Traffic-related noise pollution in the town of Szczecinek (Poland)

Increased intensity of automotive traffic has a negative impact on the human body, and on the safety and comfort of living. The hazards of transportation are primarily associated with road accidents, air pollution, noise and transport blockages. The present study includes a temporal and spatial analysis of the intensity of traffic-related noise in the summer season of 2015 in the tourist part of the town of Szczecinek. In addition, it includes a comparative analysis of the noise levels and traffic volumes in Szczecinek against the background of the village of Iwin. Assessment of noise pollution was carried out at a total of 37 different sites, both on working days and at weekends. A spatial image of noise intensity in the central part of Szczecinek was obtained, and sites with excessive levels of traffic noise were flagged. These locations are particularly burdensome to residents and cause a decrease in the tourist value of the city. Our tests confirmed the advisability of building a beltway for Szczecinek

Country Report: Poland

Review of Polish anti-discrimination framework and the situation of Roma minoritie

Dynamics of the status of groundwater in the Polish Lowland: the River Gwda catchment example

The aim of the present study is to monitor changes in the location of the groundwater table in the catchment area of the River Gwda within the Quaternary and Neogene water-bearing level over a 35-year period, between 1981 and 2015. In addition, on account of very diverse total annual precipitation levels in particular parts of the catchment, attempts were made to determine the influence of precipitation on the location of the groundwater table. By correlating groundwater level and meteorological parameters (precipitation), it was discovered that precipitation in the previous year made the largest impact on the groundwater table. Moreover, low precipitation totals in the southern part of the catchment are not discernible in groundwater table fluctuations, which is linked to the location of the observation well within the drainage zone as well as to water ascension from deeper aquifers

Responses of vegetation and testate amoeba trait composition to fire disturbances in and around a bog in central European lowlands (northern Poland)

Compared to boreal or Mediterranean biomes, the influence of fire on peatlands in Central Europe is not well studied. We aim to provide first analysis of statistically significant charcoal-inferred fire events from a peatland from central European lowlands, spanning the period of the last 650 years, and define peatland vegetation and microbial trait-related responses to local fire events. Here, we reconstructed regional and local fire activity from Bagno Kusowo bog (Poland) using high-resolution microscopic charcoal and macroscopic charcoal and its morphotypes, inferring past fire regimes using numeric analyses. We compared fire data with extra-local (pollen) and local (plant macrofossils, testate amoebae (TA) and their trait composition) proxies. Our data show that within the chronological uncertainties, regional fires recorded in the peat core coincide with historically-documented fires. Macroscopic charcoal analysis suggests 3–8 local fire events, while fire frequency varied between 0 and 2 events/1000 years. Wood charcoal was dominant throughout the profile, pointing to forest fires in close proximity to the peatland. Local fire activity was the most intensive in the 17th century, when the water table was at its lowest. The abundance of Sphagnum spp. declined, whereas vascular plants, mixotrophs and TA with proteinaceous shells were significantly positively correlated to fire. Xenosomes were significantly negatively correlated to fires, and they responded to water table lowering. We show that the peatlands’ vegetation recovered from low-intensity and short-lasting disturbances and, to some extent, maintained “pristine” local vegetation cover with Sphagnum as the dominant taxon. TA traits common before disturbances, mainly mixotrophs and TA with proteinaceous shells, temporarily re-appeared after fire. We conclude that TA communities in peatlands are good bioindicators of disturbances

Spatial distribution of heathlands in the north-western part of Poland (Pomerania District)

Spatial distribution of heathlands in Pomerania (the north-western part of Poland) was described based on the results of questionnaires sent out to the registered offices of all forest divisions (96), national (4) and landscape (15) parks of this area. According to the inventory, heathlands occur in 28 forest divisions and 3 national and landscape parks. The frequency of occurrence and the area covered by heathlands were determined. All the data were compiled in the form of a spatial database with the use of Geographic Information Systems. The paper also contains the geographical distribution of heath habitats in the area of Pomerania according to particular syntaxa. Additionally, the content of the database CORINE Land Cover was analysed at the third level for the area of Pomerania, completed for the years of 2000 and 2006. The area and the number of patches were described according to three land cover categories: heaths (code 322), conflagration sites (code 334) and peat bogs (code 412)

