Articles

• Examination of the heavy metal uptake of carrot (daucus carota) in different soil types

  56-70

  György Szabó

  Krisztina Czellér

  Views:

  120

  In this paper the heavy metal uptake of carrot (Daucus carota) is studied in sample areas with different soil types. Our aim is to examine how the different soil types possessing different characteristics affect the heavy metal uptake and distribution in the plant. Correlation analyses were carried out in order to determine which of the total heavy metal concentrations and soil characteristics (pH, CaCO3-content, humus content, granulometric composition) play the most important role in the uptake of the Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Zn and in the metal distribution in the examined plant. Soil and plant samples were collected from 5 different Hungarian areas in July, 2008. In the cases of soils with different soil characteristics, the examined plants are supposed to give varied physiological responses. During the examination we proved that the genetic type and the heavy metal content of the soil do not significantly affect the heavy metal uptake of carrot. The granulometric composition of the soil has the most considerable effect but this factor only affects the rate of the metal uptake in 50% of the examined heavy metals (Ni, Mn, Zn).

  pdf

  175

• Land use change detection along the Pravara River basin in Maharashtra, using remote sensing and GIS techniques

  71-86

  Veena Joshi

  Vikas Nagare

  Views:

  96

  In the past few decades there has been an increasing pressure of population all over the world, especially in India, resulting in the utilization of every available patch of available land from woodlands to badlands. The study area represents a basin which is economically growing fast by converting the fallow lands, badlands and woodlands to agricultural land for the past few decades. IRS (Indian Remote sensing Satellites) 1 C – LISS III and IRS 1 C PAN and IRS P6 – LISS III and IRS 1 D PAN Images were merged to generate imageries with resolution matching to the landscape processes operating in the area. The images of the year 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007 were analyzed to detect the changes in the landuse and landcover in the past ten years. The analysis reveals that there has been 20% increase in the agricultural area over the past ten years. Built up area also has increased from 1.35% to 6.36% of the area and dense vegetation also has marginally increased. The remarkable increase in the agricultural area occurs owing to the reclaim of the natural ravines and fallow lands. Presently the area looks promising, but it is necessary to understand the sedimentological and geomorphological characteristics of the area before massive invasion on any such landscapes because the benefit may be short lived.

  pdf

  212

• Field pedological characterisation of two transects along the inner and outer sides of a sixty years old Tisza dike - a contribution to the problem of primary and secondary alkali grasslands

  87-112

  Tibor Tóth

  Roger Langohr

  Judit Becze-Deák

  Zsolt Molnár

  Views:

  49

  Two transects were studied by field pedological investigations and soil bulk electrical conductivity measurements in order to understand the effect of a 60 year old dike along the Tisza River on soil formation and vegetation composition. There were no great differences in the soil properties. The soil is more saline and wetter inside the dike and vegetation reflected this environment. We hypothesize that the increasing build up of the riverbed might contribute to the contrast in soil and groundwater salinity between the area inside and the area outside the dike, similarly as conceptualised by Kuti (1989) for the Danube area, but at a much smaller distance.

  pdf

  33

• Climate as a risk factor for tourism

  113-125

  Ákos Németh

  János Mika

  Views:

  178

  Weather and climate risk factors for tourism are surveyed and illustrated with regard to the expected climate changes in Hungary. These changes are not at all advantageous and which affect the business in question both directly and indirectly. These are the summer resort tourism (characterised by bioclimatic indices). Green tourism is the next one to characterise, including skiing, mountain climbing and eco-tourism, as well. Here both day-to-day weather extremes and long-lasting effects on the biota (e.g. drought, or inundation for plain-area eco-tourism). Last, but not least the urban (cultural- and shopping-) tourism is presented, since the large towns exhibit their special climate and different risks. The paper intends to specify these meteorological factors and effects also in terms of the different types of touristic activities. The general statements on the effect of weather and climate on tourism are illustrated by a few individual parameters and also by the so called Physiologically Equivalent Temperature. Annual and diurnal course of this parameter are presented, together with various trends in this variable at different sites and in different (hot and cold) extremities of the occurring values. Other examples, helping the tourism industry are presented in various climate conditions of the country. They include high precipitation and high relative humidity information. The paper also lists the possible adaptation measures to extreme events and also their likely changes in time.

  pdf

  63