Cena gruntu jako wskaźnik wartości świadczeń rekreacyjnych ekosystemów

Poza produkcją roślinną i zwierzęcą, tereny rolne dostarczają szeregu różnych świadczeń ekosystemowych. Jednymi z nich są świadczenia rekreacyjne i estetyczne. Do takich świadczeń na przykład należy możliwość spacerowania wzdłuż brzegów jezior lub podziwiania krajobrazu z punktu widokowego. Właściciele gruntów dostrzegają część z tych świadczeń i kapitalizują je w cenach transakcyjnych sprzedawanych działek. Niniejsze badania pokazują zmienność cen działek w zależności od odległości do atrakcyjnych miejsc wypoczynku, biorąc jednocześnie pod uwagę warunki techniczne położenia działki takie, jak obecność mediów, usytuowanie działki względem dróg i zabudowy, wielkość działki czy też decyzje administracyjne niezbędne do rozpoczęcia budowy. Przeanalizowano położenie 445 działek rolnych zlokalizowanych na terenie powiatu poznańskiego, które zostały sprzedane pomiędzy 01.01.2011 a 08.05.2012 r. Spośród czynników przyrodniczych mających wpływ na walory turystyczne danego obszaru największy wpływ na cenę działki okazała się mieć odległość od terenów zieleni urządzonej oraz stref brzegowych wykorzystywanych na potrzeby turystyki pieszej i rowerowej. Promień oddziaływania tych terenów to odpowiednio 3 i 2 km, a wartość metra kwadratowego działki maleje wraz z oddalaniem się od tych miejsc odpowiednio o 17 i 10 PLN na każde 1000 m

Potencjał agroekosystemów do naturalnej regulacji liczebności szkodników. Analiza na poziomie krajobrazowym dla Polski

Small semi-natural habitats, especially mid-field trees, play a significant roles in the agricultural landscape. One of them is natural pest control. This function is because tree plantings are the habitat of organisms that are natural enemies of crop pests, i.a., predatory insects and parasitoids. In intensively managed agricultural landscapes, plant protection relies heavily on chemicals, increasing production costs and environmental pollution. Strengthening natural pest control can help improve food security while reducing pressure on biodiversity and the environment. At the same time, midfield trees increase the effectiveness of other services, such as pollination or climate regulation. There have been significant advances in mapping ecosystem services recently, but natural pest control is one of the least explored topics. This study aims to present the spatial variability of the potential and demand for this service, pointing to those parts of Poland where the need to protect mid-field trees is greatest. A landscape approach was applied, taking into account not only the share of shelterbelts but also the size of the patches, their shape, and the size of the ecotone zone. The results and the methodology developed here can be used to formulate policies and strategies aimed at increasing biodiversity and ecosystem services. This research can also be the basis for activities supporting sustainable agriculture, e.g., the appropriate allocation of funds from the Rural Development Program.Niewielkie półnaturalne siedliska, zwłaszcza zadrzewienia śródpolne, odgrywają w krajobrazie rolniczym bardzo ważną rolę. Jedną z nich jest zwiększenie oporu naturalnego środowiska na wystąpienie gradacji szkodnika. Funkcja ta wynika z faktu, że zadrzewienia są miejscem bytowania organizmów będących naturalnymi wrogami szkodników upraw, m.in. owadów drapieżnych oraz pasożytów i parazytoidów. W intensywnie zarządzanych krajobrazach rolniczych ochrona roślin uprawnych opiera się w dużej mierze na środkach chemicznych, co zwiększa koszty produkcji i zanieczyszczenie środowiska. Wzmocnienie naturalnej kontroli szkodników może przyczynić się do wzrostu bezpieczeństwa żywnościowego, przy jednoczesnym zmniejszeniu presji na bioróżnorodność i środowisko. Jednocześnie zadrzewienia śródpolne zwiększają efektywność innych usług, takich jak zapylanie czy regulacja klimatu. W ostatnim czasie dokonano znacznych postępów w mapowaniu usług ekosystemowych, ale naturalne zwalczanie szkodników jest jednym z najrzadziej podejmowanych tematów. Niniejsze opracowanie ma na celuprzedstawienie przestrzennej zmienności potencjału i zapotrzebowania na tę usługę, wskazując te części Polski, w których potrzeby ochrony zadrzewień są największe. Zastosowano podejście krajobrazowe, biorąc pod uwagę nie tylko udział zadrzewień, ale także wielkość płatów, ich kształt oraz wielkość strefy ekotonowej. Wyniki oraz wypracowana tu metodyka mogą służyć do formułowania polityk i strategii mających na celu zwiększenie bioróżnorodności i usług ekosystemowych. Badania te mogą być też podstawą działań wspierających zrównoważone rolnictwo, np. poprzez odpowiednią alokację funduszy z Programu Rozwoju Obszarów Wiejskich

The share of land cover class and the landscape structure. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland using GIS techniques

