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The objective of this study was to examine the vegetation cover and describe the floristic diversity of selected plant communities of extensive and abandoned grasslands within the Forest of Parczew PLB060006 – a Natura 2000 protected area. Floristic surveys were conducted in the meadows in years 2001 and 2013 under the conditions of natural succession of the communities Poa pratensis-Festuca rubra. The area is situated in the northern part of the Lublin Voivodeship, in the physiographic mesoregion the Łęczna-Włodawa Lakeland. Those communities were characterized by average species richness and floristic diversity index values. The cover index decreased considerably in the case of 8 species, and increased for 12 species. A large increase in the cover index of Holcus lanatus, Deschampsia caespitosa, Galium mollugo, Anthriscus sylvestris and Polemonium caeruleae is particularly noteworthy. In 2001, 39 species of plants were recorded in all relevés, compared to 41 species recorded in 2013. Over 12 years, 11 species disappeared, but 13 new ones emerged. For the time being, the average species richness N increased from 12 to 16 per relevé. The biodiversity index H' increased from 2.8 to 3.6.

Hydropower plants in Poland currently use only 19% of the river’s energy potential. Development of hydropower is limited by environmental regulations as well as by economic grounds. From the environmental point of view, it is desirable to build small hydropower plants integrated into the local landscape. This paper presents results of the research aimed at estimating the amount of energy that could be produced in the case of small hydroelectric power plants on weirs existing on the Tyśmienica River. There is also a legal framework that should be adapted at hydropower development. It was calculated that the technical capacity of the small hydropower plants that could be built on 4 existing weirs, is 0.131 MW. These power plants could produce 786 MWh of electricity per year. The economic efficiency of this production is currently difficult to assess, because a new support system for renewable energy sources is currently being implemented, which will be a decisive factor for entrepreneurs. It should be borne in mind that potential investments will be made in protected areas within the Natura 2000 network, which may limit their constructing or impose the obligation to assess their impact on selected environmental elements. Location within the protective area does not eliminate such investments, especially when solutions with the least possible environmental impact are used.

The aim of this research work is to evaluate changes in the quantities of water and chemical parameters of outflow water from the forest catchment. Research was carried over a hydrological five-year period in the Ochożanka River basin (Western Polesie). The structure of the catchment area of 33.1 km2 is dominated by forestland constituting 81% of the area. During this period the precipitation amounted to 627 mm, which was 100 mm higher than the multi-year average. Precipitation of the summer half-year was almost three times higher than in the winter half-year. Data analysis shows that the average unit outflow from the catchment unit was 3.0 dm3·s−1·km−2. Outflow in the winter half-year was 52% higher than in the summer half-year. The waters of the river are used, they are usually characterized by good chemical status. In case 30% samples concentration of Kjeldahl nitrogen (>2 mg N·dm−3), total phosphorus (>0.4 mg P·dm−3) exceed the limit values for second class quality water. Indicators of oxygen conditions reach medium and high values. In spring, it happens that the limits are exceeded for second class water quality. These values are respectively COD > 20 mg O2·dm−3 and oxygen

The paper presents the history of land cover changes in the catchment area of lakes situated in the headwaters of the Tyśmienica River. The basis of the study were topographic maps in scale 1:50 000, from 1936 and 2014. We analyzed the quantitative aspect of these changes. The study was conducted in three natural lakes (Rogóźno, Krasne, Łukcze), and in one lake transformed into a storage reservoir (Krzczeń). The technical issues of georeferencing maps in the Geographic Information System (GIS) software are addressed first. In the landscape of Łęczna and Włodawa Lake District, to the end of the 19th century wetlands and bushes dominated. The first type of human pressure on this area was agriculture. Another type of pressure was recreation. In the catchment areas of studied lakes increased mainly the area of buildings and forests. Significantly increased also the length of roads and watercourses. Almost completely disappeared bushes and wastelands. In most of the analyzed basins, the area of wetlands and arable lands decreased. The probable cause of the changes in catchment use was decline in the water table, and thus overgrowing of meadows and wetlands.

