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The article presents a study that determines the hydrodynamic part of the coupled ice-ocean model in the evaluation of the condition of marine environment and the Baltic ecosystem. It describes the method of the study that uses the Baltic Sea method based on the Community Earth System Model (CESM). It also mentions the result of the study which indicates that the model is right for monitoring the state and bioproductivity of the marine ecosystem.

Copyright of Studia Maritima is the property of Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego / University of Szczecin Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The occupation of Crimea and war in Eastern Ukraine brought minority issues to the top of the Baltic security agenda. Although experts estimate that a separatist scenario for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia is not probable, the issue of national minorities has already been included into the security concept as a potential source of danger to stability and national identity. While there is need to analyze political risks in the Baltics, the concept of securitization will be applied to the topic of national minorities. This paper addresses the problem of national minorities' political integration and loyalty to the state. For the empirical analysis, the paper will use secondary data of surveys conducted in 2014-2017, exposing opinions and beliefs of minorities in the Baltic States referring to their domestic and foreign policies, NATO, Ukrainian crisis and relations with Russia. As a result, the concluding suggestion is made that more attention should be paid to political cohesion and minority policy management: 1) to optimize the minority development; 2) to predict potential risks in the region, and 3) to prevent further threats from Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus, is a common diurnal migrant across most of the Europe. The visual observations were carried out during autumn work of the Operation Baltic ringing stations, mainly at Mierzeja Wioelana (54°21'N, 19°19'E) parallely to the ringing of birds. Observations of passing birds were performed 15 minutes per every hour from sunrise to sunset. The autumn observation period was long enough to cover whole pigeons migration at the southern coast of Baltic (14 Aug. - 11 Nov.). Altogether 119,019 Wood Pigeons were observed within 20 seasons of observations. The goals of this work is (1) to describe the course of the Wood Pigeon autumn migration at the Polish Baltic coast as to numbers in long-term aspect and the seasonality of migration, (2) to propose further development in the study on wave structure of the bird passage. The main analysis of this work - description of the seasonal dynamics of migration - was carried out with modified and widened method used for that kind of analysis in earlier publications. In the present paper the wave structure is described by the estimated border days between supposed waves taking under consideration different properties of the passage dynamics. Here are used three groups of parameters: (1) total numbers of birds observed daily during several years, interyear variability (as SD between year number values), and the coefficient of variation (V), (2) number of migration peaks that occurred in that date within years of the study (there were used two classes of peaks - High Peaks and Peaks), (3) numbers of birds passing during recognized peak days. All estimations were done independently of others and only finally summarized using common ranking scheme. Such step by step procedure make estimation more and more reliable. Very high agreement between estimations based on three groups of parameters suggests strongly that the proposed estimation procedure is effective enough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bugajny, N. and Furmańczyk, K., 2017. Comparison of short-term changes caused by storms along natural and protected sections of the Dziwnow Spit, southern Baltic coast. This paper focuses on a comparison of changes caused by weak storms (significant wave height [ Hs] <2.5 m) along a dune coast on a nontidal sea. Repeated observations were made along two 2 km long sections of the southern Baltic coast; one section is a natural coast, and the other features protective structures. Several real-time kinematic GPS surveys were carried out in 2012. The surveys included cross-shore profiles measured from the dune foot to a water depth of 1 m. The profiles were spaced at constant 100 m intervals. In addition, offshore wave data and water level data were collected. Using statistical methods, three types of hydrodynamic conditions were identified and the data grouped accordingly; these groups had different effects on the coast. The coastal changes that occurred along the natural and protected sections of the coast were compared using two parameters: shoreline displacement and volume changes. The net, total, and maximal values and means of shoreline displacement and beach volume changes were calculated and are discussed in this paper. The analysis confirms that both natural processes of erosion and accumulation take place in relation to the location of shoreline displacement and the volume changes under all hydrodynamic conditions on both the natural and protected coasts. The proportion of these changes depends on the hydrodynamic conditions and the type of coast. The accumulative effect of the groynes is particularly seen under the hydrodynamic conditions of group 2. The ratio of volume changes to shoreline displacement exhibits stronger correlation for the natural coast (group 1, R = 0.82; group 2, R = 0.75; group 3, R = 0.80) than for the protected coast (group 1, R = 0.79; group 