Search Results (16)

Hydrotechnical structures reshape sandy coasts by altering hydrodynamics and sediment transport, yet their long-term effects on sediment texture remain underexplored, particularly in the Baltic Sea. This study investigates the spatial and temporal variations in sediment grain size near two ports (Šventoji and Klaipėda) on the sandy Baltic Sea coast, considering the influence of jetties, nourishment, and geological framework. A total of 246 surface sand samples were collected from beach and foredune zones between 1993 and 2018. These samples were analyzed in relation to shoreline changes, hydrodynamic data, and geological context. The results show that sediment texture is most affected within 1–2 km downdrift and up to 4–5 km updrift of port structures. Downdrift areas tend to contain coarser, poorly sorted sediments because of erosion and the exposure of deeper strata, while updrift zones accumulate finer, well-sorted sands via longshore transport. In the long term, the geological framework controls sediment characteristics. In the medium term, introduced material that differs in grain size from natural beach sediments may alter the texture of the sediment, either coarsening or refining it. The latter slowly returns to its natural texture. Short-term changes are driven by storm events. These findings highlight the importance of integrating structural interventions, nourishment practices, and geological understanding for sustainable coastal management. Full article

(1) Background: The article addresses the issue of geospatial dynamics of Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic boundaries in Southeastern Lithuania (SEL) that were influenced by long-term Lithuanian–Slavic linguistic competition. The aim of the study was to reconstruct the Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic boundaries and reveal the intensive contact zones in the late 19th century based on published data. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the geospatial changes in the ethnolinguistic situation in the research area during the period 1890–2021. (2) Methods: The ESRI ArcGIS technology geoprocessing tools were applied for boundary reconstruction and geospatial change detection. Cartographic materials, statistical data, and national census information were utilized in the process. (3) Results: The gained results provided a better understanding of Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic dynamics over space and time in the research area. The study reveals that the ethnolinguistic boundary in the Vilnius–Trakai urbanized area shifted in favor of the Lithuanian language, suggesting its potential influence on the metropolitan suburbs in the future. However, insufficient social infrastructure and weak economic development in rural settlements have led to a negative migration balance, a low birth rate, and rapid population aging. These challenges might have a negative effect on the future survival of the Lithuanian language in the multilingual rural area of SEL, especially considering the recent geopolitical realia in the region. (4) Conclusions: The study anticipates an increase in the influence of the Lithuanian language in the Vilnius–Trakai metropolitan area at the expense of further decline in the rural Lithuanian-speaking population in the next decade. Full article

Climate change is leading to an annual increase in extreme conditions. Public health is closely related to weather conditions; hence, climate change becomes a major factor concerning every-day human health conditions. The most common extreme natural phenomenon that affects people’s health is the summer heat wave. During the 21st century, as the air temperature continues to rise, the sea surface temperature (SST) rises along with it, especially along the seacoasts. More massive water bodies, such as seas or larger lagoons, that warm up during the day do not allow the ambient air to cool down quickly, causing the air temperature to often be warmer at night in the coastal area than in the continental part of the continent. Currently, not only an increase in the number of days with heat waves is observed, but also an increase in the number of tropical nights in the coastal zone of the Southeastern Baltic Sea. In this work, heat waves are analyzed in the seaside resorts of Lithuania, where the effects of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon are most dominant. Full article

Hydrological drought poses a major global challenge, exacerbated by climate change and increasing water demand, leading to water scarcity, environmental degradation, and socioeconomic impacts. Thereby, there is a need for comprehensive methods to assess and predict hydrological droughts. The methodology part was based on the calculation of hydrological drought risk components—hazard and vulnerability—according to the equal weight scale of each variable. The spatial distribution of point values was performed by the inverse distance weighting interpolation method. To calculate indices, the spatial layer overlapping of variables was performed using the Raster Calculator tool. Statistical tools were used to estimate drought risk in river catchments. As a result, three main maps were prepared: The hydrological drought hazard index, the hydrological drought vulnerability index, and the hydrological drought risk. These maps highlight regional variations in drought hazards, vulnerability, and risk. Hazard and risk index values are higher in the northern part of Lithuania and lower in the south. The central region exhibits the highest percentage of areas at high and very high risk; the western region shows less risk due to a maritime climate; and the Southeastern region demonstrates the lowest susceptibility to hydrological drought due to physical-geographical factors. Full article

