the test phase; the test phase R2 values of the models using RBN method were found to be ranging between 0.773 and 0.989, and the test phase R2 value of the ANFIS model was higher than 0.80. If sorted from the best model to the worst by taking the MAE and RMSE values into consideration based on the test evaluation results, according to the heavy metal types, where all of the MLP, RBN, and ANFIS models were generally approximate to each other, RBN was successful for Cu, Zn, and Mn, while MLP model was successful for Ni and ANFIS model for Fe and Pb. According to the results, it can be inferred that the heavy metal contents can be estimated approximately with artificial intelligence models and relatively easy-to-measure parameters; it will be possible to detect heavy metals which are harmful to the viability of the rivers, both quickly and economically.
The use of certain types of plants to determine the accumulation of HMs (heavy metals) has yielded quite consistent results in the research fields. Many researches have focused on particular types of HMs due to their common presence in the air (Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cr to name a few). However, it is equally as important to shed light on other types of HMs and the scale of their existence in our atmosphere, hence this paper. Blue spruce (Picea pungens) tree organs were used in an experiment to calculate the recent concentration of HMs. The research concentrates on Ca, Cu, and Li elements in the washed and unwashed needles, branches, and barks, and these organs were evaluated depending on the organ age. The study results showed that the concentration of the elements subjected to the research changed depending on the organ, washing status and organ age, and that the lowest concentrations of Ca and Cu elements were obtained in the barks in general. In relation to the organ age, it was found that there was an increase in the concentration of Ca with age, and that the concentration of Li element was inversely proportional to age.
Food scarcity is one of global issues that our world faces today. A significant portion of the world’s population has no access to adequate food, and it is stated that approximately 830 million people suffer from chronic famine. This predicament is estimated to grow even further. Many attempts have been made to solve the food problem. Some examples are using new resources which have not been used for dietary purposes up to this point, planting new areas to produce food products, and increasing the potential harvest per an area unit. One of the solution proposals, which has come up recently within this scope, is the term of “edible landscaping”, which means the use of edible plants in the landscaping works, and thus maximizing the potential for food security. However, edible landscaping poses a considerable risk. Heavy metal accumulation in plants grown in urban centers can reach to high levels, and consuming these plants will allow these heavy metals a direct access into the human body and wreak havoc to the public health. But since this subject has not been sufficiently studied yet, the extent of such a risk is not accurately determined yet. This study aims to determine the changes of Ni, Co and Mn concentrations depending on traffic density in the leaves, branches, barks and fruits of cherry, plum, mulberry and apple trees growing in areas with dense traffic, low-density traffic and no-traffic zones in Kastamonu province. The results showed that the concentrations of Ni and Co elements increased in many organelles depending on traffic density, and that the heavy metal concentrations in fruits could be very high. This situation indicates that fruit and vegetables grown in industrial zones and urban centers, where heavy metal pollution may be high, can be harmful to the public health if consumed as crops.
Heavy metals are one of the most infamous air pollutants. They do not deteriorate easily in nature and they tend to bioaccumulate in nature. Because of their significance in terms of potential damage to human and environmental wellbeing, the monitoring of heavy metal pollution and identifying risk-prone regions is of great importance. Bioindicators are the most important determinants of the change in the concentration of heavy metals in the atmosphere. While plants play the biggest and most important role in reducing pollution in all of its types, they are also the ideal bioindicators. However, some plant species are better equipped to detect heavy metal accumulation than others. This study aims to determine the usability potential of Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) in monitoring traffic-based heavy metal concentrations. For this purpose, samples of Scotch pine individuals were collected from one of the busiest highways in Turkey (along the Ankara-Istanbul route) from refuges at roadsides and at distances of 3m, 10m, 30m, 50m, and 100m from the roadside. Some of the branches and needles of the samples were also subjected to washing processes and the changes of Ni, Cr and Zn concentrations were determined for these samples. The change of Ni, Cr and Zn concentrations depending on the distance to the road, washing conditions and organelle were evaluated separately. We determined that Scotch pine is a good biomonitor-especially for monitoring changes in Cr concentrations.