2, R = 0.74; group 3, R = 0.61), while the slope of regression is greater for the natural than for the protected coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on bioclimatic conditions in the southern part of the Baltic coast based on universal thermal climate index values. Taking into consideration the observational data from coastline stations as well as reanalysis data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research (sea level pressure and the 500 hPa geopotential height), the authors attempt to explain which of the synoptic situations are responsible for the occurrence of days with very strong and extreme cold or heat stress. The obtained results confirm that the extreme thermal heat and cold stress conditions are for the most part associated with high-pressure systems. The researched area is usually situated in the western or southern periphery of the anticyclones. The cold stress also occurs during the advection from west or northwest, caused by the direct influence of a low-pressure system whose center is situated over the North Sea, southern Scandinavia, or the southern Baltic Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand nourishments and groynes as coastal protection measures (CPM) address similar challenges on sandy coasts but take different approaches: while groynes are intended to reduce alongshore sediment transport and erosion, nourishments add new sediment to the system to compensate for erosion. The aim of this study is to compare the ecological effects of such measures on the vegetation. To this end, nutrient analysis and botanical mappings were carried out on a site with installed groynes, a site where sand nourishments are regularly carried out, and a control site without any CPM. In addition to an increase in nutrient availability after the sand nourishment, significant changes in plant species diversity and composition were also measured. The number of higher plants, mosses, and lichen species was lower at the nourishment site. The opposite impacts were observed at the groyne site: an increase in sediment cover by higher plants and mosses and a distinct increase in lichen species. The results suggest that groynes lead to a stabilization of the coastal system and enable dense vegetation growth. In contrast, sand nourishments lead to nutrient input and unstable habitat conditions, attracting certain plant communities but preventing the establishment of ground-covering vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes basic ice parameters: date of first ice appearance, date of last ice disappearance, duration of ice season, number of days with ice, and maximum ice thickness in winter on the southern Baltic Sea coast. These parameters are used to develop descriptions of the ice regime along the coast, including frequency. The archive data originates from Germany, Poland, and Russia. The missing data were completed by the correlation and regression analysis method. The data concerning the areas of Arkona, Sassnitz, Koserow, Karnin, Kamminke, Ueckermünde, Krasnoflotskoje, Baltijsk, and Usˇakovo cover the period from 1950-1951 through 1989-1990, whereas the data concerning the areas of Szczecin, Trzebież, Swinoujscie, Kołobrzeg, Darłowo, Ustka, Łeba, Rozewie, Hel, Puck, Gdynia, Swibno, Tolkmicko, and Krynica Morska cover the period from 1946-1947 through 1999-2000. In sheltered basins (internal), the ice phenomena appear earliest (on average, in December) and disappear latest (on average, in March). The intensity increases eastward in accordance with the severity of ice conditions. On the other hand, in unsheltered basins (open sea water) the ice appears later-on average, in January-and it disappears in late February to early March. The intensity increases westward, primarily influenced by bathymetric factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes numerical simulations of the seasonal dynamics of Acartia spp. in the South-Eastern Baltic Sea. The studies were carried out using a structured zooplankton population model adapted to Acartia spp. The population model with state variables for eggs, nauplii, five copepodites stages and adults was coupled with a marine ecosystem model. Four state variables for the carbon cycle represent the functional units of phytoplankton, pelagic detritus, benthic detritus, and bulk zooplankton, which represent all zooplankton other than the structured population. The annual cycle simulated for 2000 under realistic weather and hydrographic conditions was studied with the coupled ecosystem-zooplankton model applied to a water column in the Gdansk Gulf (South-Eastern Baltic Sea). The vertical profiles of selected state variables were compared to the physical forcing to study differences between bulk and structured zooplankton biomass. The simulated population dynamics of Acartia spp. and zooplankton as one biomass state variable were compared with observations in the Gdansk Gulf. Simulated generation times are more affected by temperature than food conditions except during the spring phytoplankton bloom. The numerical studies are a following step in understanding how the population dynamics of a dominant species in the South-Eastern Baltic Sea interact with the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from a study of fibres extracted from Zostera marina eel-grass collected from the Baltic coast. This species of sea-grass is shown to contain small diameter (around 5 μm) fibres composed of ∼57% cellulose, ∼38% of non-cellulosic polysaccharides (mainly xylan) and ∼5% of residual matter so-called Klason lignin. This composition is quite different to that of commonly used terrestrial fibres. Single fibre stiffness values up to 28 GPa were measured. This stiffness combined with a low density