The beginning of 2022 was a time of major changes in the perception of energy availability and security in European countries. The aggression of Russia against Ukraine destabilizing the European energy economy, combined with the withdrawal from fossil fuels which has been going on for a dozen years, has strengthened activities to introduce new energy technologies based on renewable energy sources. One of the most promising and stable sources of renewable energy is geothermal energy, in particular enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) in hot dry rocks (HDR). These deposits occur at a great depth in almost every place on Earth, but due to their low permeability, they require hydraulic fracturing, which results in high investment costs. This technology has been developed for several decades. The current situation in Europe seems to confirm that its rapid development to a level that guarantees stable and profitable operation is crucial. This is of particular importance in the case of former member states of the economic zone of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, which until recently were heavily dependent on Russian energy. This review, based on the latest available data, covers potential HDR prospective areas in the countries of the south-eastern Baltic basin, including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland. It is specific to this region that the original heat flux density is lower as a result of the paleoclimatic effect associated with the youngest ice age; however, thermal conditions do not deviate too much compared to western Europe, especially Rhine Graben, and significantly exceed the conditions of Finland, where an EGS project is currently being operated. In Lithuania, the most prospective area is the ZNI intrusion (south of Klaipeda), characterized by a geothermal gradient of up to 40 °C/1000 m. In addition, the Precambrian batholith south of Liepāja (Latvia) and the Rapakivi granites in the north and center of Estonia are promising EGS sites. Poland has relatively the most explored EGS potential, in both volcanic, crystalline and sedimentary rocks, especially in the area of the Szczecin Trough, Gorzów Block, Moglino-Łódź Trough and Karkonosze Mountains. Unfortunately, local tectonic conditions, in particular the development of faults and natural fracture zones that affect the directions of fracture propagation during hydraulic fracturing, have not been sufficiently recognized, which is one of the main barriers to the expansion of EGS pilot projects in these countries. These issues present challenges for the researchers, especially in terms of petrophysical analyses of rocks in target zones and local stress conditions, which have a key impact on fracturing operations and profitability of the systems. Despite high investment costs on the one hand and a significant slowdown in the global economy in 2022 on the other, it remains hopeful that the authorities of individual countries will decide to accelerate research work, leading to the implementation of pilot projects of EGS installations, and that this technology will be further improved to ensure a stable clean energy supply. Full article

Most alien plant species are usually discovered in new areas either immediately or within a relatively short period of time after their introduction. However, the introduction, spread, and invasion of some species go unnoticed for a long time. In Lithuania, such an alien plant is Cornus sanguinea subsp. australis, whose cryptic invasion has gone unnoticed due to its similarity to the native subsp. sanguinea. Cornus sanguinea subsp. australis is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia and is considered alien in other parts of Europe. This study, which was carried out between 2018 and 2022 in the territory of Lithuania, aimed to identify the distribution of the subsp. australis, as well as assess certain reproductive traits and its impact on the species diversity of the invaded communities. The results showed that the cryptic invasion of subsp. australis in Lithuania has been going on for several decades and is now well advanced. We found that the alien subspecies grows faster and that individuals in analogous habitats mature earlier than the native subsp. sanguinea. Furthermore, subsp. australis, compared to subsp. sanguinea, produces more flowers per inflorescence (84.0 ± 25.0 and 49.7 ± 20.9, respectively) and sets and ripens more fruits (25.6 ± 9.7 and 18.2 ± 7.6, respectively), which are among the most important factors for its further fast spread and invasion. The results of the vegetation analysis showed that the increase in abundance of both subspecies has a negative effect on species diversity in the community. However, the effect of the native subspecies on plant species diversity was negligible, while the effect of the alien subspecies was moderately negative and significant (r = −0.47; p < 0.05). Based on the results of the study, we can conclude that the alien subsp. australis performs better than the native subsp. sanguinea. Considering the current distribution and the drivers of dispersal, we suppose that subsp. australis will continue to spread rapidly in Lithuania and may pose a threat to the native subsp. sanguinea populations. Full article

The Port of Klaipėda, located at the Klaipėda strait, divides the Lithuanian coast into two different geomorphological parts: southern—the coast of the Curonian Spit, and northern—the mainland coast. Port jetties interrupt the main sediment transport path along the South-Eastern Baltic Sea’s coast. Port of Klaipėda reconstruction in 2002 and the beach nourishment project which started in 2014 significantly influenced the northern part of the coast, which led to changes in the coastal zone evolution. The measurements in various periods are essential for cross-shore profile elevation to analyze seabed morphology and sedimentation patterns. These data highlight our understanding of the scale and timing of seabed erosion or sedimentation processes scale and timing. This study evaluates the impact of anthropogenic pressure and natural factors on coastal geomorphology and dynamics. In order to assess the latter changes, the cross-shore profile evolution and sediment budget were analyzed as well as nearshore bathymetry changes. The data illustrated a changing picture of the entire shore profile—on land and underwater. Full article

