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This investigation was conducted to identify the content of metals inCalluna vulgaris(familyEricaceae),Empetrum nigrum(familyEricaceae),Festuca vivipara(familyPoaceae) andThymus praecoxsubsp.arcticus(familyLamiaceae), as well as in the soils where they were growing in eight geothermal heathlands in Iceland. Investigation into the vegetation of geothermal areas is crucial and may contribute to their proper protection in the future and bring more understanding under what conditions the plants respond to an ecologically more extreme situation. Plants from geothermally active sites were enriched with metals as compared to the same species from non-geothermal control sites (at an average from about 150 m from geothermal activity). The enriched metals consisted of Cd, Co, Cu, Fe and Ni inC. vulgaris; Cd, Mn and Ti inE. nigrum; Hg and Pb inF. vivipara; and Cd, Fe and Hg inT. praecox. Notably,C. vulgaris,E. nigrum,F. viviparaandT. praecoxhad remarkably high concentrations of Ti at levels typical of toxicity thresholds. Cd and Pb (except forC. vulgarisandF. vivipara) were not accumulated in the shoots of geothermal plants.C. vulgarisfrom geothermal and control sites was characterised by the highest bioaccumulation factor (BF) of Ti and Mn;E. nigrumandF. viviparaby the highest BF of Ti and Cr; andT. praecoxby the highest BF of Ti and Zn compared to the other elements. In comparison with the other examined species,F. viviparafrom geothermal sites had the highest concentration of Ti in above-ground parts at any concentration of plant-available Ti in soil.

The dataset presented in this data paper supports “Breaking down insect stoichiometry into chitin-based and internal elemental traits: Patterns and correlates of continent-wide intraspecific variation in the largest European saproxylic beetle” (Orlowski et al. 2020). Here we present the supplementary data and description of methods on the following: (1) mass of elytra and abdomens across 28 local Stag Beetle Lucanus cervus populations in Europe. (2) Population origin and coverage of six major land-cover types, including transport infrastructure, measured in three radii (500 m, 1000 m and 5000 m) around the sampling sites of these populations. (3) The relationship between the mass and concentrations of elements measured in abdomens and elytra in 28 Stag Beetle populations and major land-cover types around the sampling sites.

The Karkonosze National Park is affected by long-distance metal air transport of anthropogenic contamination as well as by tourist activity. Therefore, concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were evaluated in soil as well as in vital and non-vital fronds of Athyrium distentifolium Opiz collected in the middle of the growing season from glacial cirques in the Karkonosze. Additionally, fronds of the same species turning brown in autumn were collected from the same sampling sites. The health of ferns was impacted by the contents of Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in fronds, which may indicate that A. distentifolium uses elements accumulated in its tissues as defence against pathogens. Individuals from higher altitudes contained higher concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Fe and Pb than those from lower altitudes. Autumn fronds of A. distentifolium contained a significantly higher concentration of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb than vital summer fronds, which may indicate sequestration of these elements in senescing fronds probably to remove potentially harmful metals. Non-vital ferns were a better accumulator of Pb than vital ones, while both types of ferns accumulated Mn in a similar way. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10661-020-08438-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

For many terrestrial plants, nitrate is the most important form of available soil nitrogen for growth. However, many plant species, which grow on acidic, ammonium-dominated soils, exhibit a constantly low level of nitrate reductase activity (NRA). Little is known about NRA in high-mountain vascular plants in similar conditions. We tested the hypothesis that high-mountain vascular plants in acidic and ammonium-dominated habitats have low levels of NRA. Twenty-six plant species of the families Asteraceae, Ericaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Salicaceae, Pinaceae, Ranunculaceae, Woodsiaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, Rosaceae and Urticaceae representing different growth forms were investigated in seven native and anthropogenic habitats of subalpine and alpine belts of the Karkonosze (Hercynian middle-mountains, Central Europe), with respect to leaf NRA and mineral nitrogen forms in soil. NRA was measured by an in vivo assay for the first time directly in the field using portable water bath. An NRA study of vascular plants from high mountains is presented for the first time, and most of the studied subalpine and alpine species were subjected to field measurements for the first time ever. Differences among species, families, growth forms and habitats for NRA were found. These differences reflected mainly the taxonomical position and in part ecological preferences. PERMANOVA analysis confirmed that variance component showed that enzyme activities were mostly explained by plant species and habitat. Overall, the subalpine and alpine species from their native habitats are characterized by very low and low ability for nitrate metabolism. We also compared NRA with Ellenberg’s N values for the studied plants. Using a regression equation, N values of some species were calculated for the first time and corrected for the others.