could provide an attractive reinforcement for composite materials, and may be particularly suitable for use in bio-degradable structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the thunderstorm climate of the Baltic countries during the period of 1951-2000. Our study area is in northeastern Europe and encompasses Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Visual thunderstorm observations at 59 weather stations were used as a data source. The mean annual number of thunderstorm days was 12-29.5. The seasonal cycle of thunderstorm hours with a daily step unexpectedly showed two maxima, whereas the monthly numbers of thunderstorm days had one clear mid-latitude specific peak between June and August. The diurnal cycle of thunderstorm hours showed a peak between 1400 and 1800 local time and a minimum between 0400 and 1000 hours local time. The average annual duration of thunderstorm events was 112 min. The average number of thunderstorm events per thunderstorm day was around 1.1-1.2. Our results showed that the thunderstorm climate of the Baltic countries generally resembles that of other mid-latitude study sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Respectus Philologicus is the property of Vilnius University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, the vertical crustal movements of the southern Baltic coast were determined based on two independent methods: tide gauge and GNSS observations. The mean sea level change trends were determined from five tide gauge observations and satellite altimetry data along the Polish coastal zone. The vertical crustal movements at nearby GNSS stations were also determined. We used the tide gauge water level data from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) and from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management National Research Institute, Poland (1951-2017 and 1993-2017) as well as sea level anomalies obtained from the Copernicus Marine and Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) (1993-2017). The time series for GNSS stations eveloped with the PPP technique obtained from Nevada Geodetic Laboratory (NGL) and last - squares approach were used for the analysis. The results provide a view of the absolute vertical crustal movements of the Polish coast. The absolute vertical crustal movements, calculated from tide gauge data and satellite altimetry for the time period between 1951-2017 - from +2.20 mm/yr ±0.42 mm/yr to +2.68 mm/yr ±0.31 mm/yr. A comparison was made, and it showed that the absolute movements determined from two data sets were different. This may be a consequence of several factors: short and incomplete time series, other unidentified movements of a GNSS station, a tide gauge of own movements, human activity, geological and hydrological factors, the method of the time series elaboration and of the data used to work out the vertical crustal movements. It is thought that the results are very significant despite the existing differences in the absolute crustal movements, because the sea level is a unique index in studies of climate impact on all changes on the Earth and crustal movements are closely linked to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether sovereign credit rating announcements convey price relevant information to investors in Baltic stock markets, and tests the degree of anticipation and price reaction. Event study methodology is employed to test for the price impact of sovereign credit rating announcements by Moody's, S&P, and Fitch. This enables to analyse whether there is an anticipation of the forthcoming announcement in a particular market, a price impact on the announcement day, and a possible delayed reaction. Results indicate that there is an asymmetric reaction: the price impact of negative events is several times larger than that of positive events. Moreover, although some types of rating announcements are anticipated, there is still a significant price impact on the announcement day. The impact differs across the three Baltic stock markets, and depends on the credit rating agency issuing the announcement. The main conclusion is that sovereign credit rating announcements contain pricing relevant news in addition to information already in a public domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal foredunes are developed as a result of the interplay of multi-scale land–sea processes. Basic driving mechanisms of coastal foredune morphogenesis as well as natural processes and factors involved in shaping the foredune geometry are quantitatively studied in this paper by a numerical model. Aeolian sediment transport and vegetation growth on the subaerial part of a beach is simulated by a cellular automata (CA) approach, while the sediment budget in the subaqueous zone, serving as a sediment source/sink for the foredune ridges, is estimated in a process-based model. The coupled model is applied to a 1 km-long section of a barrier coast (Swina Gate) in the southern Baltic Sea for a 61-year (1951–2012) hindcast of its foredune development. General consistency is shown between the observational data and simulation results, indicating that the formation of an established coastal foredune results from a balance between wind-wave impacts and vegetation growth. Driven by an effective onshore wind and a boundary sediment supply, small-scale dunes develop on the backshore and migrate landward. They are then trapped in a narrow strip characterized by a large density gradient of vegetation cover which separates the hydrodynamically-active zone and the vegetated zone. Continuous accumulation of sediment in this strip induces the development of a foredune ridge. According to the simulations, the formation of an established coastal foredune has