Review of Soil Moisture and Plant Water Stress Models Based on Satellite Thermal Imagery

The paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used groups of models of soil moisture and plant water stress based on satellite thermal imagery. We present a simple proof of linking NDTI and CWSI indicators with plants water stress and quantitative justification for the shape of the points cloud on the chart Ts-NDVI

A reconnaissance-scale GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis to support sustainable biochar use: Poland as a case study

Although increasing numbers of research papers regarding biochar are being published worldwide, in some countries growing interest in biochar has only recently been observed; this is true of Poland. We analysed information on biochar research in Poland alongside lessons learned elsewhere in order to identify the significant opportunities and risks associated with biochar use. This data fed into a GIS-based multicriteria analysis to identify areas where biochar application could deliver greatest benefit. We found that 21.8% of agricultural land in Poland has at least moderate indication for biochar use (soil organic matter below 2% and pH below 5.5), while 1.5% was categorized as a priority as it also exhibited contamination. Potential barriers identified included biomass availability and associated risks of indirect land-use change due to possible national and transnational biomass production displacement. Biochar use could have positive global consequences as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly relevant in a country with limited alternatives. Scaling up a mitigation technology that is viable on account of its co-benefits might be cost-effective, which could, in turn, adjust national perspectives and stronger involvement in developing mitigation policies at the regional level. Biochar has much promise in temperate conditions and further research should therefore be assigned to explore biochar’s environmental and socio-economic impacts

Key sustainability issues and the spatial classification of sensitive regions in Europe

Severe and cross-cutting environmental, social and economic changes have particular impact in sensitive regions and the geographical delineation of sensitive regions is essential to address sustainability issues by policy measures. Based on the European impact assessment guidelines from 2005, sensitive regions were identified using cluster analysis, UNEP priorities and expert knowledge. On a regionalised NUTS level and for pre-defined sensitive region types (post-industrial zones, mountains, coasts and islands) 31 % of Europe’s area was identified as sensitive. However, the delineation mainly referred mainly to social and economic issues since the regionalised data base on environmental indicators and including issues on soil quality is limited and does not allow the separation of medium-term vital clusters. Some visions on short-term and long-term perspectives will be discussed to ensure sustainable development in sensitive regions.peer-reviewe

Crop production intensity and haNDVI indicator – amplitude of NDVI related to harvest

In response to the growing needs of spatial recognition of the intensity of agricultural crop production, a new haNDVI indicator was developed, that measures the amplitude of the NDVI indicator related to the harvest. The proposed way of calculating haNDVI is to use the minimum and maximum functions for the raster layers set from the growing season. This avoids the need for preliminary classification of crops, including to determine the moment of harvest. It has been shown that the haNDVI indicator calculated on aggregated NDVI layers with a resolution of 1 km is correlated with soil quality indexes, NPK fertilization intensity (r = 0.69) and the share of crops in the total area (r = 0.86) for municipalities. The properties of the haNDVI indicator make it particularly useful for the initial, rapid scanning of environmental quality in terms of the intensity of plant production and indicating the hazards locations associated with the use of fertilizers and plant protection products

Agriculture from Areas Facing Natural or Other Specific Constraints (ANCs) in Poland, Its Characteristics, Directions of Changes and Challenges in the Context of the European Green Deal

Increasing the European Union’s (EU) current efforts to protect the natural environment, especially in the context of protecting agricultural soils, is one of its basic challenges. The European Commission (EC) is now ready and willing to strongly strengthen protection of the natural environment. Activities are primarily supported by the European Green Deal (EGD) strategy from 2019 and its thematic strategies, as well as the currently revised Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2023–2027. Further direct support for farms from Areas facing Natural or other Specific constraints (ANCs support), compensating for them at least some of the additional costs and lost income related to the difficulties for agricultural production, will be one of the most important actions of the future CAP in the context of the protection of agricultural soils. It should be added that, in recent years, all EU Member States, including Poland (in 2019), have carried out a mandatory new delimitation of ANCs according to the same rules established by the EC Joint Research Center (EC JRC) under the CAP 2014–2020. The aim of the study is to characterize the organizational situation of Polish agriculture, to indicate the direction and strength of the changes taking place in it, as well as the main determinants of its further functioning in areas (communes) with a particularly high saturation of current ANCs, as compared to other areas, with and without ANCs. It is also important to present the economic consequences and development opportunities for farms conducting agricultural production in these areas. The results of the study show the condition of Polish agriculture and changes taking place in this sector in areas with different saturation and specificity of ANCs related to challenges for environmental protection included in the EGD strategy and the current and future CAP. The research results will also provide an important basis for policymakers in undertaking effective agricultural support in ANCs and for the scientific community to develop agricultural research that can meet the most pressing challenges faced in the areas. It should be noted that the study emphasizes the significance of the new institutional economics, the postulates of which can provide solid support for the actions taken to better protect ANCs

