Plastic invasion tolling: First evaluation of microplastics in water and two crab species from the nature reserve lagoonary complex of Kune-Vain, Albania.

Microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging global challenge and actually has become a reality in aquatic ecosystems in Albania. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report of 2019, Albania, is one of the most problematic countries, with the highest percentage of untreated plastic waste, 73 %, and one of the top four countries with the highest norm of untreated plastic waste in the Mediterranean. This study evaluates and characterizes for the first time the MPs in water, sediment, and gastrointestinal tracts of two crab species, C.

Alpine ecology, plant biodiversity and photosynthetic performance of marker plants in a nitrogen gradient induced by Alnus bushes.

Background: Alpine alder vegetation acts upon the nearby grass and dwarf shrub vegetation by the nitrogen supply from the symbiotic bacteria Frankia alni of Alnus viridis. This has been studied in two transects concerning plant distribution, plant diversity, nitrate concentration in soil and photosynthetic performance of specific marker plants.

Results: Away from the alder stand, a band of some meters was dominated by Calamagrostis varia which then was followed by alpine dwarf shrub vegetation.