to meet three preconditions: 1. an effective onshore aeolian transport; 2. a net onshore or lateral sediment supply; and 3. a climate favoring vegetation growth. The formation of a new foredune ridge in front of an already existing foredune is determined by a combination of the sediment supply rate, the extreme wind-wave event frequency and the vegetation growth rate. Simulation results demonstrate a remarkable variability in foredune development even along a small (1 km) coast section, implying that the medium-to-long term land–sea interaction and foredune morphogenesis is quite sensitive to boundary conditions and various processes acting on multi-temporal and spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to indicate the periods within the year that are most and least suited to outdoor recreation along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. The author indicates these periods based on the analysis of annual variability of several meteorological and bioclimatic parameters from the years 1981-2010 in Greifswald and Świnoujście, and from 1985 to 2010 in Hel and Gdynia. Passive recreation is favoured in July and the first half of August. The whole of the summer season has the most favourable conditions for active recreation. Good conditions frequently occur in May, and to a lesser degree in September. The advantages of May are that it has the highest sunshine duration and the lowest frequency of precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of testing (hindcast) an operational hydrodynamic model HIROMB_LT for Lithuania's coastal zone are presented and analysed in this paper. A model is developed using the program code of an operational hydrodynamic model of the Baltic Sea HIROMB (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute). The model grid (horizontal resolution 300m, vertical resolution 25 layers) covers the Baltic Sea coastal area until the Gdansk Bay in the West and Latvian border in the North and the Curonian Lagoon. The model simu- lated water levels, surface water temperature surface water salinity and ice cover variables were tested against measurements for the year 2009. The model shows satisfactory performance on water level and temperature and rather weak performance on salinity at stations where good reproduction of the mixing of fresh and saline water is critical (Juodkrantė and Klaipėda seaside stations). The model performance on ice thickness is still problematic because of too coarse spatial resolution of westerly winds. Despite of these shortcomings, the model can be used for operational forecasts already; however, data assimilation may be necessary for salinity and ice thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The raised bog sediments that have been continuously accumulated over time represent the most suitable natural object which enables us to reconstruct Late Glacial and Holocene vegetation and palaeoclimates. Bog peat consists of organic carbon formed in situ. It contains moss, plant fragments and microfossils that are necessary for the study of palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate. However, a successful study of palaeoenvironment can be carried out on the basis of investigation of a great quantity of samples along the whole peatbog thickness. In the present paper, the authors present the results of palynological, botanical investigations and radiocarbon dating of 31 peat samples taken from the raised bog Velikoye, located in the eastern part of Kaliningrad Region. The data obtained have enabled us to reconstruct the palaeovegetation, reveal the evolution of the bog and determine rate of peat formation at different evolutional stages over the last 7500 cal BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse new basal (aschizan) Cyclorrhapha fossilized in amber are described from the Tertiary and Cretaceous, and their relationships are examined with character-based phylogenetic hypotheses for each family or family group. There are 18 new species in 15 genera (11 of them new) and four families plus the Syrphoidea. Fossils are from the Early Cretaceous of Lebanon, Late Cretaceous of New Jersey (United States) and Alberta (Canada), Eocene of the eastern Baltic coast, and Miocene of the Dominican Republic, but predominantly from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar. Stem-group Lonchopteroidea are Alonchoptera lebanica, n. gen., n.sp., and Lonchopterites burmensis, n. sp. Platypezidae include the stem groups Burmapeza radicis, n. gen., n. sp., Canadopeza biacrosticha, n. gen., n. sp., and Calvopeza divergens, n. gen., n. sp. An unnamed Microsania sp. is the first definitive Platypezidae in Baltic amber; Lebanopeza azari, n. gen., n. sp., is a stem group to the Microsaniinae and Melanderomyiinae. Chandleromyia anomala, n. gen., n. sp., is an anomalously derived Platypezinae from the Cretaceous, and two new species of the diverse Recent genus Lindneromyia are in Dominican amber (L. neomedialis and L. dominicana). Fossils of the relict family Ironomyiidae (with 3 living species from eastern Australia) include two stem-group genera with two new species each, all in Burmese amber: Palaeopetia dorsalis and P. terminus, Proironia (n. gen.) gibbera and P. burmitica. All other species of Palaeopetia are compression fossils from the Cretaceous of Asia and Eurasia. For Phoridae, a new defining feature is a stridulatum on the procoxa and profemur in both sexes, occuring in most fossil taxa where observable. New sciadocerines include Eosciadocera pauciseta, n. sp., a very large species in Baltic amber, and two stem groups in Burmese amber, Prophoradimorion, n. gen., n. sp., and a very small, undescribed taxon. Archiphora pria Grimaldi and Cumming in Turonian-aged New Jersey amber