Molluscan communities in Vistulian loess located in Chobrzany, a village near Sandomierz (Southern Poland)

Malacological analysis was conducted on shell material from loess profile in Chobrzany village located near Sandomierz. This particular profile represents a vertical wall, up to 6.5 m high. Its upper part is composed of typical, yellow loess with vertical cracks covered by recent soil. In the lower interval the occurrence of poorly visible lamination and carbonate concretions is observed. Six species of snails were identified. These belong to the so-called "loess species". Several types of molluscan communities can be distinguished on the basis of faunistic changes. These molluscs' assemblages correspond with the palaeoenvironment and they allow for palaeoclimatic and stratigraphical reconstructions. The results of malacological analysis indicate that the loesses in Chobrzany could belong to the youngest loess sequence (Upper Younger Loess), which were deposited during Pleniglacial Phase of Vistulian

Malacofauna of the Holocene tufa in the valley of the Ociemny Stream (Pieniny Mts., southern Poland)

A rich molluscan fauna was found in the outcrop of slope sediments and calcareous tufas in the valley of the Ociemny Stream in the Pieniny Mts. The malacological sequence identified there represents the entire Holocene, but it contains several stratigraphical gaps. From this viewpoint, it is a unique finding within the area studied. In nine samples, 11,000 specimens of 71 species of molluscs were identified. The ecological and zoogeographical diversity of the composition and structure enabled the separation of three faunistic assemblages. The oldest assemblage (with Discus ruderatus) corresponds with the cold period of the Early Holocene and represents shadowed habitats overgrown with the coniferous forests of the taiga type. Its characteristic feature is the presence of glacial relics (e.g. Vertigo genesii and Vertigo geyeri). The other younger fauna (with Discus perspectivus) is typical of the humid and warm climate of the Atlantic Phase. It is characteristic of the habitats of mixed and deciduous forests. Numerous Balkan and Mediterranean thermophilous forms appear in this assemblage. The youngest malacoenosis (with Bithynella austriaca) is typical for the historical times. The particular intervals containing molluscan fauna are separated by gaps corresponding to the erosion phases. Because of the land relief in the valley of the Ociemny Stream, which is not conducive to the development of human economy, no marked anthropogenic deforestation occurs

Malacological indicators of anthropogenic and natural environmental changes of the Podhale Basin during the last 2000 years. Studies in the Rogoźnik Stream valley (the Carpathian Mountains, Southern Poland)

The lithological and malacological studies covered sediments forming the low terrace of the Rogoźnik Stream in the northwest part of the Podhale Basin. This terrace is characterised by a uniform structure within a significant part of the valley. Three layers of gravel and four layers of sandy and silty muds were found there. A rich and diversified malacofauna was discovered in fine-grained sediments. Its analysis allowed us to characterise environmental conditions during sediment deposition. The age of the individual components of the sedimentary sequence was determined by radiocarbon dating. A distinct change was found in the upper intervals of the sequence, corresponding to the warm phase of the Medieval Climate Optimum. This period is associated with the robust development of agriculture, and processes related to human activities became the main factor shaping the environment, influencing the course of geological processes, and changing the taxonomical and ecological structure of the fauna and flora assemblages found in this area

The tentative reconstruction of evolution of the biogenic accumulation reservoir in Bydlin (Silesian-Cracovian Upland)

Osady torfowiska we wsi Bydlin na Wyżynie Śląsko-Krakowskiej poddano analizie geochemicznej, paleobotanicznej oraz malakologicznej. Torfowisko znajduje się, w obrębie rozległej depresji morfologicznej na obszarze krasu węglanowego. Sekwencja osadów została udokumentowana na podstawie wierceń o maksymalnej głębokości 4,20 m. W złożu torfowiska osady są bardzo zróżnicowane, występują zarówno torfy mszyste, turzycowo-mszyste i turzycowiskowe, jak i osady powstające w jeziorach, głównie w postaci gytii wapiennej, gytii ilasto-wapiennej oraz kredy jeziornej. Typ osadu świadczy o limnicznej przeszłości zagłębień w zachodniej i południowej części torfowiska. Na podstawie zawartości głównych składników litogeochemicznych budujących osady jeziorne i torfowe, składu i struktury malakofauny, przebiegu krzywych pyłkowych oraz składu botanicznego osadów torfowych dokonano charakterystyki cech paleośrodowiska, zrekonstruowano etapy rozwoju torfowiska oraz określono pozycję stratygraficzną osadów