The study was conducted to determine the habitat usage characteristics of the otter, which provides important information on the status of aquatic and coastal ecosystems. The Balikdami (Fish House) Wildlife Development Area, where the study was carried out, was registered in 1994 and was declared a natural site in 1998. The total area of the site is 1470 km². In order to determine the habitat usage characteristics of the otter, photo traps were placed according to the assumed habitat characteristics between the river and the terrestrial areas near the river. Previous research suggested that there should be at least 15 days of observation. In this study, 11 photo traps were left in the study area at a ratio of 1463 camera traps/day. A total of 37 different otter images were obtained in 3, 4, and 5 points at the end of the study. The data indicated that the otters preferred to use places that were close to the aquatic aquarium. They did not prefer densely vegetated areas, open areas, and places where there was human intervention, large construction, water borders, water pump edges, and areas with high human activity. The otters were active at night. While the number of otters is increasing in Turkey, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, otters are in the NT (near threat) category. The otter is protected in all countries where it is increasing in number. Therefore, a better understanding of the habitat preferences of the otter will help us to better protect it.
Increasing population and industrialization have caused air pollution and air pollution in some cities has increased to such an extent that it has started to threaten human health and has become one of the most important agenda topics of our day. Many pollutants arise in cities due to exhaust gases, car wheels, vehicles and vehicle wear. Heavy metals are one of the most infamous pollutants, because they can remain in nature for a long time without degradation and the amount of heavy metal concentration in the environment is constantly increasing. Heavy metals also tend to bioaccumulate. Therefore, the determination of heavy metal concentration is of great importance in terms of identifying risk regions and risk levels. Determination of heavy metal concentrations in plants is important both for determining plants’ ability to remove heavy metals from the air and thus to improve air quality, as well as for monitoring air quality. Bio-indicators are the most important indicators of the change in the concentration of heavy metal in the atmosphere. This study aims to determine the usability potential of Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris) in monitoring the traffic related heavy metal concentration. For this purpose, samples of Scotch Pine individuals were collected from one of the busiest highways of Turkey, at the route of Ankara-Istanbul, from refuges, at roadsides and at distances of 3 m, 10 m, 30 m, 50 m and 100 m from the roadside, some of the branch and needle samples were washed and the change of Cu, Pb and Cd concentrations on these samples was determined. As a result of the study, the change of the concentrations of these heavy metals depending on distance to the road, organelle and washing conditions all seem to indicate that the Scotch Pine is a good bio-monitor which could be used especially to monitor the change of Cd concentration.
Trees can be used as good indicators to evaluate the increase in atmospheric heavy metal concentrations. In the last two decades, air pollution in the city of Ankara has rapidly increased with the ever-increasing traffic density. In the present study, the depositions of aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chrome (Cr), cadmium (Cd), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), phosphor (P), magnesium (Mg), arsenic (As), and boron (B) in the rings of oak trees were analyzed using a GBC Integra XL–SDS-270 ICP-OES device. The study found that heavy metal concentrations in tree rings varied over the past 20 years; furthermore, there was a significant relationship between the heavy metal concentrations in tree rings and the atmospheric heavy metal concentrations. There was an increase in the concentrations of nutritional elements (Na, P, and Mg) in 2010 when there was excessive precipitation. As a result, the concentrations of all elements in the woods of different ages were significantly different at a confidence interval of 95% for As, 99% for Cd, and 99.9% for other elements.
Air pollution is one of the most important problems that modern urban life brings nowadays. Every year, thousands of people are affected by air pollution and it even causes deaths. There are certain places and hours that the air pollution is more intense in the cities, which is especially problematic for people with various health problems and this situation affect people’s quality of life negatively. For this reason, measuring regional and temporal changes of air pollution by scientific studies will guide the determination of the precautions to avoid negative effects of air pollution on people’s health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the air quality based on CO2 amount and amount of particulate matter in 6 different dimensions (0.3-μm, 0.5-μm, 1.0-μm, 2.5-μm, 5.0-μm, and 10.0-μm dimensions), and to determine the change in sound level on a regional basis depending on the time of day and the season in different areas of Bursa city center. The results of the study showed that the effect of season on noise and CO2 was statistically insignificant, but the particulate matter dimensions are affected at statistically 99.9% confidence level by season. On the other hand, results of the analyses held during the study showed that time factor affects all parameters except noise parameter and the amount of large size (5 and 10); and the place factor effects all the parameters except the amount of particulate matter of size 2.5 and 5.0. The location season time factor was found to be effective at 99.9% confidence level over all parameters.