The dataset presented in this data paper supports “Breaking down insect stoichiometry into chitin-based and internal elemental traits: Patterns and correlates of continent-wide intraspecific variation in the largest European saproxylic beetle” (Orłowski et al. 2020). Here we present the supplementary data and description of methods on the following: (1) mass of elytra and abdomens across 28 local Stag Beetle Lucanus cervus populations in Europe. (2) Population origin and coverage of six major land-cover types, including transport infrastructure, measured in three radii (500 m, 1000 m and 5000 m) around the sampling sites of these populations. (3) The relationship between the mass and concentrations of elements measured in abdomens and elytra in 28 Stag Beetle populations and major land-cover types around the sampling sites.

Stoichiometric, trophic and ecotoxicological data have traditionally been acquired from patterns of variation in elemental traits of whole invertebrate bodies, whereas the critical issue of the extracellular origin of some portion of elements, such as those present in ingested food and internal organs, has been ignored. Here we investigated an unexplored, yet crucial, question relating to whether, and to what degree, metals from two major body fractions: exoskeleton (elytra) and internal (body organs with gut material present in abdomens), are correlated with each other in wild populations of the largest European saproxylic insect, the Stag Beetle Lucanus cervus, and how metals from these two fractions vary with insect size and local habitat conditions. We examined the continent-wide variation in the concentrations of 12 chemical elements (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, Pb and Ni) measured in the elytra and abdomen of specimens from 28 populations inhabiting an urban-woodland habitat gradient across the species’ entire distributional range from Spain to Russia. Across populations, elemental concentrations (except Ni and Pb) were 2–13 times higher in abdominal samples than in elytra, and the magnitude of these differences was related to both insect size and local habitat conditions. Smaller individuals from both woodland and urban habitat tended to have higher concentrations of trace elements (Zn, As, Cd, Pb and Ni). The concentration of only six elements (Mg, K, Na, Mn, Cd and Ni) was correlated in the elytra and abdomen at the individual and population levels, implying a limitation to the broader applicability of elytra as a surrogate for internal elemental pools. We highlight that in non-feeding adult saproxylic beetles, minerals, acquired during the larval stage, may be concentrated in the large quantities of residual body fat.

Iceland is an area practically free from pollution but threatened by long-range transported anthropogenic contaminants from mid- and low-latitudes. Therefore the load of trace elements in the environment of this island should be controlled. Accordingly in this investigation we evaluated the level of metals in rocks and soil as well as in two moss species: Sanionia uncinata, Racomitrium lanuginosum and in stems and leaves of the dwarf willow Salix herbacea. The tested hypotheses were: 1) S. uncinata and R. lanuginosum may be used as bioindicators of contaminating metals in Iceland, 2) S. uncinata is a better phytoaccumulator of these metals than R. lanuginosum because of pleated leaves, which increases their surface. No concentration of metals in the examined mosses exceeded the toxicity thresholds for plants. S. uncinata was a better accumulator of Cd, Co and Ni than R. lanuginosum, while R. lanuginosum was a better accumulator of Pb than the other moss growing together in the same sites. Both species accumulated Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in a similar way. R. lanuginosum and S. uncinata collected in the vicinity of various local industries were correlated with the highest levels of all established concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Both species from sites influenced by sea spray were correlated with the highest concentration of Hg. S. uncinata and R. lanuginosum may be qualified as suitable bioindicators of metal pollution in Iceland. S. herbacea contained elevated concentrations of Cd and Zn without harming effects. Both elements in this plant also had the highest bioaccumulation factors from soil. This species was therefore a more suitable bioindicator of Cd and Zn as well as Co, Cu, Ni and Pb in Iceland than S. uncinata and R. lanuginosum.