More and more concern on landscape is a resulting from growing conviction of researchers about it’s indicating role in regard to ecosystem functioning. Number of research that confirm influence of landscape changes on biodiversity, climate, soil productivity, human health or quantity and quality of water courses and bodies is increasing. The simplest form of landscape study is an analysis of land cover. The data of this type can be easily treated by statistic methods and illustrated on the map. However, this sort of analysis concern mostly on particular component of landscape, not on the landscape as a whole. In many cases the structure, in terms of configuration and composition of land cover classes, determines landscape functions. Additional factor, usually not taken into account, is geomorphology of study area. The landform and his origin strongly affect landscape and it’s functions. The basic purpose of this study is to present the possibility of employing statistical analysis of numerical maps to describe landscape and predict the consequences of its changes. This paper considers the issue of landscape diversity measured by the share of land cover forms and the distribution of such forms in different geomorphologic forms of the Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland. Author analyzed landscape structure of Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland in 17 landscape types distinguished according to geomorphological division of Krygowski. In each geomorphological unit the share and structure of 16 land cover classes, obtained by data from CORINE Land Cover 2000 generalization, was counted. Analysis affected chosen indicators of patches area, density of their edges, shape, core zones, isolation and connectivity and was supported by Spatial Pattern Analysis Program Fragstats. Depending on the study object the change in various land cover forms entails different ecological consequences. They depend not only on the land cover type but also on its structure. The ability to predict those consequences and counteract adverse phenomena is very important. This study confirms that it is possible to draw conclusions on landscape consequences of land cover changes on the regional level only on the basis of quantitative data. It applies both to the future and the past

TYPOLOGY OF PHYSICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS IN POLAND IN LINE WITH LAND-COVER STRUCTURE AND ITS CHANGES IN THE YEARS 1990-2006

The authors used a division of Poland into physical-geographical regions to present diversity in terms of land cover, and to distinguish a typology of natural units (mesoregions), in terms of both the nature of the said cover in 2006, and changes in that cover over the two time intervals 1990-2000 and 2000-2006. Individual mesoregions were assigned to the different types in regard to the two periods, this making it possible to illustrate the regional distribution of land-cover changes in Poland, with account taken of stability on the one hand, or changes as regards trends on the other. The results obtained may provide objective premises for the selection of representative spatial units in geographical, as well as landscape or ecological, research

Gradient of Land Cover and Ecosystem Service Supply Capacities- A Comparison of Suburban and Rural Fringes of Towns Dresden (Germany) and Poznan (Poland)

Quantifying landscape pattern and its change is essential for the monitoring of changes in ecosystem services caused by urbanization and other processes. Landscape indicators can be very useful for such assessments. The authors used landscape metrics for a gradient analysis of land cover between cities and protected areas. The two cities Dresden (Germany) and Poznan (Poland) were chosen, because they are comparable due to inhabitants, area and location in former socialistic regimes. The biggest difference affects legal and socio-economic conditions. Overall, the study shows decrease of ecosystem services and diversity indices with increasing distance from the protected area, but the lines of trend near Dresden and Poznan have a different course. In comparison to Poznan, around Dresden are more protected areas and much more settlement areas are located near or even inside them. Protected areas around Poznan are more aggregated and more distant from the town center, have character that is more natural and are more diversified in terms of land cover configuration. On the other hand, in Dresden, thanks the more compact character of built-up areas and accompanied green urban areas, the landscape of suburban zone is more diversified and the benefits of ecosystem services are closer to the people. The reason are more restrictive legal aspects of spatial planning in Germany

Rola szlaku sygnałowego Wnt/β-katenina oraz białka LRP5 w metabolizmie tkanki kostnej oraz etiologii osteoporozy

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease, manifested by decreased bone mineral density, microarchitectural disturbances of bone tissue, and increased risk of bone fractures. Owing to large-scale morbidity, particularly among postmenopausal women, nowadays osteoporosis constitutes a significant global health problem. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the role of signaling Wnt/β-catenin pathway and LRP protein in the pathomechanism of osteoporosis, indicating a possible contribution of polymorphic variants of the candidate LRP5 gene to disease development. The goal of our study is to present contemporary research on signaling Wnt/β-catenin pathway and mechanism of LRP protein action in the process of bone tissue metabolism and etiology of osteoporosis.Osteoporoza jest metaboliczną chorobą szkieletu kostnego, objawiającą się zmniejszeniem gęstości mineralnej kości, zaburzeniami wewnętrznej mikroarchitektury tkanki kostnej i zwiększeniem ryzyka wystąpienia złamań. Z uwagi na olbrzymią skalę zachorowań, szczególnie wśród kobiet po menopauzie, osteoporoza stanowi obecnie istotny problem zdrowotny na całym świecie. Od kilku lat duże zainteresowanie wzbudzają badania dotyczące roli szlaku sygnałowego Wnt/β-katenina oraz białka LRP5 w patomechanizmie osteoporozy, wskazujące również na możliwy udział wariantów polimorficznych genu kandydującego LRP5 w rozwoju tej choroby. Celem pracy jest przedstawienie najnowszych badań dotyczących szlaku sygnałowego Wnt/β-katenina oraz mechanizmu działania białka LRP5 w procesie metabolizmu tkanki kostnej oraz etiologii osteoporozy