Spatial distribution of regional whole tree carbon stocks and fluxes of forests in Europe

This report presents carbon stocks and fluxes of the whole-tree biomass of European forests and other wooded land, distinguished into coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests. The results are presented at the European, the national and (where possible)the regional level. Results concerning carbon stock, net ecosystem production and net biome production for the whole-tree biomass were derived from a detailed European forest resource database and converted to carbon using biomass expansion factors. Uncertainties and differences from other estimates are discussed

Początki działalności Katedry Archeologii UAM na Pomorzu Środkowym. Akcja weryfikacji grodzisk wczesnośredniowiecznych

The article refers to one of the major episodes in history of field works undertaken by archaeologists from Poznań, from the 1960s to the 1970s. It presents the applied methodology of stronghold verification and summarises the importance of the research for the recognition of settlement in Pomorze (also referred to as Pomerania)

INFLUENCE OF PINE AND SPRUCE ADMIXTURE IN EUROPEAN BEECH STAND ON SOME PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC AND HUMIC HORIZONS OF DYSTRIC ARENOSOLS AND THE INTENSITY OF BIOLOGICAL TURNOVER

The aim of the study has been to assess the influence of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) admixture in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) stand on some properties of organic and humic horizons of Dystric Arenosols and the intensity of biological turnover. The studies were conducted in northern Poland in Łysomice Forest Subdistrict (Forest District Leśny Dwór, Regional Directorate of State Forest Szczecinek). Significant differences in some properties of examined soil horizons were noticed between the stands. About 3-times higher stocks of organic matter in ectohumus were found in beech-pine and about 2-times in beech-spruce in relation to pure beech stand. Higher stocks of soil organic matter recorded in beech-pine and beech-spruce stands may result from the influx of coniferous litter and reduction of the intensity of biological turnover. The stocks of organic matter in A horizons were slightly higher in beech stand. Lower values of pH in O and A horizons were found in mixed stand in relation to pure beech. The concentration of nitrogen was comparable in both stands. It can be assumed that spatial variability of the stocks of nitrogen was strongly related to spatial diversity of soil organic matter stocks