The study objects were Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., an endangered species and fifty five water sites in Poland. The aim of the present work was to test the Self-Organizing Feature Map in order to examine and predict water properties and type of trophicity for restoration of the rare plant. Descriptive statistical parameters have been calculated, analysis of variance and cluster analysis were carried out and SOFM model has been constructed for analysed sites. The results of SOFM model and cluster analysis were compared. The study revealed that the ordination of individuals and groups of neurons in topological map of sites are similar in relation to dendrogram of cluster analysis, but not identical. The constructed SOFM model is related with significantly different contents of chemical water properties and type of trophicity. It appeared that sites with A. vesiculosa are predominantly distrophic and eutrophic waters shifted to distrophicity. The elevated model showed the sites with chemical properties favourable for restoration the species. Determined was the range of ecological tolerance of the species in relation to habitat conditions as stenotopic or relatively stenotopic in respect of the earlier accepted eutrophic status. The SOFM appeared to be a useful technique for ordination of ecological data and provides a novel framework for the discovery and forecasting of ecosystem properties constituting a validation of the SOFM method in this type of studies.

The frequency distribution and density of three life stages as well as fitness components of the perennial plant Colchicum autumnale growing in the unmanaged road verges and in the extensive mown and grazed meadows in the Sudeten Mts. were studied. Furthermore, investigated were the effects of population size and plant size (measured as number of flowers) on reproductive success and explored if variation in reproductive and vegetative traits of adults could be associated with soil characteristics. The t-test indicated that proportions of subadults and reproductive adults were significantly lower in verge than in meadow populations, and of vegetative adults significantly higher. The plant density of reproductive adults and the reproductive adults to all adults ratio were significantly lower in verge populations compared to meadow populations. Although habitat type accounted for significant variation in stage structure, no significant difference was found between vegetative and reproductive traits in adult plants, except for the number of flowers. In verge populations the number of flowers was significantly lower as compared to meadow populations. The traits related to reproduction were not significantly influenced by population size. However, the proportion of flowers setting fruit decreased significantly with increasing number of flowers. The stepwise multiple regression revealed significant relationships between soil characteristics and number of fruits per plant, fruit set, number seeds per plant and number of leaves in vegetative adults. The results suggest that the creation of the low and relatively open vegetation cover could increase the chance of persistence of C. autumnale living in verge habitats by promoting of seed germination, seedling establishment and flowering, and they also show that the reproductive success and vegetative components of fitness are most likely influenced by habitat quality.

