Katarina Misikova

Altogether 41 epilithic bryophyte species were recorded from 20 Slovak castles and castle ruins. The prevailing habitats are dry substrates of calcareous stones, walls, daub, sporadically basalt or brick. In average 13 species were recorded on each site, the most common mosses were Tortula muralis, Anomodon viticulosus, Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum and Homalothecium sericeum. Úvod Komplexný výskum machorastov na hradoch a ruinách hradov a zámkov nebol doteraz na území Slovenska realizovaný. Tieto antropogénne prvky v krajine nie sú aktívne využívané, sú zväčša spustnuté a zarastené, takže predstavujú refúgiá pre viaceré najmä epilitické taxóny vyšších i nižších rastlín, ktorým tieto podmienky vyhovujú. Z hľadiska výskytu machorastov môžeme pozorovať opakovaný výskyt väčšiny taxónov na jednotlivých lokalitách z rôznych častí územia, takže môžeme hovoriť o hradoch a zrúcaninách ako o určitom biotope. Spomedzi machorastov bol zaznamenaný výskyt prevažne machov (Bryophyta), pečeňovky (Marchantiophyta) sa vyskytovali len zriedka. Machorasty obrastajú rôzny stavebný materiál ako pieskovce, vápence, žuly, obklady, dlažbu i maltu. Ich spoločenstvá preferujú ako substrát maltu, na ktorej sa časom môžu prejaviť účinky rozpadu spôsobeného prenikaním rizoidov (Garcia-Rowe & Saiz-Jimenez 2002). Údaje o výskyte machorastov na tomto type biotopov sú zo Slovenska ojedinelé, recentne uvádzané len ako súčasť floristických prác (Janovicová & Kubinská 2001). Metodika Terénny výskum bol realizovaný počas jesene 2009 a jarných a letných mesiacov roku 2010. Vzorky machorastov (Bryophyta, Marchantiophyta) boli zozbierané zo skúmaných lokalít, stien a múrov hradov a ich zrúcanín, taxóny viažuce sa na iný substrát/podklad neboli zaznamenané. Záujmové lokality boli vybrané zo zoznamu slovenských hradov a zámkov (tab. 1, obr. 1) na základe kritéria lokalizácie v kultúrnej krajine (antropogénne ovplyvnená, s vyššou frekvenciou pohybu turistov), zároveň však muselo byť splnené kritérium určitého stupňa zachovalosti objektu (aby nedošlo ku skresleniu údajov výskytom druhov, ktoré sa na dané objekty neviažu). Frekvencia výskytu taxónov je zaznamenaná podľa vzorca Fr [%] = (n 1 /N) x 100 (kde n 1 je počet lokalít, kde bola zaznamenaná prítomnosť daného druhu a N je počet všetkých sledovaných lokalít) .

A list of bryophytes of the Borská nížina Lowland, based on literary data and our own findings, is presented. Notes to substrate preference and threat are also included. Overall, 191 taxa were identified. Out of them 165 mosses (Bryophyta) and 26 liverworts (Marchantiophyta) were observed, 36 species (18.8%) are red-listed. The most numerous groups within red list categories are vulnerable (VU – 16) and threatened species (EN – 7). Many of these species were found in wetland habitats, which are currently scarce and threatened. From the phytogeographical viewpoint, the most abundant bryophytes are temperate ones which represents 45% of all species.

k. Mišíková, a. kubinská: Bryophytes of the site of Community importance rudava (the Borská nížina lowland, slovakia) abstract: During the field research of the Site of Community Importance Rudava, 51 bryophyte species were recorded, out of them 42 mosses (Bryophyta) and 9 liverworths (Marchantiophyta). The highest number of species (44) was observed on the locality Nadrlenisko near the village Prievaly. The most valuable habitats are the alder stands right near the river Rudava with high presence of hygrophilous, epixylic and terrestrial bryophytes and older specimens of deciduous trees as a substrate for epiphytic taxa. For the protection of epiphytic bryophytes is important to retain the older trees in forests and appropiate levels of moisture and shadowing. To maintain the species diversity of epixylic species, suitable substrates (e.g. fallen, dead tree trunks) and stable microclimatic conditions are necessary. ÚVOD Chránený areál Rudava (ANONyMUS, 2) je zaradený v rámci NATURA 2000 medzi Úze-mia európskeho významu (SKUEV0163). Nachádza sa v Bratislavskom a Trnavskom kraji, v okresoch Malacky a Senica, jeho rozloha je 2259 ha a leží v nadmorskej výške 185 – 215 m n. m. (ANONyMUS, 1). Oblasť Rudavy je charakterikteristická vysokou diver-zitou spoločenstiev a druhov rôznych organizmov, eviduje sa tu 17 biotopov európskeho významu a 6 národného významu (ANONyMUS, 1). Prevažnú časť územia tvoria lesné biotopy, od borovicových dúbrav po slatinné jelšiny (ANONyMUS, 1). Z hľadiska bryo-flóry sme terénny výskum, ktorého výsledky predkladáme, zamerali na jelšové porasty a brehy rieky Rudavy, ako aj mokraďové spoločenstvá a borovicové lesy.