Визначення еволюції фізичної культури в Кошалінському регіоні в 1945−1950 роках

In the first post-war years, in the Koszalin region there was a multi-million migration related to the settlement of the so-called Recovered Territories. Rapid development and settlement of the largest number of Poles in the area became one of the most important tasks after the end of hostilities. It should be noted that the population that came to the so-called The Recovered Territories, built from scratch, living conditions and certain areas of social life, including cultural and sporting life. Among the settlers who arrived in Koszalin, there were pre-war sports activists, players, members of associations and clubs who, apart from professional activities, took up the organization of sport. In a new, uneasy situation, Poles’ environments organized their cultural and sporting lives without closing to the emerging and mixed communities. The first organizational units of physical culture in Central Pomerania were sports clubs, which primarily formed at selected professional groups, the most active were groups of railwaymen, militiamen and craftsmen. Sport in this area was more than just competition or “fun for the body and soul”, it also served to integrate the settled population. This applied not only to rivals competing with each other, but also fans watching sporting events, which became a way of spending time and an opportunity to celebrate together. Not only, however, they also influenced the formation of social bonds. Cooperative works for the development of sport formed the foundation of a new social life.В первые послевоенные годы в Кошалинском регионе состоялась многомиллионная миграция, связанная с заселением так называемых восстановленных территорий. Бурное развитие и заселение наибольшего количества поляков в районе стало одной из важнейших задач после окончания боевых действий. Следует отметить, что население, которое попало на так называемые Возрож­денные территории, построело с нуля, бытовые условия и определенные сферы общественной жизни, включая культурную и спортивную жизнь. Среди переселенцев, прибывших в Кошалин, были активисты предвоенного спорта, игроки, члены ассоциаций и клубов, которые, кроме профессиональной деятельности, занимались организацией спорта. В новой, непростой ситуации среда поляков организовывала свою культурную и спортивную жизнь, не изолируясь от новых и смешанных общин. Первыми организационными подразделе­ниями физической культуры в Центральной Померании были спортивные клубы, в первую очередь формиро­вались в выбранных профессиональных коллективах, самыми активными были группы железнодорожников, милиционеров и мастеров. Спорт в этой области был больше, чем просто соревнованием или «развлечением для тела и души», он также служил интеграцией оседлого населения. Это касалось не только конкурентов, которые соревнуются друг с другом, но и поклонников, которые наблюдали за спортивными событиями, для них это стало способом времяпрепровождения и возможностью праздновать вместе. Однако они не только повлияли на формирование социальных связей. Кооперативные работы по развитию спорта легли в основу новой общественной жизни.У перші повоєнні роки в Кошалінському регіоні відбулася багатомільйонна міграція, пов’язана з заселенням так званих відновлених територій. Бурхливий розвиток та заселення найбільшої кількості поляків у районі стало одним із найважливіших завдань після закінчення бойових дій. Слід зазначити, що населення, яке потрапило на так звані Відроджені території, побудовало з нуля побутові умови та певні сфери суспільного життя, включаючи культурне та спортивне життя. Серед переселенців, які прибули до Кошаліна, були активісти передвоєнного спорту, гравці, члени асоціацій та клубів, які, окрім професійної діяльності, займалися організацією спорту. У новій, непростій ситуації середовище поляків організовувало своє культурне та спортивне життя, не ізолюючись від нових та змішаних громад. Першими організаційними підрозділами фізичної культури в Центральній Померанії були спортивні клуби, які в першу чергу формувались у вибраних професійних колективах, найактивнішими були групи залізничників, міліціо­нерів та майстрів. Спорт у цій галузі був більше, ніж просто змаганням або «розвагою для тіла та душі», він також служив інтеграцією осілого населення. Це стосувалося не лише конкурентів, які змагаються один з одним, але й шанувальників, які спостерігали за спортивними подіями, що стало способом проведення часу та можливістю святкувати разом. Однак вони не тільки вплинули на формування соціальних зв’язків. Коопе­ративні роботи з розвитку спорту лягли в основу нового суспільного життя

Survey of some attributes of post-agricultural lands in Polish State Forests

Based on materials gained in March 2015 from the Forest Data Bank the survey of some attributes (forest address including Regional Directorate of State Forest (RDSF), area in hectares, soil unit, forest site type, dominant species in a forest stand and age of the dominant species in a stand) of post-agricultural lands occurring in Polish State Forests was conducted in the paper. Distribution of post-agricultural lands in Poland by RDSF as well as the structure of soil units, forest site types, dominant tree species and the age of the species was presented and analyzed in the article. Distribution of post-agricultural lands is not regular in regions of Poland as the highest share of such lands in the total area of State Forests was stated for a northern part of the country (RDSF in Szczecinek, Piła and Olsztyn) and the lowest for central-southern regions (RDSF in Katowice, Radom and Kraków). In spite Brunic Arenosols distinctly prevail in cover of post-agricultural lands occurring in State Forests (65.8%) the soil unit is not the dominant one in all regions of Poland. Namely, in RDSF located in mountainous and upland areas Cambisols and Luvisols predominate. In terms of forest site types structure, mesotrophic sites clearly prevail in post-agricultural lands as two forest site types (fresh mixed coniferous forest and fresh mixed broadleaved forest) cover 62.4% of all such lands. In spite Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) is the main tree species overgrowing post-agricultural soils in Polish State Forests the share of the species in young plantations established in last two decades has clearly decreased. It has resulted from appearing since 1990s an increasing importance of ecologisation of forestry in Poland what has been reflected e.g. in a distinctly increase of a share of broadleaved species in young plantations introduced on post-agricultural lands in last decades. The trend has especially pertained oak species ( Quercus petraea and Q. robur ) and beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) of which much higher share was stated for the youngest analyzed age class (<20 years) of post-agricultural woodlands than for older forest stands