Variation in vegetative and reproductive performance and leaf mineral composition among 25 populations of Colchicum autumnale (meadow saffron) from soils derived from six parent materials (limestone, marl, sandstone, greenstone, melaphyre and serpentine) in southwestern Poland has been investigated. The plant size (PS), total le-af area (TLA), leaf shape (LS), number of fruits per plant (NFP), number of seeds per plant (NFP), total weight seed per plant (TWSP) were estimated, and concentrations of seventeen elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cr, Mo) were analyzed in leaf and soil samples. In soil samples, also soil pH, organic matter content and sand, silt and clay content were determined. All soils (except melaphyre soil) contained elevated levels of Cr. Concentrations of soil Ni and Zn, Pb, Cd in serpentinite soil and polluted marl soils (respectively) were significantly higher than those of other examined soils. Meadow saffron leaves from all sites (except marl sites) contained elevated levels of Cr, Co and Ni. Statistical analysis, carried out with principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that a good correlation exists between the element content in leaves and plant performance traits and soil environment. The leaf Ca content and NFP were correlated and were much higher in populations from metal (except Cr) and nutrient-poor marl soils than in those from metal (except Ni in serpentine soil)and nutrient moderate rich soils derived from melaphyre, greenstones, serpentinite, limestones and sandstones and in those from metal-rich and nutrient-poor polluted marl soils. Meadow saffron plants tended to take up higher amounts of N, P, K, Mn, Cu and Na and lower amounts of S and had much higher TLA in populations from sandstone soils than those in populations from serpentinite, melaphyre, greenstone, marl and limestone soils. The leaf Co, Ni, Cr, Mg concentrations were correlated and were much higher in populations from serpentinite, melaphyre, greenstone, polluted marl and limestone soils than those from marl and sandstone soils. The pattern of variation in NFP and TLA across the different soil types was the opposite of that for leaf N, Cu, Na, Ni, Mg and S concentrations. Redundancy analysis (RDA) enables identification of the soil variables that best explain the variance pattern of plant response. The variation explained by the soil variables (15 soil elements and soil pH) was high (79%). The forward selection of soil variables identified soil Co, Mo, Ni, Ca and Zn concentrations as significantly influencing the ordination plant traits. The variation explained by these selected variables was 55%. Thus the five soil variables appeared to be the main factors determining the pattern variation of vegetative, reproductive and nutrient traits of Colchicum autumnale.

Concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were measured in rhizomes and fronds of the fern Athyrium filix-femina in relation to the concentrations of the same elements in soils developed on various parent rocks in the Gory Kaczawskie mountains (southwest Poland). This species was sampled from sites on greenstone, sandstone, metadiabase, crystalline limestone, rhyolite, metamudstone, mica and sericite schists and quartzite to verify the hypothesis that the elemental composition of A. filix-femina is different on each type of parent rock. We verified this hypothesis utilising the neural network method (SOFM). The self organising feature map (SOFM) was used to classify parent rock, soil, rhizomes and fronds of A. filix-femina based on the concentrations of elements. Elevated concentrations of elements accumulated in A. filix-femina were influenced by the geochemistry of different parent rock types on which this species grew indicating the bio indicative potential of this plant. SOFM was able to distinguish all types of parent rock based on the chemical composition of A. filix-femina . Therefore SOFM could be a future tool in recognising the type of plant substrate in the Gory Kaczawskie mountains by analysing the concentrations of elements in this species.

Concentrations of the elements Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were measured in the moss Pleurozium schreberi from the Tatra National Park, one of the most protected regions in Poland. The moss samples were collected at different elevations between 860 and 2220 m a.s.l. P. schreberi was used as bioindicator for long range transported atmospheric pollution investigating the hypothesis that elevation influences the concentrations of elements in this moss. Principal component and classification analysis (PCCA) distinguished between mosses from the highest and the lowest elevations and mosses from West/East oriented valleys. P. schreberi from the highest elevations contained the highest concentrations of Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, V and Zn. P. schreberi from the lowest elevation contained the highest concentration of K. P. schreberi from West/East oriented valleys contained the highest concentrations of Ni and Co. P. schreberi from the Tatra National Park, one of the most protected areas in Poland, receives metals originating from long distance aerial transport.

