The effects of base station as an electromagnetic radiation source on flower and cone yield and germination percentage in Pinus brutia Ten

Review on the impact of cell phone radiation effects on green plants

The aim of this review is to assess the impact of cell phone radiation effects on green plants. Rapid progress in networking and communication systems has introduced frequency- and amplitude-modulated technologies to the world with higher allowed bands and greater speed by using high-powered radio generators, which facilitate high definition connectivity, rapid transfer of larger data files, and quick multiple accesses. These cause frequent exposure of cellular radiation to the biological world from a number of sources. Key factors like a range of frequencies, time durations, power densities, and electric fields were found to have differential impacts on the growth and development of green plants. As far as the effects on green plants are concerned in this review, alterations in their morphological characteristics like overall growth, canopy density, and pigmentation to physiological variations like chlorophyll fluorescence and change in membrane potential etc. have been found to be affected by cellular radiation. On the other hand, elevated oxidative status of the cell, macromolecular damage, and lipid peroxidation have been found frequently. On the chromosomal level, micronuclei formation, spindle detachments, and increased mitotic indexes etc. have been noticed. Transcription factors were found to be overexpressed in many cases due to the cellular radiation impact, which shows effects at the molecular level.

Assessment of metals (Ni, Ba) deposition in plant types and their organs at Mersin City, Türkiye

The increase in heavy metal concentrations in the air, especially after the Industrial Revolution, is notable for the scientific world because of the adverse effects that threaten environmental and human health. Among the trace elements, nickel (Ni) is carcinogenic, and all barium (Ba) compounds are toxic. Trace elements are critical for human and environmental health. Their threat further increases, especially in the urban areas and surroundings with a high population. In urban areas, the trace element contamination in the airborne can be reduced using plants. However, which plant and plant organs absorb trace elements could not be determined. In the present study, Ni and Ba concentrations in the branch, wood, and leaf samples of 14 species collected from the city center of Mersin province were determined. As a result, broad-leaved species' Ni and Ba concentrations in their leaf sample were generally higher than other species. Almost all species had the lowest Ni and Ba concentrations in their wood samples. Among these 14 species, it was found that Ni concentration was very high, especially in non-washed leaves of Platanus orientalis, Photinia serrulata, and Citrus reticulate, and Ba concentration was very high in Citrus reticulata, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Laurus nobilis, and Acer hyrcanum. Using broad-leaved species in urban areas where pollution is at high levels will significantly contribute to reducing Ni and Ba pollution. It is recommended that these points be considered in future urban landscaping projects.

Biological effects of electromagnetic fields on insects: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Worldwide, insects are declining at an alarming rate. Among other causes, the use of pesticides and modern agricultural practices play a major role in this. Cumulative effects of multiple low-dose toxins and the distribution of toxicants in nature have only started to be investigated in a methodical way. Existing research indicates another factor of anthropogenic origin that could have subtle harmful effects: the increasingly frequent use of electromagnetic fields (EMF) from man-made technologies. This systematic review summarizes the results of studies investigating the toxicity of electromagnetic fields in insects. The main objective of this review is to weigh the evidence regarding detrimental effects on insects from the increasing technological infrastructure, with a particular focus on power lines and the cellular network. The next generation of mobile communication technologies, 5G, is being deployed - without having been tested in respect of potential toxic effects. With humanity's quest for pervasiveness of technology, even modest effects of electromagnetic fields on organisms could eventually reach a saturation level that can no longer be ignored. An overview of reported effects and biological mechanisms of exposure to electromagnetic fields, which addresses new findings in cell biology, is included. Biological effects of non-thermal EMF on insects are clearly proven in the laboratory, but only partly in the field, thus the wider ecological implications are still unknown. There is a need for more field studies, but extrapolating from the laboratory, as is common practice in ecotoxicology, already warrants increasing the threat level of environmental EMF impact on insects.