is transferred to Hennigophora Brown, based on evidence from a new specimen. Prioriphorinae (not taxonomically treated here) is a paraphyletic, Cretaceous grade to the very diverse, crown-group radiation of Euphorida that occurred in the Cenozoic. Two syrphoids occur in Burmese amber: Prosyrphus thompsoni, n. gen., n. sp. (an apparent stem group to the Syrphidae), and Aschizomyia burmensis, n. gen., n. sp. (with more ambiguous affinities). Several immatures of undetermined family are reported, one a probable phorid larva. No definitive Schizophora are yet known from the Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We statistically analyse the relationship between the structure of migrating dunes in the southern Baltic and the driving wind conditions over the past 26 years, with the long-term aim of using migrating dunes as a proxy for past wind conditions at an interannual resolution. The present analysis is based on the dune record derived from geo-radar measurements by Ludwig et al. (2017). The dune system is located at the Baltic Sea coast of Poland and is migrating from west to east along the coast. The dunes present layers with different thicknesses that can be assigned to absolute dates at interannual timescales and put in relation to seasonal wind conditions. To statistically analyse this record and calibrate it as a wind proxy, we used a gridded regional meteorological reanalysis data set (coastDat2) covering recent decades. The identified link between the dune annual layers and wind conditions was additionally supported by the co-variability between dune layers and observed sea level variations in the southern Baltic Sea. We include precipitation and temperature into our analysis, in addition to wind, to learn more about the dependency between these three atmospheric factors and their common influence on the dune system. We set up a statistical linear model based on the correlation between the frequency of days with specific wind conditions in a given season and dune migration velocities derived for that season. To some extent, the dune records can be seen as analogous to tree-ring width records, and hence we use a proxy validation method usually applied in dendrochronology, cross-validation with the leave-one-out method, when the observational record is short. The revealed correlations between the wind record from the reanalysis and the wind record derived from the dune structure is in the range between 0.28 and 0.63, yielding similar statistical validation skill as dendroclimatological records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the German Meteorological Service in Hamburg, handwritten journals of meteorological observation data of 164 signal stations exist that were digitized. These data contain long-term time series of up to 125 years for the period 1877-1999 and allow for studies of regional meteorological conditions with greatly improved spatial resolution. Wind and air pressure data of selected signal stations along the German Bight and the southern Baltic Sea coast show a spatial data homogeneity that allows for an improved description of two historical storms, in 1906 and 1913. This is the first presentation of signal station data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of five examples of spider beetle inclusions from Rovno amber revealed that at least three of these spider beetles belong to the genus Sucinoptinus Bellés et Vitali, 2007, of them, S. rovnoensis sp. n. (most probably from Klesov) and S. brevipennis sp. n. from Dubrovitsa are described. S. rovnoensis is similar to the previously known S. bukejsi Alekseev in having the same general structure of pronotum and elytra, differing from it by the morphology of pronotal sides, which are only slightly rounded and practically not constricted near the base, whereas in S. bukejsi the sides are well rounded leaving a slight but clear constriction near the base. S. brevipennis is similar to S. bukejsi Alekseev and S. sucini Bellés et Vitali in having the same general structure of the prothorax, but differing from them in having much shorter elytra. Addition of these two new species to the two previously known, S. sucini, from the eastern Baltic Sea coast, and S. bukejsi, from Kaliningrad Region, indicates that the genus Sucinoptinus was much more diverse and widespread in Late Eocene forests than former reports suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the relationship between accumulations of heavy metals and the concentration of chlorophyll, as well as the number, secondary production and enzymatic activity of bacteria in the surface microlayer (SML) and subsurface waters of a coastal Baltic lake. Concentration of heavy metals was measured by mass spectrometry, chlorophyll by spectrophotometry, bacteria abundance by DAPI staining, secondary production by 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA and enzymatic activities using fluorescence-labelled substrate methods. Concentrations of all the analysed heavy metals, chlorophyll, as well as the number of heterotrophic bacteria and the level of enzymatic activity were higher in the SML than in subsurface water. No differences in the total number of bacteria in both the studied layers were noted. The rate of secondary production of planktonic bacteria was found to be higher than that of neustonic bacteria. Seasonal variability was observed in the studied chemical and microbiological parameters. It was found that in SML heavy metal concentrations increased in relation to those in subsurface water. However, this did not reduce the level of chlorophyll, heterotrophic bacteria, or the enzymatic activity. In contrast, increased heavy metal concentrations in SML reduced total number of bacteria and the level of secondary productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wicie ringing station was one of several stations which cooperate within the SEEN organization (SE European Bird Migration Network). The station was located west of the small village of Wicie located in northern Poland on the central part of the Baltic Sea coast. The station was situated on a narrow spit between Kopañ Lake and the Baltic Sea and has operated since 2010. Data were collected during three spring and five autumn seasons. Birds were caught in mist-nets, which were placed mainly in bushes and reed beds. Over 55 000 birds of 113 species were caught and ringed during eight migratory seasons. Many of them were also tested for directional preferences in Busse's cages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water corrosivity in Gdansk Bay, Poland, the southern part of the Baltic Sea, was investigated. The analysed region is heavily industrialized, and the coastline is very diverse. Twenty-seven test points along the coastline were selected. Water parameters such as salinity, total dissolved solids content, resistivity, conductivity, oxygenation, pH and corrosion rate were determined. The results of the investigation are presented. Water samples were collected, and structural steel specimens were exposed in the water for 2 months. The corrosion rate for each test point was determined and plotted on a map. The spatial distribution of water parameters was calculated using the 'inverse distance to a power' method and presented on the maps. Salinity did not exceed 0.7 %, and average corrosion rate equalled 0.0585 mm/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the directions and the rate of changes occurring in the coastal lakes Jamno and Bukowo, located in northern Poland. Based on the cartographic materials and aerial photographs of those water bodies, it was established that in 1909-2012, the area of the lakes decreased by 183.6 ha (7.7%) and 250.7 ha (13.6%) for Jamno and Bukowo, respectively. Another component of lake disappearance - shallowing of lake basins - was analyzed using bathymetric plans. It turned out that water supplies of Jamno during more than 100 years decreased by 2.4 million m (5.9%), while in the case of Bukowo, it was 5.9 million (17.5%). Unfavorable location (inflow of pollutants from the basin) and morphometry of both lakes should be considered as the main causes of such major changes. The lakes are polymictic with a considerable area of the shallowest zone (1 m depth). This favors the vegetation succession and, consequently, shallowing of the lake basins. Moreover, direct connection with the Baltic Sea contributes to the fact that the materials of marine origin deposited in the form of a reverse delta also contribute to a decrease in the open water surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Comparative Economic Research is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Lodzkiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Based on a fossil specimen from Late Eocene Baltic amber, Revelieria groehni Sergi, Perkovsky et Reike, sp. n., a new species is described. It is the first fossil species of the genus Revelieria Perris, 1869. The new species clearly differs from extant R. californica and R. genei in the following characters: eyes more large and convex; antennal insertion located more close to eye; temples very short; metasternum longer; fore tibia evenly curved inwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is focused on the application of a modelling system to simulate 3-D interaction between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea coastal waters and to reflect spatiotemporal dynamics of marine waters in the Curonian Lagoon. The model system is based on the finite element programme package SHYFEM which can be used to resolve the hydrodynamic equations in lagoons, coastal seas, estuaries and lakes. The results of a one year (2009) 3-D model simulation with real weather and hydrological forcing show that the saline water intrusions from the sea through Klaipėda Strait are gradually decreasing with distance from the sea and become negligible (average annual salinity about 0.5 ‰) at a distance of about 20 km to the south of Kiaulės Nugara island. Analyses of the simulation results also show this area to be highly heterogeneous according to the vertical salinity distribution. While in the deeper Klaipėda Strait (harbour waterway) differences in average salinity between near bottom and surface layers varies in the range 2-2.5 ‰, in the rest of the Curonian Lagoon it is less than 0.5‰. The exchange flow showed vertical structure, but was horizontally uniform with the presence of a two-directional flow that from time to time changes to either saline water one-directional flow to the Curonian Lagoon or fresh water one-directional flow to the sea. Two-directional flow duration decreases with a distance from sea entrance in Klaipėda Strait from around 180 days yr-1 close to the sea entrance to 50 days yr-1 just behind Kiaulės Nugara island. One-directional outflow duration is increasing with a distance from the sea entrance from 100 to 225 days yr-1. One-directional inflow duration occurs in the range of 70-100 days yr-1. The analysis of the ratio of buoyancy layer thickness to water depth (hb/H) and the Wedderburn number identified the main importance of wind action on the flow structure. Strong winds from the North and NW determine a barotropic inflow which is mostly responsible for the salt water intrusion into the Curonian Lagoon. Absence of wind or cross-strait wind regimes allows the maintenance of a two-layer flow typical of estuarine dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of NORDEUROPAforum is the property of