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Behavioral Responses of Unio tumidus Freshwater Mussels to Neonicotinoid Pesticide Contamination
This investigation examined the behavioral responses of freshwater mussels to neonicotinoid pesticide exposure, a widely implemented agricultural crop protection agent. The study systematically evaluated the behavioral modifications of U. tumidus under controlled laboratory conditions, with particular emphasis on shell dynamics and activity patterns during both acute (2.5 h) and prolonged (20 h) exposure to imidacloprid at 50 µg/L concentration. The experimental findings revealed consistent and statistically significant behavioral alterations. Upon initial pesticide exposure, specimens exhibited an immediate reduction in shell aperture, followed by a sustained period of enhanced opening amplitude. Activity metrics demonstrated acute elevation immediately post-exposure, indicative of stress-induced responses, subsequently achieving homeostatic equilibrium before declining in later temporal phases. These behavioral modifications demonstrated statistical significance across all four experimental iterations, indicating a robust and reproducible stress response pattern. This study demonstrated that exposure to high concentrations of the neonicotinoid pesticide imidacloprid significantly affects the freshwater mussel causing significant, repeatable changes in mussel behavior: initial shell closure followed by prolonged opening and increased activity, indicating stress and subsequent toxic effects.
Diversification of macrophytes within aquatic nature-based solutions (NBS) developing under urban environmental conditions across European cities
Use of Drone LIDAR Scanning for Volume Estimation of Stockpiles Accumulated in Post-Flotation Sedimentation Ponds – A Case Study of Bukowno (Southern Poland)
This study evaluates the use of drone - mounted LiDAR scanning to estimate the volume of post - flotation tailings accumulated in sedimentation ponds located in Bukowno, southern Poland. The survey was conducted using a DJI Matrice 350 RTK UAV equipped with th e Zenmuse L2 LiDAR sensor, supported by high - accuracy GNSS measurements using the Topcon HiPer XR receiver. The main goal was to generate a high - resolution 3D model of the tailings storage area and assess the geometric accuracy of horizontal and vertical g eodetic coordinates using control points and statistical validation. Post - processing of LiDAR data was performed using DJI Terra, followed by spatial and statistical analyses in QGIS and RStudio. Statistical evaluation included descriptiv e statistics, Tuke y’s outlier detection, and the Shapiro – Wilk test to verify the normality of error distributions. The horizontal accuracy was assessed using 10 control points, while the vertical accuracy relied on 46 measured control points. The analysis confirme d the high accuracy of the generated model, with average absolute elevation error not exceeding 1.7 cm and horizontal deviations ranging from 1.7 cm (Δx) to 3.6 cm (Δy). The volume of deposited tailings above the reference elevation of 320.00 m a.s.l. was calcul ated to be 37.49 million m³ over an area of 137.9 hectares. The Eastern pond was further divided into operational subsections to supp ort functional assessment and monitoring strategies .
Long-Term Changes in and Conservation Guidelines for Water Caltrop (Trapa natans L.) in Two Reservoirs in Poland
Climate change, worsening freshwater quality, and anthropogenic factors have caused water caltrop to lose approximately 80% of its habitat in Poland since the early 1980s. The presence of this plant species has substantially changed since the end of the 19th century. Our aim in this study was to examine the habitat and conservation status of Trapa natans in the Szumirad reservoir and Nowokuźnicki pond reserve in Poland and to indicate sources of potential hazards for the analyzed population. To achieve this aim, we spatially analyzed the changes in the total reservoir area, dynamics of species population, physico-chemical parameters of water, and climatic data. For the Szumirad reservoir, we observed substantial changes in water caltrop quantity and condition. For the Nowokuźnicki pond reserve, we found a serious threat to the Trapa habitat posed by the developing Nupharo–Nymphaeetum albae association, which is a strong competitor of nymphaeids. The obtained results indicated that surface waters localized in protected areas might play an important role in maintaining the population of water caltrop. On the basis of our analyses of selected populations, we emphasize that present protection procedures should be supplemented with the active protection of the species.