OCENA FUNKCJONOWANIA GOSPODARSTW NA OBSZARACH O NIEKORZYSTNYCH WARUNKACH GOSPODAROWANIA I DUŻEJ CENNOŚCI PRZYRODNICZEJ (ONW TYP SPECYFICZNY STREFA I)

The purpose of this study is to characterize municipalities with a high share of LFAs (specific type zone I) as well as to assess the functioning of farms located in such municipalities against the background of analogous farms in non-LFA municipalities which kept accounts for the Polish FADN continuously in 2016-2018. The first part of the study describes the method of determining and characterizing areas with natural constraints (LFA) of specific type located in zone I in Poland designated by the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – NRI (IUNG-PIB) on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MRiRW) and the European Commission (EC). These areas were determined on the basis of the threshold values of the Nature and Tourism Index (WCPT) and the Index for the Valorisation of Agricultural Production Area (WWRPP). They have functioned in our country since 2019 and include 1233,7 thousand ha UAA. The second part of the study presents the functioning of farms located in municipalities with a high share of LFAs (specific type zone I) (at least 80% UAA LFA specific type zone 1 in total UAA) against the background of analogous farms in non-LFA municipalities that kept accounts for the Polish FADN continuously in 2016-2018. It was found that farms located in LFAs are characterized by lower capital value, older farm owners, and poorer quality of used soils. In addition, they incur lower costs per 1 ha of UAA, have worse production effects and lower factor productivity. Moreover, they have lower income per 1 ha of UAA, and thus smaller development opportunities.Celem tego opracowania jest charakterystyka gmin o dużym nasyceniu ONW typ specyficzny strefa I oraz ocena funkcjonowania gospodarstw rolnych z tych gmin, na tle analogicznych gospodarstw z gmin spoza ONW, które prowadziły nieprzerwanie rachunkowość dla Polskiego FADN w latach 2016-2018. W pierwszej części opracowania dokonano opisu metody wyznaczania oraz charakterystyki obszarów z ograniczeniami naturalnymi (ONW) typ specyficzny strefa I w Polsce, które Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa – PIB w Puławach (IUNG-PIB) wyznaczył na zlecenie Ministerstwa Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi (MRiRW) oraz Komisji Europejskiej (KE), w oparciu o wartości progowe wskaźnika waloryzacji rolniczej przestrzeni produkcyjnej (WWRPP) i opracowanego w tym celu wskaźnika cenności przyrodniczo-turystycznej (WCPT). Obszary te obowiązują w naszym kraju od 2019 r. i obejmują 1233,7 tys. ha UR. W drugiej części opracowania dokonano oceny funkcjonowania gospodarstw rolnych z gmin o dużym nasyceniu ONW typ specyficzny strefa I (co najmniej 80% UR ONW typ specyficzny strefa I w powierzchni UR w gminie) na tle analogicznych gospodarstw z gmin spoza ONW, które prowadziły nieprzerwanie rachunkowość dla Polskiego FADN w latach 2016-2018. Ustalono, że gospodarstwa z gmin z ONW typ specyficzny strefa I na tle gospodarstw będących punktem odniesienia charakteryzują się m.in. mniejszą wartością kapitału, wyższym wiekiem ich kierowników oraz gorszą jakością użytkowanych gleb. Ponadto mają niższe produktywności czynników produkcji oraz mniejszy dochód w przeliczeniu na 1 ha UR i na 1 FWU, co ogranicza ich możliwości rozwoju

Assessment of The Functioning of Farms In Less-Favored Areas and in Areas of Significant Natural Value (Lfa Specific Type Zone I)