Metals deposited into ecosystems are non-degradable and become one of the major toxic agents which accumulate in habitats. Thus, their concentration requires precise monitoring. To evaluate pollution around a chlor-alkali plant, a glass smelter, two power plants and a ceramic and porcelain factory, we selected terrestrial mosses with different life forms: the orthotropic and endohydric Polytrichum commune and plagiotropic and ectohydric Pleurozium schreberi. Metal concentrations were determined in both species growing together at sites situated at various distances approximately 0.75, 1.5, 3 and 6 km from polluters. MARS analysis evaluated different tendencies of both species for Cd, Co and Pb accumulation depending on the distance from the emitter. In P. schreberi, the concentration of these metals diminished relatively rapidly with an increasing distance from the emitter up to 3000 m and then stabilised. For P. commune, a steady decrease could be observed with increasing the distance up to 6000 m. PCCA ordination explained that both species from the vicinity of the chlor-alkali plant were correlated with the highest Co, Cr, Cu, Fe and Pb as well as Mn and Ni concentrations in their tissues. The mosses from sites closest to both power plants were correlated with the highest Cd and Zn concentrations. P. commune contained significantly higher Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations compared to P. schreberi. This may be caused by the lamellae found in the leaves of P. commune which increase the surface area of the possible aerial absorption of contaminants. Soil may also be an additional source of metals, and it affects the uptake in endohydric P. commune more than in ectohydric P. schreberi. However, the precise explanation of these relations needs further investigation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-016-6278-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Concentrations of the elements Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in the fronds of the fern Athyrium distentifolium from the Sudety and Tatra mountains (Poland). The A. distentifolium sites in the Sudety mountains which were influenced by long-range metal transport from the former Black Triangle were distinguished by the principal component and classification analysis (PCCA). These sites were situated on the west side slopes of one of the ranges in the Sudety mountains (within a 150-km radius of the heart of the former Black Triangle) at an altitude of 700 m asl, and exposed to prevailing winds. This most affected area had significantly higher foliar concentrations of Cu, Cr and Ni which are typical for long-range transported airborne elements occurring in coal fly ash emitted by lignite combustion industry.

In this investigation we focus on the influence of pollution on concentration of elements in the medicinal Centaurium erythraea. This herb is collected from wild populations and also provides important information as monitor of environmental quality. Concentrations of Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, Ni, P, Pb, V and Zn in Centaurium erythraea and in the soil in which this plant grew were measured together with biometrical features of the species from sites affected by various levels of pollution. C. erythraea from sites polluted by lignite mining and industrial combustion had the highest concentrations of Cd, Co and Zn (principal component and classification analysis, PCCA). C. erythraea from sites influenced by ferrous-chromium and thermal power plants had the highest concentrations of Cr and Fe as well as Cu, Mn and Ni and the highest length of shoots and number of leaves, shoots, nodes, flowers and flowers on the main shoot. These luxurious growth forms were probably related to the highest concentrations of N, P and Fe in the soil and concentrations of N and K accumulated by C. erythraea on these sites as revealed by the established models. Controlling the collection of C. erythraea for medicinal purposes is recommended as this species is able to accumulate increased levels of metals from polluted sites. The medical quality of C. erythraea may be negatively related to the degree and type of pollution of the environment and should not be based on the luxurious growth of individuals which may contain hazardous levels of metals.

The paper shows the use of Kohonen's network for classification of basaltoides on the base of chemical properties of soils and Polypodium vulgare L. The study area was Lower Silesia (Poland). The archival data were: chemical composition of types of basaltoides from 89 sites (Al2O3, CaO, FeO, Fe2O3, K2O, MgO, MnO, Na2O, P2O5, SiO2 and TiO2), elements contents in soils (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Ti and Zn) and leaves of P. vulgare (Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, N, Ni, P, Pb, S, Ti and Zn) from 20 sites. Descriptive statistical parameters of soils and leaves chemical properties have been shown, statistical analyses using ANOVA and relationships between chemical elements were carried out, and SOFM models have been constructed. The study revealed that the ordination of individuals and groups of neurons in topological maps of plant and soil chemical properties are similar. The constructed models are related with significantly different contents of elements in plants and soils. These models represent different chemical types of soils and are connected with ordination of types of basaltoides worked out by SOFM model of TAS division. The SOFM appeared to be a useful technique for ordination of ecological data and provides a novel framework for the discovery and forecasting of ecosystem properties.