A Month of Research in Freiberg: From Biotesting of Technogenically Impacted Soils to the Search for Stress-Resistant Cyanobacteria

One month has passed since representatives of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection Technologies at Dnipro University of Technology began their academic mobility at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany. For Professor Oleksandr Kovrov and biology students Yuliia Ishchenko and Alina Bohun, this period has been marked by intensive experimental work, the acquisition of modern laboratory techniques, and a joint search for environmentally sound solutions for the restoration of technogenically disturbed lands.

During this month, the team obtained important experimental results in two interrelated research areas: biotesting of technogenically impacted soils collected along tramway tracks, and the study of biocrust microorganisms with a focus on identifying stress-resistant cyanobacterial forms that may be promising for the nature-based restoration of degraded areas.

The first research area focuses on assessing the ecological condition of soils exposed to long-term technogenic pressure in the urban environment. Particular attention was given to samples collected along tramway tracks, where the effects of transport-related pressure, mechanical disturbance of the soil cover, dust accumulation, and other anthropogenic factors may occur simultaneously. One of the key methods used was biotesting, in which plant responses serve as an integral indicator of soil environmental quality.

Under laboratory conditions, a series of compact vegetation experiments was established. The team monitored germination and development of the test plants, compared their growth intensity, and recorded differences among the soil variants. The clearly visible variability in plant responses confirms the potential of this approach for the ecological ranking of technogenically impacted soils. Yuliia Ishchenko and Alina Bohun were directly involved throughout the entire experimental cycle, from sample preparation to measurements, data systematization, and interpretation of the results.

The biotesting results are planned to be analysed together with the physicochemical characteristics of the soils. This integrated approach will help establish relationships between soil properties and biological plant responses and, in the longer term, support the development of ecological assessment criteria and remediation approaches for technogenically impacted urban areas.

The second research area has a strong biotechnological and nature-based focus. The team is studying microorganisms associated with biological soil crusts (biocrusts), which were previously isolated from technogenic substrates and cultivated under laboratory conditions. Such communities may include cyanobacteria, microalgae, fungi, and other microorganisms capable of surviving under nutrient deficiency, unstable water regimes, and other environmental stressors.

Throughout the month, the microbiology laboratory work included cultivation of the biological material, monitoring the development of the cultures, and their subsequent analysis. Particular attention is being paid to cyanobacteria, with the aim of identifying the most stress-resistant forms capable of maintaining viability and growth under adverse conditions. An important stage was the microscopic analysis of the established cultures, including assessment of morphological features and selection of promising variants for further characterisation.

The search for resistant strains has practical potential for nature-based solutions. Stress-tolerant microorganisms can be among the first biological components to colonise degraded surfaces, contribute to the formation of a biologically active layer, and create conditions that facilitate subsequent ecological recovery. In the future, such cultures may serve as a basis for experimental biocrust inoculants or as components of integrated technologies in which microbial surface stabilisation is combined with plant establishment and phytoremediation.

Both research areas are united by a common scientific concept: to understand how living systems respond to technogenically altered environments and to use natural mechanisms of resilience for ecosystem restoration. Biotesting indicates whether a soil environment is favourable or stressful for plants, whereas biocrust research helps identify organisms that are naturally adapted to challenging conditions. Together, these approaches provide a foundation for an integrated strategy, from diagnosing technogenic substrates to selecting biological agents and plant species for their restoration.

Another important outcome of the mobility programme has been the integration of education with hands-on research. For Yuliia Ishchenko and Alina Bohun, this work provides practical experience in experimental design, laboratory instrumentation, work with biological material, data analysis, and joint scientific discussion. For the Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection Technologies at Dnipro University of Technology, the month of research in Freiberg represents an important step in strengthening international scientific cooperation and advancing research on bioremediation and phytoremediation of technogenically disturbed lands.