Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a by-product of olive oil production that, in its pure state, pollutes and harms the environment. We aim to minimize its polluting effect and investigate the impact of its direct application at diluted doses on soil quality and legume growth. In a pot experiment, the OMW doses of 12.5%, 25%, 50%, and 75% were applied and the growth of lentil and faba bean seedlings was studied. Fresh sampling of OMW was conducted in a modern cold extraction oil mill located in north eastern Algeria. Physicochemical properties of OMW and soil as well as plant physiological parameters are studied. The OMW used is a highly acidic effluent and rich in organic matter (56.29 ± 1.05 g/L) and mineral content (10.33 ± 0.2 g/L). The dose of 75% has significantly improved the properties of the soil by increasing its organic matter and electrical conductivity, and has also increased the leaf area of the plants. On the other hand the dose of 12.5% has improved plant height, leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, and total chlorophyll content. The research has shown that it is possible to use the OMW at diluted doses to improve soil quality in degraded land and food legume growth. Faba bean grew well in all soils treated by diluted OMW; it can be considered a tolerant plant to its pollutant effect, while lentil is sensitive and its growth is reduced by the increasing OMW dose. OMW is suitable for the vegetative development of food legumes, and it will be beneficial as a bio-fertilizer load of inorganic fertilizer used to enhance soil quality and its diluted form lessen its polluting impact on the environment and it is probably mostly important in semi-arid areas poor in organic matter.

The allelopathy exerted by invasive plants is a crucial factor in their successful invasion. The allelochemicals of invasive plants are predominantly produced by their aboveground (mainly leaves) and belowground (i.e., root) parts. Furthermore, drought is becoming increasingly prevalent, which may result in an intensification of the allelopathy of invasive plants. However, there has been a paucity of research investigating the effects of drought stress on the allelopathy of invasive plants, particularly with regard to the aboveground and belowground parts. This study aimed to elucidate the allelopathy of the independent and combined aboveground and belowground parts of the notorious Asteraceae invasive plant Solidago canadensis L. on the seed germination and seedling growth of the horticultural Asteraceae species Lactuca sativa L. under drought stress. Solidago canadensis (particularly aboveground part, and combined aboveground and belowground parts) on L. sativa seed germination was clearly evident, yet it also resulted in an increase in L. sativa seedling growth. The aboveground part of S. canadensis exhibited a more pronounced allelopathy on L. sativa seed germination than its belowground part. The belowground part of S. canadensis exerted a more pronounced allelopathy on L. sativa seedling growth than its aboveground part. The combined aboveground and belowground parts of S. canadensis exhibited a synergistic effect on L. sativa seed germination, while exhibited an antagonistic effect on L. sativa seedling growth. Drought stress significantly intensified the allelopathy of S. canadensis. Severe drought stress was found to intensify the allelopathy of the belowground part to a greater extent than that of the aboveground part. Accordingly, drought stress, especially severe drought stress, may facilitate the invasion process of S. canadensis via the intensified allelopathy, especially exerted by the belowground part.

Necrophobia is a widespread phenomenon in animals. Contact with a dead body may involve a potentially fatal threat, as corpses are often sources of infections. Ants recognize corpses based on specific chemical cues and dispose of them by taking them out from their activity zone, frequently piling them up in so-called ‘cemeteries’. Necrophoresis (active disposal of corpses by physical removal), besides reducing the risk of infection for the particular species performing it, can also elicit necrophobia in other species living nearby. Some field observations suggest that in certain ant species corpses can be used to limit the activity of neighbouring colonies of competing species. In our study, we experimentally tested the effects of carcasses of dominant territorial Formica polyctena on the activity of F. cinerea ant under field conditions. We used F. polyctena workers freshly killed at low temperature with a preserved cuticular hydrocarbon profile and, for comparison, corpses stripped of their natural chemical label (washed in n-hexane). Our results confirmed the inhibitory effect of corpses, as the activity of workers correlated negatively with the number of corpses. On average the washed corpses reduced the ant activity by 9%, whereas the corpses with the preserved CHCs signature by 30%. Moreover, in some cases, the presence of washed corpses even increased the activity that did not happen in the other corpse type. Therefore, ant carcasses could be used as signals in interspecific competitive relationships. Whether, by whom and how common is their use should be the subject of further studies.

The white stork, Ciconia ciconia, is both a species familiar and charismatic to the public and a subject of extensive scientific research. Poland harbours a substantial breeding population of this species, characterized by behaviours typical of long-distance migrants. To chart a future course for research on Poland's white stork population, to deepen our understanding of its biology as well as advance conservation efforts, consultations were held with 41 Polish researchers engaged with this species. Collectively, these experts proposed 208 research queries, which were subsequently refined and condensed to 60, and each was categorized into one of 12 thematic groups identified throughout the process. An examination of the barriers to realizing these research topics (n = 60) was also undertaken. Identified impediments encompass e.g. financial limitations (12%), labour intensity (13%), and the lack of clarity in methodological directives (20%). Notably, a significant portion of these issues (42%) were deemed less appealing for scientific exploration, particularly when the anticipated impact of publication—gauged by the prestige of the scientific journal—does not align proportionately with the required time and financial investment. Nonetheless, we anticipate shifts in the priorities and practicability of these research topics, owing to substantial technological advancements in both field data acquisition and subsequent analysis. Consequently, we advocate for a continuous review process, such as a re-evaluation every 5 to 10 years, to reassess the relevancy of these topics, incorporating new ideas or potentially discarding some. Additionally, AI Chat GPT 4.0 was employed to perform similar analyses as those conducted by the authorial team. These data, which are challenging to interpret unambiguously, may also be utilized in the future for comparisons between the usefulness of topics proposed by experts and the language model.

Capturing birds during egg-laying or incubation to determine their condition often results in brood abandonment – up to 40% of broods for the great tit Parus major. At the same time, the weight of birds during the feeding of young is most often completely different (lower) than during incubation. Hole nesting birds are frequently the object of research, as they easily accept artificial nesting sites, i.e., nest boxes. We tested the possibility of determining the weight of an incubating female great tit without its capture by modifying the nest box to make it easily removable, allowing the female to be weighed along with the box. By taking measurements in such a way, we were able to determine the weight of the incubating female without breeding losses and brood abandonment. We also present changes in the weight of the same individuals (N = 15) during successive broods in the same season. These females were weighed twice during the incubation and feeding of nestlings during two broods (6 measurements in total per season). The presumed pattern was found, i.e., reduction in weight during the feeding of young. Females at the beginning of incubation of the first and second broods had similar weights, indicating that they rebuild their condition very quickly after the first brood's young have fledged. The proposed method is particularly recommended for determining the weight of birds during the initial stages of reproduction (nest building, egg laying and incubation) during which birds are most vulnerable to disturbances after having been captured.