The level of pollution has reached the dimensions that threaten human health, with the rapid urbanization and the increase of energy consumption especially in developing countries. Every year in the world, millions of people lose their lives because of air pollution. Heavy metals have a separate precaution in pollutants, especially in terms of human health, because they can remain intact in nature for long periods of time, they tend to bioaccumulate and some are toxic or carcinogenic even at low concentrations. Therefore, monitoring of heavy metal pollution and determination of risky areas is very important. Biomonitors are the most commonly used methods for monitoring heavy metal pollution. However, determining which plants and organelles are more suitable for monitoring the metal is essential in order to ensure that the monitoring is reliable. In this study, it was aimed to determine the variations of the concentration of Ni, Pb, and Cd elements depending on the traffic density in leaves, seeds, and branches of Ailanthus altissima, Biota orientalis, Platanus orientalis, and Pyracantha coccinea which are grown in areas with heavy, low dense, and non-traffic areas. As a result of the study, it was determined that concentrations of Ni, Pb, and Cd increased depending on traffic density. According to the results obtained, it was determined that seeds and branches of Biota orientalis were the most suitable species and organelles to determine Ni pollution. The leaves of Ailanthus altissima are very suitable for monitoring the pollution of Pb and Cd.
Annual rings are good indicators for determining the increase in the amount of heavy metals in the atmosphere from past to the present. Air pollution has rapidly increased in Ankara over the past 20 years. In particular, there is a serious increase in the concentration of heavy metals that adversely affect human health. In this study, the accumulation of Al, Zn, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cd, Na, Ca, Ba, P, Mg, As, and B on Acer platanoides rings has been determined using the GBC Integra XL-SDS-270 ICP-OES instrument. Based on our experimental findings, we determined that the concentration of heavy metals accumulated on the rings over the past 20 years varied and that there was a significant correlation between heavy metal concentration in air and heavy metal accumulation on trees. The main reasons for this increase were an increase in the amount of exhaust emission gases and most importantly the transport of heavy metals by the prevailing winds from heavy industrial plants established after 1990 in Ankara. As a result, when the values were examined, we found that except for Na, all the elements, which showed differences at statistically significant levels, were in considerably high quantities in the bark. On average, the values obtained for bark were 6 times higher than those obtained for wood. In terms of elements that showed statistically significant level of differences, this difference was the lowest in P (1.61 times higher), Mg (2.52 times higher), and B (3.94 times higher) and the highest in Mn (23.87 times higher), Al (22.0 times higher), and Fe (14.27 times higher). In the case of Na, we found that the value obtained for wood was 1.64 times higher than that obtained for bark.
Visiting caves is an increasingly important tourism activity today. Because of this trend, caves draw thousands of people every year. However, visiting caves can lead to some serious health problems. For example, the concentration of harmful gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), may exceed the critical level during the visit of a group of tourists. Within the outline of this research, Safranbolu Bulak Mencilis Cave was chosen, which has a high potential for visit by cavers and tourists. The purpose of this research on cave’s air quality is to measure the amounts of CO2 and particulate matter. The research was conducted in June 2016 during a visit to the cave with 25-meter intervals using an average from port-able air measurement devices in various corners. Starting at the entrance of the cave, the study concluded that the amount of CO2 increased rapidly: from 50 meters inside the cave entrance it was 1,200 ppm, and increased to 2500 ppm at150 meters inside. The amount of particulate matter in the caves was determined to reduce progressively the deeper into the cave. These results indicate that when the tourists’ visits occur, the indoor air quality may change and some health problems may arise, especially from the effect of rising amounts of CO2. This may cause headaches, dizziness, throat and nose irritation, sneezing, coughing, and tears.