Usability of biomonitors in monitoring the change of tin concentration in the air

Air pollution, a pressing global issue, encompasses various harmful elements, with heavy metals being particularly significant pollutants affecting all forms of life. Effective monitoring and regulation of heavy metal concentrations, especially in the atmosphere, is pivotal. Employing trees as biomonitors emerges as a potent tool, particularly in retrospectively assessing long-term heavy metal contamination trends. This study aims to furnish insights into both tin (Sn) pollutants and the most suitable species for monitoring and mitigating such pollution. Within this study's ambit, samples were collected from Pinus pinaster, Cupressus arizonica, Picea orientalis, Cedrus atlantica, and Pseudotsuga menziesii species in Duzce Province. This area, ranked as the fourth-most air-polluted in Europe according to the World Air Pollution Report, was examined to discern changes in Sn concentration across species, organs, orientations, and age groups over the last four decades. The findings revealed varying potentials for Sn accumulation among the species. Specifically, Pinus pinaster and Picea orientalis were identified as suitable species for monitoring Sn pollution, while Cupressus arizonica, Cedrus atlantica, and Pseudotsuga menziesii exhibited potential for reducing Sn pollution.

Variation of Al concentrations depending on the growing environment in some indoor plants that used in architectural designs

Today, most of people's time is spent indoors. Air pollution indoors is much higher than outdoors. Therefore, the effect of indoor air on human health is much more than the outside air. One of the most effective methods of reducing indoor air pollution is the use of plants. However, in order for the plants to be used effectively for this purpose, it is first necessary to determine which plants are the most effective in reducing which pollutants. Within the scope of this study, the Al accumulation potential of seven ornamental plants, which are frequently used in interior architectural designs, was evaluated. Within the scope of the study, the variation of Al concentrations on the basis of species and environment was determined in plants grown in control, smoking environment, and traffic environment. As a result of the study, it was determined that Al concentrations changed statistically significantly both on the basis of environment and species, and the species with the highest Al accumulation potential was difenbahya.

GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis for settlement areas: a case study in Canik

In addition to global population growth due to migration from rural areas to urban areas, population density is constantly increasing in certain regions, thereby necessitating the introduction of new settlements in these regions. However, in the selection of settlement areas, no sufficient preliminary examinations have been conducted; consequently, various natural disasters may cause significant life and property losses. Herein, the most suitable settlement areas were determined using GIS (geographic information systems) in Canik District, where the population is continuously increasing. Therefore, this study aimed to incorporate a new perspective into studies on this subject. Within the scope of the study, landslide and flood risks, which are among the most important natural disasters in the region, were primarily evaluated, and high-risk areas were determined. Elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, lithology, topographic humidity index (TWI), and proximity to river parameters were used to produce flood susceptibility maps. A digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area was produced using contours on the 1/25,000 scaled topographic map. The elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, and TWI parameters were produced from the DEM using the relevant analysis routines of ArcGIS software. The raster map of each parameter was divided into 5 subclasses using the natural breaks classification method. In the reclassified raster maps, the most flood-sensitive or flood-prone subclasses were assigned a value of 5, and the least sensitive subclasses were assigned a value of 1. Then, the reclassified maps of the 7 parameters were collected using the "map algebra" function of ArcGIS 10.5 software, and the flood susceptibility index (FSI) map of the study area was obtained. The flood susceptibility map of the study area was obtained by dividing the FSI into 5 subclasses (very low, low, moderate, high, and very high) according to the natural breaks classification method. Thereafter, suitable and unsuitable areas in terms of biocomfort, which affects people's health, peace, comfort, and psychology and is significant in terms of energy efficiency, were determined. At the last stage of the study, the most suitable settlement areas that were suitable in terms of both biocomfort and low levels of landslide and flood risks were determined. The calculated proportion of such areas to the total study area was only 2.1%. Therefore, because these areas were insufficient for the establishment of new settlements, areas that had low landslide and flood risks but were unsuitable for biocomfort were secondarily determined; the ratio of these areas was calculated as 56.8%. The remaining areas were inconvenient for the establishment of settlements due to the risk of landslides and floods; the ratio of these areas was calculated as 41.1%. This study is exemplary in that the priority for the selection of settlement areas was specified, and this method can be applied for selecting new settlements for each region considering different criteria. Due to the risk of landslides or flooding in the study area, the areas unsuitable for establishing a settlement covered approximately 41.1% of the total study area. The areas that had low flood and landslide risks but were suitable for biocomfort constituted only 2.1% of the study area. In approximately 56.8% of the study area, the risk of landslides or floods was low, and these areas were unsuitable in terms of biocomfort. Therefore, these areas were secondarily preferred as settlement areas. The most suitable areas for settlements constituted only 0.19% of the total study area, and these areas will not be able to meet the increasing demand for settlement area. Therefore, it is recommended to select areas that do not have the risk of landslides and floods but are unsuitable for biocomfort. This study reveals that grading should be performed in the selection of settlement areas. When choosing a settlement area in any region, possible natural disasters in the region should be identified first, and these disasters should be ordered in terms of their threat potential. Moreover, biocomfort areas suitable for settlements should be considered. In the next stages of settlement area selection, the criteria that affect the peace and comfort of people, such as distance to pollution sources, distance to noise sources, and proximity to natural areas, should also be evaluated. Thus, a priority order should be created for the selection of settlement areas using various other criteria.

