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Ecological Questions
Journal Prestige (SJR): 0.13

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This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 1644-7298
Published by UMK

[22 journals]

Case study of noise pollution from vehicles and legal mechanisms for road
noise control
- Authors: Olena Stepova; Anastasiia Kornishyna, Iryna Lutsenko, Dmytro Kondratov, Andrii Borysov, Volodymyr Sydorenko
  Abstract: Among the many environmental problems of the modern world one of the important ones is noise pollution. Currently, noise pollution from vehicles requires special attention in densely populated and industrial cities, as there is a trend towards an increase in the areas of acoustic discomfort in built-up areas. The noise that occurs on the roadway of the highway extends not only to the territory near the highway, but also deep into the housing development. Study' objective was to assess noise pollution from vehicles in the most densely populated area of Poltava (Ukraine), as well as to establish the possibility of influencing the situation through legal mechanisms to have an understanding of further research directions and ways to achieve a comfortable urban environment in Ukraine. The noise levels from traffic flows were measured in accordance with GOST 20444-2014, using the Testo 815. To determine the equivalent noise level from the traffic flows movement, an empirical dependence was applied in accordance with the methodology of the State Agency for Highways of Ukraine. Determined that the daytime threshold values are exceeded by 20–28.9 dB(A), which is not acceptable. The reasons for the increase in noise are the road bumps, a significant number of cars and number of stops and streets junctions, the movement of vehicles at a non-constant speed, lack of roadside landscaping. About 62,550 people live in areas where the noise level exceeds the permissible value for the area near residential buildings. The calculation method used turned out to be more accurate than the measured results and showed a significant effect of traffic intensity on noise pollution. Apparently, the low measurement accuracy is justified by outdated road noise measurement standards, which, in turn, need to be seriously revised. Reducing noise levels by optimizing traffic flows is one of the priority areas in which it is necessary to bring the environmental legislation of Ukraine. Ukrainian legislation still needs to undergo many changes to reach a level where it can be used as a control lever to achieve a safe ecological environment.
  PubDate: Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +020
Chorology of rare dendroflora of the National Nature Park "Male Polissya"
(Ukraine) in zonal comparison
- Authors: Serhii Popovych; Borys Yakubenko, Maryna Tsybulia
  Abstract: Among scientists of various specialities there is still no unambiguous position about the zone belonging of the Male Polissya region ("Little Polissya", Ukraine). To confirm one of the positions, the authors of the article studied rare protected species of dendroflora of the National Nature Park (NNP) "Male Polissya" (deciduous forest zone) and other national parks that are close to it in the structure of flora and vegetation, and located within this and the northern mixed forest zone (Ukrainian Polissya). Methods of comparative florology have been used with the determination of coefficients of similarity of local floras. The results of chorological analysis, qualitative, quantitative and comparative assessment of rare species of dendromorphic plants of national nature parks in both natural zones have been presented. The analysis of similarity of rare fractions of local dendroflora revealed that the quality of plant species of the National Nature Park "Male Polissya" is more related to the national nature parks of mixed forest zone than to the national nature parks of deciduous forests. Among the national nature parks, deciduous forest zones have the highest levels of representativeness with Daphne cneorum, Hedera helix and Daphne mezereum, and mixed forest zones with Salix myrtilloum, Daphne cneorum, Dianthus psеudosquarrosus and Hedera helix. Therefore, for the national nature parks of both natural zones, the most representative is the species of wide chorological but narrow ecological amplitude, that is Daphne cneorum, which grows only in pale and dry sod-podzolic forestal ecotopes enriched with carbonates.
  PubDate: Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +020
Notes on the Threats to the Endemic Bengal Mongoose from the Nalban
Fisheries Complex in West Bengal, India
- Authors: Suktara Chakraborti; Kranti Yardi, Sajan John, Priyankar Chakraborty
  Abstract: A lack of current data on Bengal mongoose Herpestes palustris in India inhibits the development of conservation strategies for this endemic wetland mammal. Structured interviews were conducted to assess the threats and examine the ecological importance of the Bengal mongoose in the Nalban fisheries complex in West Bengal for four months (May to August 2017). Over half of the interviewees perceived that the Bengal mongoose faces several threats and that its population has declined over the years. The respondents said that the removal of vegetation is the main reason for the declining mongoose numbers. The ecological importance of the mongoose was apparent among most interviewees. The results suggest that the endemic Bengal mongoose faces multiple anthropogenic hazards and emphasize the critical need for conservation efforts.