Sea breezes, as one of the most important local varieties of daily wind dynamics, are responsible for the formation of the climate by coasts of large bodies of water. In recent decades, due to climate change, the air temperature is rising, causing larger temperature gradients to form and the dynamics of the atmosphere to change globally and locally. This research investigated the spread of sea breezes in the years 2018–2019 during the warm period of the year (June, July, and August) to the mainland territory of the southeastern Baltic and coastal Lithuania by applying in situ and remote methods. The results of the study showed that sea-breeze fronts are better identified by the formation line of convective clouds in the continental part seen in remote images. During the first half of the day (until noon), the effect of sea breezes extends on average about 20–30 km from the coast of the sea. However, maximum extension of the breeze fronts can penetrate the continent much further than previously thought. During the summer, when the westward movement of air masses prevails, the band of cumulus (Cu) clouds formed by the sea breeze marks the front of the sea breeze, and at the time of the most extended spread (around 5 pm) in the continental part of Lithuania, the sea-breeze front is an average of around 60 km away from the seacoast. Until noon, the area covered by sea breezes in the western part of Lithuania extends over 1886.2 km². During the second half of the day, the spatial spread of the breeze impacts an average area of about 6445.2 km² by around 5 pm. Hence, the sea breeze affects not only the coastal climate region of Lithuania, as previously recognized, but it also affects the climate of part of the region of the Samogitian (Žemaitijos) Uplands of Lithuania. Remote-sensing methods helped to identify sea-breeze fronts and evaluate the limits of marine climate expansion along the seashore. The methods used in this work can play a role in answering the question of how climate change can affect the coastal climate. Full article

There is now considerable evidence that in Europe, babesiosis is an emerging infectious disease, with some of the causative species spreading as a consequence of the increasing range of their tick vector hosts. In this review, we summarize both the historic records and recent findings on the occurrence and incidence of babesiosis in 20 European countries located in southeastern Europe (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia), central Europe (Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland), and northern and northeastern Europe (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway), identified in humans and selected species of domesticated animals (cats, dogs, horses, and cattle). Recorded cases of human babesiosis are still rare, but their number is expected to rise in the coming years. This is because of the widespread and longer seasonal activity of Ixodes ricinus as a result of climate change and because of the more extensive use of better molecular diagnostic methods. Bovine babesiosis has a re-emerging potential because of the likely loss of herd immunity, while canine babesiosis is rapidly expanding in central and northeastern Europe, its occurrence correlating with the rapid, successful expansion of the ornate dog tick (Dermacentor reticulatus) populations in Europe. Taken together, our analysis of the available reports shows clear evidence of an increasing annual incidence of babesiosis across Europe in both humans and animals that is changing in line with similar increases in the incidence of other tick-borne diseases. This situation is of major concern, and we recommend more extensive and frequent, standardized monitoring using a “One Health” approach. Full article

Ticks are important vectors of numerous pathogens of medical and veterinary significance. The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence of Babesia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in sled and pet dogs from Central and North-Eastern Europe. Neither Babesia spp. nor Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. infections were detected in sled dogs from seven countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Russia and Finland). The DNA of Babesia spp. was detected in 100% of symptomatic and 5.4% of asymptomatic pet dogs from Poland. Similarly, the DNA of Babesia spp. was identified in 82% of symptomatic and 3.8% of asymptomatic pet dogs from Ukraine. The DNA of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 4.4% of pet dogs. Molecular typing confirmed the presence of Babesia canis and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in selected samples. Four dogs were co-infected by B. canis and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Tick-borne pathogens constitute a serious health threat to pet dogs in Central and South-Eastern Europe, but were not observed among sled dogs from the same region of Europe nor in the Baltic countries. Full article

At the beginning of the 21st century, ongoing climate change led to research into extreme streamflow phenomena. This study aimed to assess the patterns of low-flow changes in different hydrological regions of Lithuania using selected hydrological indices (the annual minimum 30-day flow (m³ s⁻¹) of the warm period—30Q), its duration, and deficit volume (below the 80th and 95th percentile flow: 30Q80 and 30Q95). Differences in low-flow indices in separate hydrological regions and over different periods (1961–2020, 1961–1990, 1991–2020) were analyzed, applying the HydroOffice tool, the TREND software package, and mapping using the Kriging interpolation. The highest specific indices of 30Q were estimated in the Southeastern hydrological region (3.97 L/s·km²) and the lowest in the Central hydrological region (1.47 L/s·km²). In general, the 30Q values in the periods 1961–2020 and 1991–2020 had no trends. In 1961–1990, trends in 30Q data were significantly positive, and positive in most investigated rivers of the Western and Central hydrological regions. The average number of dry days at both thresholds decreased in the Western and Southeastern hydrological regions and increased in the Central hydrological region comparing two subperiods. Full article