Air pollution is one of the biggest problems raised by the modern life. Each year, thousands of people are affected by air pollution, and some even die of air pollution. In the cities, the times and places where air pollution is at its worst create problems for the people with health issues, affecting their quality of life. Therefore, it would be good for the measures to be taken to carry out air pollution studies on a regional basis and to determine the level of pollution based on certain factors such as traffic density, changes in pollution throughout the day, weather conditions, etc. This study aims to determine the changes in air quality throughout the day depending on the weather conditions and traffic density in various areas of Kastamonu city centre. In line with this purpose, we examined the changes in the particulate matter (in 3 different sizes) and CO2 concentrations of the air based on certain factors. The results show that the quality of air changes to a great extent depending on all the factors studied.
In this study, frost stress often used in landscaping work with ions leakage method aims to determine the resistance of the ten plant species. For this purpose, were exposed to temperatures of 15 degrees C, -25 degrees C, -35 degrees C and -45 degrees C. Relative injury indices is a method commonly used to determine the degree of frost damage ion leakage calculated with use. The changeable in relative injury index due to temperature was found to be statistically significant at the reliability level of 99.9% in all species except for Cedrus libani. Ligustrum vulgare, Euonymus japonica, Mahonia aquifolium, Prunus laurocerasus, and Cedrus libani have been found to be least resistant strains against frost stress. Pinus sylvestris and Cupressus sempervirens, on the other hand, were seen to be the species affected by least frost stress. Thuja orientalis, Pinus nigra, and Picea pungens were found to be partially resistant to frost stress.
In this study, the effect of water stress on the germination rate of the seeds of nine pieces of species used for landscaping works in Kastamonu is investigated. The seeds of these species have been subject to germi- nation trials with water stress level between 0 and -8 bar and the germination percentages of the seeds have been identified. The water stress was constituted with the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) solution and germinations were carried out at 25oC in a period of 35 days. Depending on the water stress as a result of these studies, it has been stated that the percentages of all species have decreased as from -2 bar water stress; there are no germinations in -6 bar water stress for the tree of heaven, and in -8 bar water stress for Cupressus ari- zonica and Sophora japonica. We found that the species most resistant to water stress are Pinus nigra, Cupressus sempervirens, and Pinus brutia.
Determining the adaptability to abiotic conditions and potential establishment success of tree species needs to be conducted before attempting to use a species in large-scale afforestation programs. In this study, the chemical and physiological performance of four Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) provenances was investigated after exposure to artificial cold temperature treatments to determine their adaptability to cold environment for potential use in afforestation programs. Seeds were sown and raised for 24, 28, and 32 weeks and exposed to decreasing temperatures in an artificial freezer. Relative electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll fluorescence, and carbohydrate concentrations were measured to determine the variability between provenances. Results showed that diameter and height growth did not vary with origin for each of the three growth stages measured. Root electrolyte leakage values differed between provenances, confirming that cold stress was effectively causing physiological damages when plants were exposed to temperature at -15 A degrees C and below. The variability observed in the relationship between provenances and cold hardiness responses can be attributed to tree-to-tree variability within provenances and microsites conditions. There was generally no significant difference in chlorophyll fluorescence between provenances, also attributed to low genetic variation between provenances. Carbohydrate concentrations were also very variable and varied significantly among growth stages and provenances. High-altitude provenances had higher soluble carbohydrates concentrations in several cases, suggesting a relationship between altitude, soluble sugars, and cold hardiness. However, these trends were not consistent; therefore, we suggest that such hypotheses be confirmed through more comprehensive further studies.
Atmospheric heavy metal deposition is widely occurring due to anthropogenic effects such as industrial activities and motor vehicles. As a result, it has increased significantly and reached a level that threatens human health and the environment. Among these deposition factors, it is of great importance to monitor the atmospheric concentrations of heavy metals that do not easily degrade in nature, tend to bioaccumulate, and can be toxic even at low concentration levels. Biomonitoring is one of the most impressive passive methods in determining the change of heavy metal concentrations in the atmosphere. This study investigates the effect of anthropogenic emission sources in urban areas using tree rings as a biomonitor. Cedrus atlantica was selected, because it is generally preferred in parks, roadside and landscape design. Samples were collected from parks near the road, densely populated, and close to the small-scale industry in Kastamonu, Türkiye. Atmospheric deposition of Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) in organs were analyzed based on years and directions. Their accumulation in the outer bark was determined to be quite high (Cd value is 2226.2 ppb and Pb value is 38201.1 ppb) compared to other organs. As a result, the traffic density and industrial emissions affect the Pb and Cd concentrations. This study will provide beneficial information for atmospheric heavy metal deposition in landscape plants.