The effects of climate change scenarios on Tilia ssp. in Turkey

Global climate change will cause significant changes in climate parameters, especially temperature increases and changes in precipitation regimes worldwide. Since the life of living things is directly related to climate parameters, this process will inevitably affect all living things. The plants will be the most affected living things from this process because they do not have an effective movement and migration mechanism. Therefore, global climate change will cause significant species and population losses in plants. To minimize the potential loss of species and populations, it is necessary to predetermine the potential changes in species' distribution areas and take necessary actions. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the distribution areas of three Tilia species (Tilia tomentosa, Tilia cordata, and Tilia platyphyllos), which have economic, ecologic, and social value and show the local distribution in Turkey and to determine how they will be affected by global climate change. Within this scope, nineteen bioclimatic variables, Emberger climate classification, aspect, and topographic altitude variable were used in the modeling process. By modeling the scenarios SSP 245 and SSP 585, the projections were made for 2040, 2060, 2080, and 2100 regarding the areas suitable for the growth of these species and how these areas will change compared to their current situation. The results suggest that the distribution areas of all three Tilia species will change due to climate change, and the area of loss will be 43.5 km² (4%) for T. tomentosa, 9953.6 km² (15%) for T. platyphyllos, and 448.0 km² (19%) for T. cordata. Moreover, a more important point here is that increases and decreases will be observed in their distribution areas, and these changes will occur in a short process and at significant levels. In this case, the migration mechanism that these species will require must be provided by humans.

The effects of increased exposure time to UV-B radiation on germination and seedling development of Anatolian black pine seeds

Exhaustion of stratospheric ozone found at a height of 10-30 km around the world causes the solar UV-B (280-320 nm) radiation to penetrate through the atmosphere more, and thus to reach the Earth's surface quicker. The protective ozone layer gets damaged by human activities constantly, and the increasing levels of UV radiation present threats to all life forms, plants, animals, and even microorganisms. However, the studies conducted on the effects of UV radiation on plants, and especially forest trees, are rather limited. In this study, it was aimed to identify the effects of UV-B radiation on some germination and seedling characteristics of Anatolian black pine seeds. Within the scope of the study, seeds were exposed to UV-B radiation for 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min for germination experiments; and the germination speed (GS) was calculated as the ratio of the germinated seeds to the solid seeds at the end of the 7th day, whereas the germination percentage (GP) was calculated as the ratio of the germinated seeds to the solid seeds at the end of the 35th day. The seeds reserved for the seedling experiment were exposed to UV-B radiation for 1, 3, 5, and 7 h. With the measurements made at the end of the day, the seedling length (SL), the terminal bud length (TBL), the branch number (BN), the root collar diameter (RCD), the stem fresh weight (SFW), the root fresh weight (RFW), the stem dry weight (SDW) and the root dry weight (RDW), and the rooting percentage (RP) were determined. Variance analysis and Duncan test were applied to the obtained data with the help of SPSS package program. The study results revealed that the exposure time to increased UV-B radiation significantly affected all characters; the least affected character was RP, and that the most affected characters were RDW, SDW, and RCD. As a result of the study, it was found that even the applications with the lowest intensity took effect in most of the characters, that the seedling development decreased by more than 80% in terms of some characters at the end of 7-h application, and that even the decrease in the RP character, which was the least affected by the 7-h UV-B application, was above 50%.