List of Reviewers of Ecological Questions vol. 32 (2021) 1–4

List of Reviewers of Ecological Questions vol. 32 (2021) 1–

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)

Temporal and spatial changes in the distribution of heaths within the city of Toruń according to analysis of cartographic and remote-sensing materials, and field exploration

The paper describes changes in the distribution and the surface area of heaths during the last, nearly 120 years at two research sites located in the city of Toruń. The first site "JAR" is a former land of military manoeuvres in the northern part of the city, where a unit of the Soviet Army had been stationed after the 2nd World War till 1991. The second site "Glinki", situated at the south-western end of the city, was also exploited as a military land. During the 2nd World War, a German prisoner-of-war camp was located here, and after the war some industrial plants were built and allotment gardens were established, whereas part of the area was treated as a wasteland. The history of both areas and the vegetation changes were reconstructed from the series of temporal topographic maps and aerial photos, as well as a high-resolution Ikonos satellite image. The aforementioned source materials were analysed with the technology of Geographical Information Systems, applying the software Arc-GIS ArcView 9.3. For both sites, the range was determined, as well as the number of patches with common heather and the total area of heaths in particular years of land cover and land use mapping. The present state of heaths was defined based on the direct field exploration carried out with the use of GPS navigational devices. It was found that at present 22 heather patches occur at the site JAR, with the total area of11.7328 ha. Within the Glinki district, also 22 heather patches occur with the total area of 3.5701 ha. And thus, these are the largest sites of heaths located within the administrative boundaries of Toruń. Data collected through the field exploration of the site JAR were superimposed on the spatial development plan of the future housing estate. At an intersection of both information layers, fragments of the area were outlined where heaths can be preserved after the construction of a housing estate is completed. Their area is small. In the area of the Glinki district, the rate of expansion of industrial areas was determined for the last several years, as well as future changes in the land use were discussed, which will arise due to a housing estate scheduled for building here. The aforementioned analyses enabled to evaluate the present developmental state of both research areas, as well as to determine the future of low shrub communities, which occur here and which constitute a type of an ecological system listed among the UE protected habitats. The obtained results increase our knowledge on heaths in Toruń, and at the same time - also in Poland and in Europe

Foreword

Aerial and satellite remote sensing represents an important source of information and is more and more commonly used in environmental studies. The resulting products of remote data acquisition – aerial and satellite images combined with the capacity of modern tools, especially when integrated into Geographic Information Systems, facilitate multilayered analysis related to the conditions and functioning of the environment, including both its components and their mutual relations and interrelations. The aforementioned issues are discussed in papers included in the 17th volume of "Ecological Questions"

Foreword

The special issue of EQ No. 12 includes 11 papers written by ecologists and geographers from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, as well as by biologists and ecologists from Italy. The first paper of this collection is dedicated to physiographic determinants of the occurrence of heaths in the Toruń Valley. A great deal of space in this paper was devoted to inland dunes, which condition the occurrence of pine forests in this region, as well as the occurrence of heaths after cutting down the forests. The second paper, written by 8 authors, presents transformations on the Zadroże Dune over the 60 years. The next four papers are dedicated to vegetation and habitat variability within heaths, as well as psammophilous grasslands and pine forests occurring in the city of Toruń and in its immediate vicinity. Through the temporal series of street plans, topographic maps, as well as aerial and satellite images, the extinction of heaths was demonstrated in the suburban zone of Toruń, which results from urbanization processes and contamination of the  atmosphere by industrial and municipal services