Foam concrete refers to a type of low-density concrete that is commonly known to have favorable insulation and thermal performance due to its intentionally increased porosity. However, foam concrete is known to generally have a very low physico-mechanical and durability performance mainly due to its high porosity and the connectivity of the pores that can allow the entrance of unfavorable substances into the concrete medium. As a result, most often, foam concrete is considered inapplicable to major load bearing structural elements. To counter this tendency, this study adopted the use of basalt fibers with silica fume to increase the structural integrity of foam concrete. In that respect, 18 mixes with varying content of foaming agent, basalt fiber and silica fume have been prepared. Apparent porosity, water absorption, compressive, flexural and splitting tensile strength, sorptivity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), drying shrinkage, freeze–thaw, thermal conductivity, and thermal resistance tests were performed to evaluate the physico mechanical, durability, and insulation properties of the produced foam concretes. Based on the results, a highly durable foam concrete with a maximum compressive, flexural and splitting tensile strength of ~ 46, 6.9 and 3.07 MPa, respectively, has been developed. Furthermore, it is observed that the inclusion of silica fume can significantly influence the pore network and enhance fiber paste matrix. The effect of basalt fiber, however, is found to be more dependent on the use of silica fume, potentially due to its low integration with cementitious paste. The results of this study are significant and point out to the great potential for producing a highly durable and lightweight insulating foam concrete through the use of basalt fiber and silica fume.
An experimental study has been conducted to investigate the effect of recycled fine aggregates (RFA) treated as washed (W-RFA), less washed (L-RFA) and unwashed (U-RFA) on the transport, mechanical and durability characteristics of concrete exposed to freeze-thaw cycles and MgSO4. Totally three groups of concrete mixtures were produced by replacing natural fine aggregates (NFA) with W-RFA, L-RFA and U-RFA at the percentages of 10, 20, 40 and 80% by weight of NFA. 12 mixtures incorporating RFA and reference mixture containing only NFA were fabricated. Mechanical performance was evaluated by compressive, splitting tensile strength at 7 and 28 days and Schmidt rebound hammer at 28 days. Dry bulk density, water absorption, porosity and sorptivity of concrete were also evaluated. Durability performance of concretes was evaluated by exposing to different freeze-thaw cycles and MgSO4 attacks. An abrasion test on the concretes was also performed. After performing durability tests, compressive, splitting tensile strength, relative dynamic elasticity modulus, microstructural observations and mass loss of the concretes were assessed. The results indicated that 80%W-RFA incorporated concrete improved the compressive strength considerably and achieved 28 day- compressive strength of 51 MPa. 10% L-RFA and 10% U-RFA incorporated concretes exhibited 28 day- compressive strength of above 52 MPa. The concrete with 40%W-RFA presented the best abrasion resistance after 7 and 28 days. 20%W-RFA incorporated concrete performed the best after 150 F-T cycles in terms of compressive strength.
In recent years, air pollution has increased significantly due to anthropogenic factors and has become a global problem. Heavy metals in air pollution components; it is of particular importance because they are not easily degraded and disappeared in nature, bioaccumulation in living bodies, some of them can be toxic, toxic or carcinogenic even at low concentrations and even those necessary for living bodies can be harmful at high concentrations. Therefore, monitoring the concentrations of heavy metals in the air is of great importance for human and environmental health. Biomonitoring is the most suitable method for monitoring the concentration of heavy metals. Plants that can accumulate heavy metals in different organs are suitable biomonitors. However, the most appropriate type and organ for monitoring each heavy metal must be determined separately. In this study, the changes in the concentrations of the elements Cr and Mn in Robinia pseudoacacia, Platanus orientalis, Acer negundo, Ulmus minor and Nerium oleander species were determined by the individuals who grow in areas where there is no traffic, less and dense. The Cr and Mn concentrations in the leaves, bark and wood of the species subject to the study were evaluated. Within the scope of the study, the washing process was also applied to the leaves and shells and the effect of the washing process was tried to be determined. As a result of the study, it was determined that the concentrations of each element in different species vary depending on the traffic density and this change can vary greatly on the basis of element and species.