A skeleton of peat-trapped forest rhinoceros Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis (Jäger, 1839) from Gorzów Wielkopolski, Northwestern Poland: a record of life and death of the Eemian large mammals

We present a description of an almost complete skeleton of the forest rhino (Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis) found near Gorzów Wielkopolski (Northwest Poland) in its geological and palaeoenvironmental context. While finds of bones and teeth are common, the importance of this find resides in, that it is the most complete specimen of this species, almost perfectly preserved in a well-studied and dated stratigraphic and sedimentological context, along with other fossil fauna and flora. The OSL dates of glaciofluvial sediments sandwiching skeleton-bearing horizons indicate a Middle Eemian age of the Pleistocene paleolake land. This warm climate is also indicated by the results of sedimentological, geochemical, paleobotanical, and isotopic analyses. The rhino skeleton was deposited in a shallow area near the lake’s littoral zone. Bite marks of a large predator (cave hyena) were recognized on the rhino’s pelvis, which, due to their location, were probably created post-mortem. With an estimated height of 1.82 m at the withers, this was a large adult Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis. The results of osteometric analyses indicate that we are dealing with one of the largest known individuals of this species. Although it suffered from a pathologically deformed spine, the individual died at a relatively old age.Peer reviewe

Malacostratigraphy of Late Glacial and Holocene in Poland

Struc ture and com po si tion of mol lus can as sem blages de pend on natu ral fac tors such as: cli mate, vege ta tion, char ac ter of back ground, en vi ron mental con di tions and, in ten sity of geo logi cal pro cesses as well as on the hu man im pact. Vistulian and Holo cene com mu ni ties of snails and bi valves ex actly re flect changes of habi tats. Se quences of these fauna can be used for bi os tra tigra phy and stra tigraphi cal sched ule. The old est part of the pre sented scheme cor re sponds with Last Pleni gla cial char ac ter ized by poor com mu ni ties with a high con tent of open coun try spe cies ac cept ing the arc tic and sub arc tic cli mate. Cli matic fluc tua tions dur ing the Late Gla cial caused a sub stan tial re com po si tion of as sem - blages. In colder phases com mu ni ties abound ing in open coun try spe cies of high eco logi cal tol er ance oc cur commonly. Fauna con nected with warmer stages usu ally con tains wood land spe cies. At the be gin ning of the Holo cene, a rapid warm ing was fol lowed by the ex pan sion of for ests. Shade- loving spe cies in creased in number, while cold tol erant snails gradu ally dis ap peared. The maxi mal ex pan sion of wood land snails is con nected with the At lan tic Phase. Dur ing the Up per Holo cene mol lus can com mu ni ties in di cate the prog ress of hu man im pact. The pro posal of mala costra tigraphi cal sub di vi sion pre sented be low can be cor re lated with simi lar schemes de fined in neigh bor ing coun tries. It sup ple ment paly no logi cal schemes or even can be used as main way to stra tigraphi cal re con struc tions

Application of malacological analysis to reconstruct climate fluctuations and human activity during the Middle and Late Holocene. Research in the valley of the Grajcarek stream (Pieniny Mts., southern Poland)