In ten selected villages in Slovakia, 81 bryophytes (Marchantiophyta, Anthocerotophyta, Bryophyta) were found out. Species richness varied from 17 to 57 species on individual localities. The highest species number was observed in the village Párnica situated in the northern part of central Slovakia with more humid and colder climate, which probably positively affects the occurrence of several bryophytes. The lowest species numbers were observed in the lowland villages of southern Slovakia. In agricultural landscape, the highest species diversity is often related to the cemeteries and parks. In relation to the ecological groups, the most species occured on bare damp soil or on concrete and stony walls. In rural environment, the poly-and euhemerobic species and bryophytes less sensitive to SO 2 pollution are prevalent as sensitive ones. From phytogeographical viewpoint, temperate bryophytes are abundant.

Recent experiments showed that 5-fluorouracil (5FU), cisplatin (CDDP), etoposide (ET), and imatinib mesylate (IM), which are currently among the most widely used anticancer drugs, cause damage of the genetic material in higher plants. The aim of the present study was to determine whether mixtures of these drugs cause synergistic or antagonistic effects which may have an impact on their environmental safety. Therefore, the effects of binary mixtures of these anticancer drugs on the induction of micronuclei (MN) which reflect structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations were assessed in Tradescantia tetrads. Synergistic/antagonistic effects were determined by comparison with single exposures that would be equally effective in a reference model of independent action. This comparison was performed at two distinct effect sizes. We found clear evidence for synergisms in combination experiments with IM and antagonism in a high-dose experiment with ET and 5FU. Our findings indicate that IM increases the genotoxic effects of other anticancer drugs. The maximal effects which we found were in the range between 19 and 38 % in the excess of effect sizes predicted under independent action. These effects may have an impact on the overall genotoxic activities of untreated hospital waste waters but not on the environment in general as the predicted environmental concentrations of the studied drugs are several orders of magnitude lower as the levels which are required to cause induction of MN in higher plants.

Red mud (RM) is a byproduct of aluminum production; worldwide between 70 and 120 million tons is produced annually. We analyzed RM which was released in the course of the Kolontar disaster in Hungary into the environment in acute and genotoxicity experiments with plants which are widely used for environmental monitoring. We detected induction of micronuclei which reflect chromosomal damage in tetrads of Tradescantia and in root cells of Allium as well as retardation of root growth with contaminated soils and leachates. Chemical analyses showed that RM contains metals, in particular high concentrations of vanadium. Follow-up experiments indicated that vanadate causes the effects in the plants. This compound causes also in humans DNA damage and positive results were obtained in carcinogenicity studies. Since it was found also in RM from other production sites our findings indicate that its release in the environment is a global problem which should be studied in more detail. Our findings indicate that the red mud causes genotoxic effect in plants probably due to the presence of vanadate which is contained at high concentrations in the residue.

Aim of this study was to monitor the genotoxic effects of polluted air in Bratislava (Slovakia) with the Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MN) test. In situ monitoring was carried out at five locations during two seasons (years 2003 and 2004). Flower pots with Tradescantia paludosa (clone 03) plants were exposed for 6-8 weeks at the different sites each year. The highest MN levels were observed in the vicinity of an agrochemical factory (3.1 times higher than background level in 2003 and 2.7 times higher in 2004). Lower effects were seen when plants were exposed to urban traffic emissions or in the vicinity of a glass-producing plant (the MN frequencies ranged between 2.8 and 4.4 per 100 tetrads, respectively, while the control frequencies were 2.1-2.6 per 100 tetrads); exposure near a petrochemical plant had no significant effects. In pollen abortion assays, three wild growing species were used, namely, chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), old man's beard (Clematis vitalba L.) and common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris Mill.). Again, the strongest effects were observed close to the agrochemical industry (reduction of fertile pollen by 5.6%, 11.1% and 8.3% in chicory, old mans beard and in toadflax, respectively). Cichorium intybus was the most sensitive species and the number of abortive pollen grains was 5.1 times higher in specimens collected near the agrochemical factory than that seen at the control location. These observations indicate that contaminated urban air has an impact on the fertility of wild plants. Furthermore, it is interesting that the same rank order of effects was seen in pollen abortion assays as in the Trad-MN test (agrochemical industry>technical glass industry>/=traffic>city incinerator/petrochemical plant). These results confirm the sensitivity of the Tradescantia MN test and pollen abortion assays for the detection of air pollution, and show that distinct differences exist in genotoxicity of different sources of pollutants.