Recently, foam concrete (FC) has been widely considered due to higher workability, lightweight, lower cost, thermal and fire resistance relatively to conventional concrete. This study intends to measure the properties of FC incorporating bottom ash (BA) as fine aggregates (FA) and polypropylene fibers (PPF). A total of 18 concrete mixes were produced with two cement contents: 300 and 400 kg/m3 . In addition, three foam agent contents (40, 50, and 60 kg/m3 ) and three PPF contents (0, 0.5, and 1% in terms of volume) were used and considered to investigate the physical, mechanical, thermal, and durability properties of PPF-reinforced FC incorporating BA. Furthermore, the effect of elevated temperature on the properties of specimens was also examined. Results show an increase in apparent porosity, water absorption, and sorptivity of FC with the increase in foam agent content. Conversely, a reduction in thermal conductivity, porosity, and shrinkage is observed with an increase in foam agent, cement, and PPF contents, respectively. The rise in foam agent content declines the mass loss while improves both compressive and flexural strengths of FC under an elevated temperature. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis of the FC specimens after exposure to the elevated temperature shows the cracks and interconnected pores due to the thermal stresses by decomposing calcium silicate phases. Results show that all the FC mixes incorporating BA as FA and PPF can be used as moderate-strength concrete following American Concrete Institute guidelines, leading to enhanced FC performance and sustainable construction.
Electromagnetic radiation is a substantial pollution factor that most of the living things found almost everywhere are constantly exposed to with current technology. The number of studies conducted on the effects of this exposed radiation on the living things constantly is limited; and almost all of the studies conducted are aimed at measuring the effects of short-term exposure. In addition to this, most of the studies conducted on plants focus on herbaceous plant species. In this study, the effects of distance to base station on flower and cone yield and germination percentage were investigated in Pinus brutia individuals, one of the critical forest tree species. The study results revealed that being close to the base station significantly reduced the number of flowers and cones in P. brutia individuals, and that the values obtained in individuals at a distance of 800 m from the base station were 11 times more than the number of flowers and 7 times more than the number of cones compared to the individuals at a distance of 100 m. In the seeds subject to the study, there is a three-times difference in terms of the germination percentage among the individuals located at the furthest and closest distance to the base station. These results show that P. brutia individuals are considerably affected by the base station.
Climate change is expected to have various impacts on forest ecosystems through drought, heat stress, insect invasions and forest fires. Therefore, lack of taking the necessary measures in time will lead to the extinction or endangerment of valuable species. The entropy method was used in order to estimate the geographic distribution of Fraxinus excelsior L. available in Turkey under present and future climate conditions. 19 bioclimatic variables obtained from the monthly data within 30 provinces, where Fraxinus excelsior L. was found in Turkey, as well as the topographic variable of elevation were used in the modelling process. The results show that Fraxinus excelsior L. is largely affected by precipitation in the driest month, the driest quarter and the hottest quarter. According to the response curve of Fraxinus excelsior L. in Turkey, it is observed that it prefers the habitats with average precipitation of 22 mm in the driest month, average precipitation of 100 mm in the driest quarter and the precipitation over 70 mm in the hottest quarter. The SSPs 245 and SSPs 585 climate scenarios, respectively, show that the geographic distribution of Fraxinus excelsior L. will narrow by 7.58% and 6.28% in 2100. All of these results show that species response to the individual and communal impacts as well as the impacts at ecosystem scale dictated by climate change by changing their climatic niches. Most of the plant species that lack an effective and rapid migration ability will have difficulty in finding suitable habitat areas. Thus, the ecological consequences of the narrowing experienced in the foreseen borders may have serious consequences for both the management and protection of forests.