The scope of this analysis included fluvial sediments of the low terrace of the Grajcarek stream in the Małe Pieniny Mts. (Western Carpathians). The structure of the terrace has been surveyed in five profiles. The sedimentary sequence includes alternating layers of gravel and calcareous mud with a maximum thickness of up to 2.2 m. A rich and varied malacofauna has been found in the mud. The age of the sediments was determined using the radiocarbon method. The sediments that make up the terrace cover the younger part of the Middle Holocene and the entire Late Holocene. The analysis of the malacofauna has allowed for the characterization of environmental changes. The most important of them dates back to the Middle Ages and is associated with the phase of intensive settlement in the Pieniny Mts.. It is indicated by deforestation and the related change in the composition and structure of malacocoenoses manifested by the replacement of forest communities by ones with open-country species. Gravel horizons are records of flood periods correlated with wet climatic phases. It is possible to distinguish six such phases covering the following periods: 6600–6100 y cal BP, 5500–5100 y cal BP, 4500–4100 y cal BP, 3200–2300 y cal BP, 2000–900 y cal BP and 400–200 y cal BP. They correspond to the periods of increased fluvial activity of rivers, intensification of mass movements, advances of alpine glaciers and the increase in the water level in lakes

Malacofauna of calcareous tufa in Rybna near Kraków (southern Poland) as an indicator of environmental changes in the southern margin of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland

Liczne skorupki mięczaków znaleziono w odsłonięciu martwic wapiennych we wsi Rybna k. Krakowa. W 12 próbkach rozpoznano występowanie ponad 2500 okazów należących do 49 gatunków. W obrębie sekwencji malakologicznej możliwe było wydzielenie trzech zespołów faunistycznych. Najstarszy z nich (fauna M) odpowiada chłodnemu okresowi wczesnego holocenu i reprezentuje zacienione siedliska o dużej wilgotności, porośnięte krzewami lub rzadkimi lasami o znacznym udziale drzew iglastych. Jego cechą charakterystyczną jest obecność gatunków typowych dla zimnych faz klimatycznych. Drugi, młodszy zespół (fauna F) jest typowy dla ciepłego i wilgotnego klimatu fazy atlantyckiej. Charakteryzuje on siedliska zwartych lasów mieszanych i liściastych. Pojawiają się tu liczne formy o wysokich wymaganiach termicznych. Najmłodszy zespół (fauna O) wskazuje na rozległe antropogeniczne wylesienia na obszarze depozycji martwic wapiennych. Ta zmiana cech siedlisk przyrodniczych była prawdopodobnie związana z fazą intensywnego zasiedlenia okolic wsi Rybna i rozwoju rolnictwa we wczesnym średniowieczu.Numerous molluscan shells were found in an outcrop of calcareous tufa in the village of Rybna near Kraków. In 12 samples, over 2500 specimens belonging to 49 taxons were found. Three types of molluscan assemblages can be distinguished within the malacological sequences. The oldest of them (M-type fauna) corresponds to the cold period of the Early Holocene and represents shady habitats of significant moisture, covered with bushes or sparse coniferous forests. Its characteristic feature is the presence of cold-tolerant species typical for cold climate phases. The second, younger assemblage (F-type fauna) is typical for the warm and moist climate of the Atlantic Phase. It characterizes habitats of dense mixed and deciduous forests. Numerous forms of high thermal requirements are found here. The youngest assemblage (O-type fauna) implies extensive anthropogenic deforestations in the surrounding area. This change in the characteristics of natural environment was most likely associated with a phase of intense settlement in the village of Rybna and development of agriculture during the Middle Ages

Record of environmental changes and fluvial phases in the Late Holocene within the area of Podhale (the Carpathians, southern Poland) : studies in the Falsztyński valley

The Falsztyński valley, in the eastern part of Podhale, Poland includes a low terrace spanning the stream channel, the structure of which has been studied in nine profiles. Five gravel levels and five mud levels with plant and abundant mollusc remains are described, temporally constrained by ten radiocarbon dates. The terrace deposits represent the terminal part of the Atlantic Phase and all of the Late Holocene. The mollusc analysis helped identify phases of environmental change, notably one in the Middle Ages connected with intensive settlement activities in the area of Podhale. These include deforestation, affecting mollusc communities with replacement of forest assemblages by open-country species. The gravel levels records increased fluvial activity periods correlated with humid climate phases. It is possible to distinguish five such periods corresponding to the transition of the Atlantic and Subboreal phases, the middle part of the Subboreal Phase, the transition of the Subboreal and Subatlantic phases, the younger part of the Subatlantic Phase, and the last 200 years. These correspond to the periods of increased fluvial activity in the valleys of other Carpathian rivers