The aim of this study is to present the application of statistical methods to assess the possibility of grouping precipitation according to their elevation above sea level and precipitation levels in the temperate climate of Poland. The country was divided into regions with similar levels of precipitation using cluster analysis by Ward’s method. The study was performed with meteorological data on average monthly precipitation of 53 meteorological stations from 1981 to 2010. The selection of stations was dictated by the need to consider the variability in amounts of annual precipitation throughout the country. The data was used to calculate average annual precipitation total as well as average precipitation total in the summer half-year (from May to October) and the winter half-year (from November to April) for Poland, from 1981 to 2010. Statistical method was performed and six clusters were generated, for the elevation of the stations and average annual precipitation as well as average precipitation for hydrological half-years. The average annual precipitation for the clusters ranged from 530 mm (cluster 5) to 820 mm (cluster 2). The average precipitation for the winter hydrological half-year ranged from 190.1 mm (cluster 1) to 288.8 mm (cluster 5). The average precipitation for the summer hydrological half-year ranged from 326.3 mm (cluster 5) to 605 mm (cluster 2). The conclusions from the analysis carried out in the study are that: (1) grouping by means of Ward’s method can be used to distinguish homogeneous areas with the same levels of precipitation; (2) both precipitation and the elevation, at which meteorological stations are located, are the basis for distinguishing clusters in Ward’s method.

