Chemometric approach to find relationships between physiological elements and elements causing toxic effects in herb roots by ICP-MS.

In this paper 13 elements, both physiological and causing toxic effects, were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in roots of 26 species of herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The herbs were purchased from online shop in two batches 1 year apart to verify the variability of elemental content in time. The multivariate statistical methods-multiple regression, canonical variates and interaction effect analysis-were applied to interpret the data and to show the relationships between elements and two batches of herb roots.

Water table depth, experimental warming, and reduced precipitation impact on litter decomposition in a temperate Sphagnum-peatland.

The Tea Bag Index (TBI) method was used to estimate the litter decomposition rate in peatland exposed for climate manipulation (increased temperature and reduced precipitation) at two contrasting sites differing in water table depth (WTD) dynamics. To manipulate climate on peatland, the prototyped Open Top Chambers (OTC) and automated rain-out shelters were used. OTCs increased daytime air temperatures by ~1.

Is the macrophyte diversification along the trophic gradient distinct enough for river monitoring?

The variation of a number of parameters characterizing aquatic plant assemblages in rivers across a wide trophic gradient was investigated to evaluate their usefulness for a Polish national river monitoring system. Analyses were conducted at 100 sites included in the national river monitoring system, representing a uniform river type, i.e.