The growing population and industrialization is causing air pollution. In some cities pollution has reached to a point where it is threatening human lives. Pollution has become one of the biggest issues of today’s world. Pollutants are produced by exhaust gases, car wheels, and vehicles. Heavy metals (HM) are one of the major culprits that cause air pollution. This is due to the fact that HM can exist in the environment for a long time without deterioration, and their concentration in the atmosphere is ever-growing. They also tend to bioaccumulate. Therefore, determining HM concentration levels is crucial in terms of identifying risk zones and levels. Bioindicators are the most important determinants that can indicate the change in the concentration of HM in the atmosphere. This study aims to monitor the changes in Pb, Cr and Cu concentrations in the leaves, seeds and branches of cherry plum (Prunus ceracifera), horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Tilia (Tilia tomentosa), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides) species, which can be used for monitoring the traffic-induced HM concentration. We observed that the concentration of all the elements increased according to the traffic density, this is especially visible in the case of Pb and Cr.
Landscape Plants as Biomonitors for Magnesium Concentration in Some Species
- K Isinkaralar
- R Erdem
Isinkaralar K, Erdem R. Landscape Plants as Biomonitors for Magnesium Concentration in Some
Species. International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies. 2021; 29(2):468-473.
Removal of Formaldehyde and BTEX in Indoor Air Using Activated Carbon Produced from Horse Chestnut (Aesculus Hippocastanum L.) Shell
- K Isinkaralar
Isinkaralar K. Removal of Formaldehyde and BTEX in Indoor Air Using Activated Carbon Produced from Horse
Chestnut (Aesculus Hippocastanum L.) Shell. Ph.D. Thesis Hacettepe University Institute of Science Department
of Environmental Engineering. Ankara, Türkiye. 2020.
The Change of Mn concentration by organ and species in several edible plants. international journal of progressive sciences and technologies (IJPSAT)
- H B Ozel
- H N Varol
- H Sevik
Ozel HB, Varol HN, Sevik H. The Change of Mn concentration by organ and species in several edible plants.
international journal of progressive sciences and technologies (IJPSAT). 2021; 29(2):474-480.
Zeren Cetin I. Determination and Mapping of Regional Change of Pb and Cr Pollution in Ankara City Center
- M Cetin
- Amo Aljama
- Obm Alrabiti
- F Adiguzel
- H Sevik
Cetin M, Aljama AMO, Alrabiti OBM, Adiguzel F, Sevik H, Zeren Cetin I. Determination and Mapping of Regional
Change of Pb and Cr Pollution in Ankara City Center. Water Air Soil Pollut, 2022; 233, 163.
Variation of heavy metal accumulation in certain landscaping plants due to traffic density. Environment, Development and Sustainability
- A Turkyilmaz
- M Cetin
- H Sevik
- K Isinkaralar
- Eaa Saleh
Turkyilmaz A, Cetin M, Sevik H, Isinkaralar K, Saleh EAA. Variation of heavy metal accumulation in certain
landscaping plants due to traffic density. Environment, Development and Sustainability. 2020; 22 (3):2385-2398.
The usability of Cupressus arizonica annual rings in monitoring the changes in heavy metal concentration in air
- A Cesur
- I Zeren Cetin
- Abo Aisha
- Aes Alrabiti
- Obm Aljama
- Amo Jawed
- A A Cetin
- M Sevik
- H Ozel
Cesur A, Zeren Cetin I, Abo Aisha AES, Alrabiti OBM, Aljama AMO, Jawed AA, Cetin M, Sevik H, Ozel HB. The
usability of Cupressus arizonica annual rings in monitoring the changes in heavy metal concentration in air.
Environmental
Science
and
Pollution
Research.
2021; DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13166-
Investigation of the water quality of Alpsarı Pond (Korgun-Çankırı)
- E Mutlu
- A A Uncumusaoğlu
Mutlu E, Uncumusaoğlu AA. Investigation of the water quality of Alpsarı Pond (Korgun-Çankırı). Turkish Journal
of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 2017;17(6):1231-1243.