The purpose of this study is to characterize municipalities with a high share of LFAs (specific type zone I) as well as to assess the functioning of farms located in such municipalities against the background of analogous farms in non-LFA municipalities which kept accounts for the Polish FADN continuously in 2016-2018. The first part of the study describes the method of determining and characterizing areas with natural constraints (LFA) of specific type located in zone I in Poland designated by the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – NRI (IUNG-PIB) on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MRiRW) and the European Commission (EC). These areas were determined on the basis of the threshold values of the Nature and Tourism Index (WCPT) and the Index for the Valorisation of Agricultural Production Area (WWRPP). They have functioned in our country since 2019 and include 1233,7 thousand ha UAA. The second part of the study presents the functioning of farms located in municipalities with a high share of LFAs (specific type zone I) (at least 80% UAA LFA specific type zone 1 in total UAA) against the background of analogous farms in non-LFA municipalities that kept accounts for the Polish FADN continuously in 2016-2018. It was found that farms located in LFAs are characterized by lower capital value, older farm owners, and poorer quality of used soils. In addition, they incur lower costs per 1 ha of UAA, have worse production effects and lower factor productivity. Moreover, they have lower income per 1 ha of UAA, and thus smaller development opportunities

Thermal analysis of plastics used in the food industry

Fires in landfills, where used plastic packaging waste is discarded, have shown how great a fire hazard these types of materials pose. In this study, the course of thermo-oxidation of samples made of polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based plastics was determined. Based on an analysis of the dissociation energy of bonds between atoms in a polymer molecule, the mechanisms responsible for the character and course of degradation were observed. It was found that the degradation rate of PP and PS could be a result of the stability of C-H bonds on the tertiary carbon atom. In the case of PS, due to facilitated intramolecular hydrogen transfer, stabilization of hydroperoxide, and formation of a stable tertiary alcohol molecule, the onset of degradation is shifted towards higher temperatures than in the case of PP. Notably, the PP fragmentation occurs to a greater extent due to the easier course of β-scission. In addition, it was found that during a fire, the least amount of heat would be generated by thermo-oxidation of PS-based plastics. This is a result of the formation of a styrene molecule during decomposition that, due to the high stability of bonds in the aromatic ring, escapes from the combustion zone without oxidation. It has been proven that the greatest thermal effect accompanies PET decomposition, during which a phenyl radical is produced, where the C-H bonds break more easily in comparison with the bonds of an intact ring

The impact of residential development and municipal greenery on the thermal conditions of the city gullies in Lublin

Urbanization is a serious threat to the soil cover. It entailsthe process of soil sealing thereby limiting soil functions.The local climate is also affected – sealed areas absorb heat, thereforetemperature above them is increasing. It contributes to theformation of an urban heat island, which negatively affects thequality of human life. In the two surveyed gullies in Lublin, 35measurement points were located, in which two temperature sensorswere placed: one at a height of 1.5 m and the other in the soilat a depth of 0.15 m. The measurement points were located at differentdistances from the buildings (from 10 to 236 m in a straightline) and in the areas with different types of vegetation – trees,shrubs and grass. Research carried out in two gullies in Lublin revealedthat the differences in air temperature at various locationswere even 10 degrees Celsius depending on the distance from thebuildings, the type of plant cover and soil characteristics. Largetemperature variability could be observed even within a smallarea. The negative impact of buildings on the air temperature inthe city is eliminated by proper distribution of green areas, reducingthe temperature by up to 7 degrees Celsius. The process ofsoil sealing cannot be avoided. Therefore, land intended for urbanisationshould be used rationally. The spatial planning processshould take into account not only land for infrastructure but alsofor green areas to reduce negative impact of soil sealing on thequality of life of the residents

Graduation Towers Impact on the Concentration and Chemical Composition of Ambient Aerosol: A Case Study from Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland

The aim of the research was to determine the effect of graduation towers on the aerosol concentration and its composition not only in the vicinity of the graduation tower itself, but also at a distance from it, on the example of the brine graduation tower in the Wieliczka Salt Mine health resort. Two measurement sites were selected for the research, one located inside the graduation tower and the other at the guard booth—at a considerable distance from the graduation tower. Total suspended particulate (TSP) and PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter that does not exceed 10 µm) samples were taken simultaneously using the aspiration method. The collected samples were subjected to analyses of TSP and PM10 concentrations, the content of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and selected ions. It was confirmed that the composition of the aerosol in the Wieliczka Salt Mine significantly differs from the typical aerosol composition in inland locations and is similar to the aerosol composition in coastal zones. The comparison of the aerosol composition at both measuring sites clearly indicates a very favorable influence of the brine graduation tower on the composition of the atmospheric aerosol, even at a certain distance from it