Contribution of inherited thrombophilia to recurrent miscarriage in the Polish population

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of genetic variants determining inherited thrombophilia to recurrent miscarriage (RM) in the Polish population. The following polymorphisms were analyzed: 1691G>A, 1328T>C of coagulation factor V, 20210G>A of coagulation factor II, R353Q (11496G>A) of coagulation factor VII, 667C>T, 1298A>C, 1793G>A of MTHFR. Material and methods: A total of 359 women with ≥ 2 subsequent recurrent miscarriages (303 < 13 weeks of gestation (w.g.) and 56 between 13–22 w.g.) and 400 healthy controls were included in the study. Frequency of the genetic polymor­phisms was determined with the PCR/RFLP method. Results: Higher frequency of the 20210GA genotype was found in the RM < 13 w.g. (2.97 vs. 1.50% in controls, OR = 2.01, ns) and the RM 13–22 w.g. (5.36 vs. 1.50% in controls, OR = 3.72, p = 0.09) subgroups. Statistically significantly higher frequency of the 11496GA genotype was noted in controls as compared to the RM 13–22 w.g. subgroup (10.71 vs. 23.00% in controls, OR = 0.40, p = 0.02). Statistically significantly higher frequency of the 1793GA genotype was observed in the RM < 13 w.g. subgroup as compared to controls (12.21 vs. 7.75% in controls, OR = 1.66, p = 0.03). No significant correlations were found as far as the rest of the analyzed polymorphisms are concerned. Conclusions: The obtained results suggest that the 1793G>A MTHFR, R353Q (11496G>A) factor VII gene and the 20210G>A factor II gene polymorphisms play a role in the etiology of RM in the Polish population

Correlation between factor VII and PAI-1 genetic variants and recurrent miscarriage

Background: Polymorphisms which are presented below may be the cause of inherited thrombophilia and may result in pregnancy loss. The hypothesis is based on a number of cardiology studies which have confirmed the involvement of these polymorphisms in thrombotic incidents. Objectives: To evaluate the role of polymorphisms of factor VII gene (Arg353Gln, -122T > C) and PAI-1 gene (-675 4G/5G) in the etiology of recurrent miscarriage. Material and methods: The study group included 152 women with a positive history of ≥ 2 consecutive pregnancy losses (114 and 38 women with 2 and ≥ 3 miscarriages, respectively), while 180 healthy women were recruited as controls. Genetic analysis was performed with the use of PCR/RFLP. Results: Lower frequency of Arg353/Gln353 was observed in women with 2 and ≥ 3 miscarriages as compared to controls (21.1% vs. 23.9% and 13.2% vs. 23.9%, respectively). The frequency of Gln353 was lower in women with ≥ 3 miscarriages as compared to controls (6.6% vs. 11.9%, p = ns). The frequency of -122TT was higher in women with ≥ 3 miscarriages as compared to controls (86.84% vs. 76.67%, p = ns), whereas -122TC was more frequent in controls (13.16% vs. 22.78% in controls, p = ns). The frequency of -122T was higher in patients with ≥ 3 abortions as compared to controls (93.42% vs. 88.06%, p = ns), and -122C was observed more frequently in controls (6.58% vs. 11.94% in controls, p = ns). There were no significant differences as far as the -675 4G/5G polymorphism was concerned. Conclusions: The obtained results suggest a possible protective role of Gln353 and -122C alleles in recurrent miscarriage

Natural conditions as a premise for the development of the Poznań urbanised area

This paper presents the natural conditions in the Poznań urbanised area with a focus on lasting preservation of the resources both in respect of quantity and quality. The problem related sections concern the land surface, mineral resources, soil, water and assets of natural systems. The content shows elements of a nature potential diagnosis considering the forms of human pressure and condition of the environment’s components. Based on the above conclusions were drawn regarding the actions necessary to preserve or improve the nature-related aspects of the population’s quality of life. The purposefulness and scope of the current and planned co-operation between communes as regards environment management were assessed

Di-Zinc-Aryl Complexes: CO2 Insertions and Applications in Polymerisation Catalysis

Two new di-zinc aryl complexes, [LZn2Ph2] and [LZn2(C6F5)2], coordinated by a diphenol tetraamine macrocyclic ligand are prepared and fully characterized, including by single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. The complexes’ reactivities with monomers including carbon dioxide, cyclohexene oxide, phthalic anhydride, iso-propanol and phenol are investigated using both experimental studies and density functional theory calculations. In particular, [LZn2Ph2] readily inserts carbon dioxide to form a carboxylate, at 1 bar pressure, whereas [LZn2(C6F5)2] does not react. Under these conditions [LZn2Ph2] shows moderate activity in the ring-opening copolymerisation of cyclohexene oxide / carbon dioxide (TOF = 20 h-1); cyclohexene oxide / phthalic anhydride (TOF = 33 h-1) and the ring opening polymerisations of rac-lactide (TOF = 99 h-1) and ε-caprolactone (TOF = 5280 h-1)