Landscape naturalness is an important indicator for supporting sustainable development-driven policies and suggesting associated decisions in land management. This study used CORINE Land Cover data to estimate the changes in land cover naturalness in Lithuania since 1995. All the land cover types were ranked according to naturalness level, ranging from purely anthropogenic to natural landscapes. Spatial patterns of the increase or decline in landscape naturalness were investigated at the level of municipalities. Then, publicly available geographic data were mobilised to explain the reasons behind the trends observed. A minor increase in land cover naturalness in the whole area of Lithuania was observed; however, this increase was statistically insignificant. Nevertheless, statistically significant clusters with both increasing and decreasing levels of land cover naturalness were identified when moving to the level of municipalities. The trends in the development of landscape naturalness were associated with the specificity of agricultural and forestry activities in the municipalities. The suitability of lands for agriculture due to soil, terrain, current land use specifics, and related drivers, such as the availability of land reclamation installations and the intensity of land use, were the main drivers for the declining level of land cover naturalness, usually concentrated in northern and central Lithuania. The land cover naturalness did increase in less suitable areas for agriculture, i.e., in the more forested southeastern municipalities. The study emphasised the need for a systematic and spatially explicit monitoring of the land cover patterns and their changes as well as elaborated proposals for land management policies over the next decade, which were mostly in the line with current European Union and national strategies. Full article

The problem of droughts is acute due to climate change. The study aims to assess the temporal and spatial drought patterns in Lithuanian lowland rivers in the past and to project these phenomena according to climate scenarios and models. Drought analysis was based on Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) and Streamflow Drought Index (SDI). To evaluate the past patterns, the hydrometeorological data of 17 rivers were used from 1961–2020. Future drought changes were analyzed in 2021–2100 according to the selected RCPs (Representative Concentration Pathways) using the hydrological model HBV. There were different patterns of droughts in three hydrological regions of Lithuania (Western, Central and Southeastern). The Southeastern region was more prone to extreme summer hydrological droughts, and they had a shorter accumulation period compared to the other two regions. SPI and RDI indices showed that the number of dry months and the minimum value of the index increased, extending the accumulation period. The highest correlation was recorded between RDI-12/SPI-12 and SDI-12. The amplitude between extremely wet and dry values of river runoff will increase according to RCP8.5. The projections indicated that hydrological drought intensity in the Central region is expected to increase under both analyzed RCPs. Full article

Sandy coasts are one of the most dynamic spheres; continuously changing due to natural processes (severe weather and rising water levels) and human activities (coastal protection or port construction). Coastal geodynamic processes lead to beach sediment erosion or accumulation. The coast’s dynamic tendencies determine the changes in the volume of beach sediments; grain size; mineralogical; and geochemical composition of sediments. In addition to lithological and mineralogical analysis of sediments, geochemical analysis can provide valuable information about the local and regional patterns of sediment transport, distribution, provenance, and coasts’ conditions. The study aims to assess trace metals’ temporal and spatial distribution determined in the sandy beach sediments along the south-eastern Baltic Sea coast (Lithuania) during 2011–2018. The Lithuanian seacoast is divided into two parts: mainland and spit coast. Our results revealed that the dominant group of elements on the mainland includes Ca–Mg–Mn–Ti and on the Curonian Spit Fe–Pb–As–Co–Cr–Ni–Al, which remain unchanged during the years. The analysis included additional parameters such as beach volume, grain size and sorting, and heavy mineral concentration on the beach. The spatial analysis of trace elements indicated that the trace metal content depends on the coastal processes, but it differs in the mainland and spit sea coast. We identified a higher concentration of trace metals in the erosion-dominated areas in all analysed years on the mainland coast. On the spit coast, the trace metal concentration increased in areas associated with relict coarse sand and where the loading of sediments was active on the beach due to the northward along-shore transport. Full article

In January 2014 the first case of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar of the Baltic States was reported from Lithuania. It has been the first occurrence of the disease in Eastern EU member states. Since then, the disease spread further affecting not only the Baltic States and Poland but also south-eastern Europe, the Czech Republic and Belgium. The spreading pattern of ASF with its long-distance spread of several hundreds of kilometers on the one hand and the endemic situation in wild boar on the other is far from being understood. By analyzing data of ASF cases in wild boar along with implemented control measures in Lithuania from 2014–2018 this study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the disease. In brief, despite huge efforts to eradicate ASF, the disease is now endemic in the Lithuanian wild boar population. About 86% of Lithuanian’s territory is affected and over 3225 ASF cases in wild boar have been notified since 2014. The ASF epidemic led to a considerable decline in wild boar hunting bags. Intensified hunting might have reduced the wild boar population but this effect cannot be differentiated from the population decline caused by the disease itself. However, for ASF detection sampling of wild boar found dead supported by financial incentives turned out to be one of the most effective tools. Full article