NORDEUROPAforum and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sediment samples were collected in two Polish ports of international significance-the Port of Gdańsk and the Port of Gdynia (Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea)-in order to assess their butyltin and phenyltin contamination; this was done in 2008, just after the total ban on using harmful organotins in antifouling paints on ships came into force. Altogether, 21 sampling stations were chosen to present a diversity of port sites: from port canals and shipyards to anchorages and dumping sites. The organic carbon content and grain size of all the sediment samples were determined, and some environmental parameters (oxygen content, salinity) were measured as well. Total concentrations of butyltin compounds in sediment samples were very different and ranged between 1 and 18,520 ng Sn g d.w. Phenyltin contents were distinctly lower and ranged from below the limit of detection (most samples) to 660 ng Sn g d.w. The highest concentrations of organotins were found in the shipyards, the maximum total organotin content (19,180 ng Sn g d.w.) being found in the Gdańsk Ship Repair Yard 'Remontowa'. Butyltin degradation indices indicate a recent tributyltin input into the port sediments. The results obtained from this work prove that the international ban on using organotins may not be enough to protect the marine environment. It is necessary to monitor organotin contamination in ports and establish concentration limits of these compounds for the disposal of dredged material at sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential capability to decompose macromolecular compounds was confirmed in heterotrophic bacteria isolated from two sandy beaches located on the southern Baltic coast. Proteolytic bacteria were the most numerous group, whereas lipolytic organisms were rare among bacteria inhabiting the studied beaches. All studied physiological groups of bacteria were considerably more numerous in the sand of the beach subject to stronger anthropopressure. The differences in bacteriological parameters across the horizontal profile of the beaches were noted. In both studied beaches a higher number of bacteria able to decompose macromolecular compounds were recorded in the surface as compared to the subsurface sand layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time series of abundance estimates are commonly used for analyses of population trends and possible shifts in growth rate. We investigate if trends in age composition can be used as an alternative to abundance estimates for detection of decelerated population growth. Both methods were tested under two forms of density dependence and different levels of environmental variation in simulated time series of growth in Baltic gray seals. Under logistic growth, decelerating growth could be statistically confirmed after 16 years based on population counts and 14 years based on age composition. When density dependence sets in first at larger population sizes, the age composition method performed dramatically better than population counts, and a decline could be detected after 4 years (versus 10 years). Consequently, age composition analysis provides a complementary method to detect density dependence, particularly in populations where density dependence sets in late. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strehlow, H. V. 2010. The multiannual management plan for cod in the Baltic Sea: reactions and sentiments in two German fishing communities. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1963–1971.Just before and one and a half years after the implementation of the Multiannual Management Plan for the Cod Stocks in the Baltic Sea, the same two fishing communities on the German Baltic coast were visited to try to understand the impacts of the plan. Such information is a prerequisite for policy-makers to mitigate possible negative consequences on specific fleet sectors. During semi-structured interviews, observations, and group discussions, information on the reactions and the sentiments about the plan prevailing in the communities was collected. In general, the plan found widespread approval, because it improved planning reliability for fishers and cooperatives considerably. Conversely, the reduction in fishing effort stipulated in the plan has had strong adverse effects on small-scale fishers. The survey furthermore revealed that this fishery segment using passive fishing gear is among the most vulnerable, because it is the interest group with the lowest income, little resilience to cope with further restrictions, and no lobby to improve their position. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Structural behaviour and reliability peculiarities of cargo piers in deepened harbour waters are discussed. Deterministic and probabilistic reliability assessment methods for permeable cargo piers exposed to lateral berthing actions and gravity permanent and variable loads are analysed. Some new methodological approaches to probabilistic reliability assessment of existing cargo piers are presented. The survival probability assessment of pier piles is based on their irreversible serviceability and safety margins. The numerical example illustrates the virtue of probability-based approaches and methods of design practice of cargo piers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author comments on the returning of geopolitics in North. It states the reemergence of geopolitical languages in the discussions on the future of the Nordic, Baltic, and Arctic regions. It further mentions that these regions all have their own security concerns, which may or may not benefit from being intentionally connected with the scramble for the Arctic.