Large watercourses are characterised by significant spatial and temporal changes in water quality due to both natural and anthropogenic impacts. The paper analyses changes in the Danube's spatial and seasonal water quality in its middle part at five monitoring stations for the period 2018–2022. Examined water quality parameters include oxygen saturation (Os), ammonium (N-NH4), pH, 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3), orthophosphates (P-PO4), suspended solids (SS), electrical conductivity (EC), and water temperature (WT). Furthermore, the analysis took into account the influence of two additional factors: air temperature (AT) and discharge (D). Throughout the entire period under study, all parameters were characterised by low concentration values, which met the environmental objective of good ecological status. The use of multivariate statistical methods allowed for the identification of EC, N-NH4, WT, Os, SS, and N-NO3 as determining the greatest spatio-seasonal variability of water quality in a selected section of the Danube. Regression models determined WT, EC and nitrogen nitrate changes as depending on AT, flow, and exposure time. Knowing models not only gives a better understanding of the dynamics of changes in water quality in the stretch of the Danube under study but potentially allows the prediction of these parameters based on easily measurable environmental variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of the protected species Castor fiber L., which creates a network of natural barriers for its own needs, may affect the changes in water quality parameters. This study shows changes in the water quality parameters (EC, BOD5, COD, TN, N-NH4, N-NO3, N-NO2, TP, P-PO4, Cl−, SO42−) of small rivers in eastern Poland. The results were analysed using the one-way and three-way ANOVA Tukey's HSD post hoc test to identify the significance of the changes in the water quality parameters for habitats, seasons, and land use. All parameters, with the exception of P-PO4, met the standards of a good ecological status. The average values of P-PO4 exceeded the threshold of the good ecological status in summer and meadows. The average annual changes in the water quality parameters, with the exception of N-NH4, are characterised by a decrease in pollution. The highest concentration decrease of 57% was found for P-PO4 and 45% for TP at the sites after the barriers. The lowest concentration decrease of 5% was found for EC. In the case of N-NH4, the concentration increase was 33%. The situation was completely different in the case of removing barriers, where an increase in the concentration of pollutants of about 30% was found. Changes in the water quality were significantly influenced by the season and land use. Due to the various construction, age, and removal of the barriers, beaver habitats may positively or negatively impact the water quality. It is crucial for the improvement of the water quality to ensure the durability of the functioning of barriers and the proper use of the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water quality index is very often used to classify the water quality of a river. The paper aims to develop a new improvised water quality indicator using statistical methods. To reduce the number of analysed chemical parameters and simplify the tests, WQImin was used. The results of the research conducted in Serbia in 2019 were subjected to correlation and principal component analysis (PCA). This reduced the number of parameters from 29 to 8, significantly reducing the time and cost of laboratory analyses. The temporal and spatial variability evaluation can be performed using WQImin, which consists of dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, total dissolved solids, suspended solids, chlorides, ammonium, and nitrite nitrogen. The main sources of river contamination were untreated industrial sewage, fish farming wastewater, and soil erosion. The highest level of pollution was observed in winter. Good water quality was found in the river's upper course and very good in the lower course. Water quality values obtained based on a complete and simplified set of parameters were strongly correlated with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study objective was to analyse the number of tourists present in the shore zone and bathing areas of lakes with regard to their tourist carrying capacity and the amount of biogenic substances potentially entering the ecosystem from the beach and bathing areas. The procedures from project between the EU and Poland, in the module "Development of the sanitary supervision of water quality" were used in three categories: physiological substances - sweat and urine; water-soluble and insoluble organic compounds; and biogenic elements - nitrogen and phosphorus. The research was conducted in two model mesotrophic lakes, Piaseczno and Zagłębocze, located in the Łęczna-Włodawa Lakeland (eastern Poland). The data were analysed in reference to biological trophic status indices defining the limnological status of lakes in the summer of 2014 and 2016. Analyses of gross primary production of phytoplankton using the light and dark bottles method and the analysis of chlorophyll a concentration were applied using the laboratory spectrophotometric method. The relatively small number of tourists recorded in the shore zone of both lakes did not exceed their tourist carrying capacity, and their potential contribution of biogenic substances to the lake ecosystems was small. Biological trophic indices for both lakes indicated that they had been continually late-mesotrophic for decades. The amount of biogenic substances directly linked to beach tourism usually has a minor effect on the limnological status of mesotrophic lakes. Due to the specific character of lake ecosystems, however, even small amounts of these substances can contribute to the destabilisation of the biocenotic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the spatial variability of precipitation in Poland in the years 1981–2010. The average annual rainfall was 607 mm. Precipitation in Poland is characterized by high spatial and temporal variability. The lowest annual precipitation was recorded in the central part of the country, where they equaled 500 mm. The highest annual precipitation totals were determined in the south, equaling 970 mm. The average precipitation in the summer half-year is 382 mm (63% of the annual total). On the basis of data from 53 climate stations, maps were made of the spatial distribution of precipitation for the period of the year and winter and summer half-year. The kriging method was used to map rainfall distribution in Poland. In the case study, cross-validation was used to compare the prediction performances of three periods. Kriging, with exponential type of semivariogram, gave the best performance in the statistical sense. Their application is justices especially in areas where landform is very complex. In accordance with the assumptions, the mean prediction error (ME), mean standardized prediction error (MSE), and root mean-square standardized prediction error (RMSSE) values are approximately zero, and root-mean-square prediction error (RMSE) and average standard error (ASE) reach values well below 100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annual Set the Environment Protection / Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska is the property of Koszalin University of Technology 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 quality of surface water in watercourses in the region of Lublin agglomeration was studied in 2012-2014. Biological and chemical indicators of the study for various sampling sites were detected and the resulting values of the indicators were processed statistically. Rivers characterized by small size and the flow and modification of the riverbed. The resulting low values of macrophyte river index and infusorial index pointed to a poor quality of surface waters. Chemical indicators of the quality of surface waters reached low values, only BOD and phosphates reached high values. The river is located outside the city and it is characterized by moderate potential ecological (III quality class), and the river within Lublin is insufficiently potential ecological (IV quality class). Statistical analysis showed high variability index values between the studied positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses a hydrographic network and its changes in the area of Uściwierskie Lowering in last 180 years. The Uściwierskie Lowering was originally the second largest closed drainage depression in Łęczna-Włodawa Lakeland, with an area of 45.83 km². The increasing anthropopression mainly by melioration works led to significant changes. The authors use early and modern maps to analyse the quantitative aspect of these changes. The technical issues of georeferencing maps in the Geographic Information System (GIS) software are addressed first. In case of some maps, georectification happened to be problematic. 19th century topographic maps (as the Quartermaster map) were of much lower geometric quality compared to early 20th century and modern maps. Also the poor settlement in the area resulted in lack of ground control points useful in case of georectification. Using such data can, however, be justified by the fact that little is known about changes in the hydrographic network of the region during the 19th century, while the period of last 50-100 years is examined with more details. The results show the numeric values illustrating quantitative changes in the area. They are also a step forward towards understanding the degree of anthropogenic transformation of a drainage network. It is vital as these changes influence the whole ecosystem -- lowering the water level shapes habitats and change the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Formatio Circumiectus is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rolniczego im. Hugona Kollataja w Krakowie 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.)

Copyright of Ecological Engineering / Inżynieria Ekologiczna is the property of Polish Society of Ecological Engineering 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.)

This paper compares two spatial interpolation techniques - Radial Basis Functions (RBF) and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) - with the goal of determining which method creates the best representation of reality for measured groundwater levels in catchment area. The study used the results of research and field observations from the year 2011, in Sosnowica (West Polesie). The data set consists of groundwater levels measured at 15 points in three series of tests. Surface generation was obtained for each method. The water prediction maps showed spatial variation in the groundwater level in the study area and they are quite different. RBF method resulted in a smoother map. The analysis of the methods of interpolation of analyzed data with the help of cross validation statistics and plots showed that Radial Basis Functions creates better representation of reality for measured groundwater levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Formatio Circumiectus is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rolniczego im. Hugona Kollataja w Krakowie 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.)