  PubDate: Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +020
Dynamics of the range of Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link (Fabaceae) in Eastern
Europe (Ukraine and Belarus)
- Authors: Victor Melnyk; Alexander Baransky, Sergey Savchuk, Dmitryi Dubovyk, Artem Leostrin, Natalia Melnyczenko
  Abstract: Regularities of dynamics of geographical didstribution of Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link., Fabaceae) in the East European plain (Ukraine, Belorus) over the past 200 years are established. This species absent in floristic reports of XIX century, so for at that time it was not the component of native flora of this region. It was a cultivated species in forestries for wild animals forage. From places of cultivation C. scoparius was penetrated to natural ecosystems, occupying the niches in outskirts of forest massives, forest openings, forest cultivated coenoses, in ecotons between forests and ploughed fields, along forest rouds and paths. The rate of migration of C. scoparius increase in XX century and especially in XXI century in connections with getting warmer of climate and intensive anthropogenic change of environment (wood felling on a mass scale, absence of treatnunt on a vast places of ploughed fields, presents of many open pits and dumps of rocks, where C. scoparius found suitable habitats). Strong frost and drought are slow down, but do not stop migrating of C. scoparius in East. Inclution C. scoparius in Red Date Book of former Soviet Union was mistakenly.
  PubDate: Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +020
Spatio-Statistical Analysis of Temperature and Trend Detection in
Baluchistan, Pakistan
- Authors: Muhammad Rafiq; Yue Cong Li, Yanpei Cheng, Ghani Rahman, Ahmad Ali, Muhammad Iqbal, Ammara Latif , Imtiaz Ali, Aqsa Rehan, Aun Zahoor, Rahat Ullah
  Abstract: The assessment of temperature variability in any region of the world is important for prior planning in the context of current climate change. The mean monthly, seasonal and annual temperature data of nine meteorological stations was analysed in this study to determine the temperature variability and trend in Baluchistan province, Pakistan. The non-parametric Mann–Kendall and Sen’s slope estimator were applied to investigate the temperature trend pattern in the study Temperature data from the relevant meteorological stations (met-stations) were collected for this purpose from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and the National Center for Environmental Information. The result revealed an increasing significant trend (IST) in the mean annual temperature at Dalbandin, Kalat, Quetta, Zhob and Gawadar meteorological stations. While the seasonal minimum, maximum and mean temperature showed trend fluctuations in winter, spring and autumn seasons. In the seasonal analysis, the increasing trend has been detected in most of the meteorological stations (Dalbandin, Kalat, Quetta, Zhob, Khuzdar, Lasbella, Gawadar) in all four seasons. Whereas in Sibi met-station, a decreasing significant trend (DST) was recorded in summer (minimum, maximum and mean) and the met-station Barkhan recorded decreasing trend in maximum temperature in the autumn season. The Baluchistan province is totally spread over an arid and semiarid area of Pakistan where temperature fluctuations further aggravate the deprived agriculture and sparse natural vegetation.
  PubDate: Sun, 15 May 2022 00:00:00 +020
The effect of dust particles on the wettability of some native plants in
Zagros Mountains, Iran
- Authors: Amir Karimdoost Yasuri
  Abstract: In recent years, in addition to pollution from cars, factories and other polluting devices, the country of Iran has been the destination of dust that have entered from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and caused pollution of the climate. In this research, the wettability of some native plants in Zagros Mountains has been investigated experimentally by measuring the contact angle. Sampling of oak trees of Quercus brantii Lindl. species was carried out around Khorramabad city, Nozhian waterfall, Chegheni city, and recreation area of Shoorab forest park. Forty samples of oak leaves, red mulberries of Morus rubra L. species and white mulberries of Morus alba L. species were randomly selected and the contact angle of the water drop on them was measured using a contact angle goniometer and also separately measured by Image J software. Under the influence of the dust, it was observed that the contact angle of the leaf area was completely eliminated, but the contact angle of the abaxial leaf surface had not changed; this change in the contact angle seem to be due to the loss of acylic cyst of the oak leaf caused by the disruption of the photosynthesis operation. Oak trees absorb contaminants. This problem eliminates leaf pores and dry leaves. Also, results show that the oak leaves are hydrophobic and have good resistance to drought. However, the presence of a lot of dust causes water droplets to spread completely on the oak leaves, thus reducing watering to the roots. As a result, dust reduces the resistance and resilience of oak trees against drought. Present study is very important for protection and monitoring of forest health and prevention of the reduction of plant species diversity.
  PubDate: Sun, 15 May 2022 00:00:00 +020