Roadside environments are among the most polluted zones in the landscape, where airborne particulate matter (PM) and the elements it contains settle on plants, forming a physico-chemical stress layer for herbivorous organisms. Although some insects — especially species considered plant pests — are sometimes observed in high numbers in such locations, this can lead to the mistaken belief that pollution does not significantly affect them.

In 2022, the SGGW campus, which has been inhabited for years by the acorn weevil (Curculio gladium), saw a large infestation of the oak moth (Cydia amplana).

A study recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management by a team from the Bialystok University of Technology, Centre for Climate Research SGGW (Poland), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) and the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) examines peatlands in the Neman River basin.

When Christmas trees appear in homes and the scent of pine needles mixes with the aroma of gingerbread, an article has been published that encourages us to look at the Christmas tree from a completely different perspective—through the prism of air quality.

We’re excited to announce that Pouya Ghezelayagh’s PRELUDIUM NCN project has been awarded. The project focuses on implementing a novel remote sensing–based approach to estimate peatland carbon emissions across Poland using satellite radar data.

This question has accompanied research into the role of plants in air purification for years. It is known that leaves capture suspended dust, but their retention capacity is temporary—after rain, some of the pollutants are washed off the leaf surface. Since natural rain is variable and difficult to control, simulated rain generated in laboratory conditions is often used in experiments. On this basis, conclusions are drawn about how rain affects the retention of pollutants on plants in the environment.

For many, roadside embankments are just a piece of land... but for scientists at the Centre for Climate Research of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, they are much more!

Microplastic (MP) particles - plastic fines smaller than 5 mm in size - are a ubiquitous pollutant in waters around the world. In a recent review of the scientific literature, researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (Dr. Paulina Cholewinska, Dr. Konrad Wojnarowski, Prof. Dusan Palić) and Wroclaw University of Life Sciences (Dr. Przemyslaw Pokorny), and Dr. Hanna Moniuszko from SGGW's Climate Research Center, analyzed the distribution and types of MP detected in fresh and saline waters, as well as the microbiological implications of this pollution.

Our recent publication in the prestigious journal Environmental Pollution shows that frequent rainfall or regular sprinkling of water on plants (e.g., during watering) can increase the efficiency of particulate matter (PM) removal from the air by up to three times - and potentially up to six times - compared to situations with no or less frequent rainfall.