The impact of postglacial palaeoenvironmental changes on the properties of sediments in the ket tle hole at Jurki (NE Poland)

This research is focused on a small kettle hole located within the Morąg moraines (Iława Lake District, NE Poland). The study objective was to determine the impact of palaeoenvironmental changes on properties of sediments filling the bot tom of the kettle hole. Sedimentological, geochemical, and palaeobotanical studies enabled us to distinguish several development phases of the kettle hole, and cluster analysis performed on physicochemical data yielded seven local geochemical zones (JuI/I to JuI/VII). The beginning of biogenic sedimentation in the conditions of a small water body, functioning in the Late Glacial period (4.20–4.10 m), was determined on the basis of palaeobotanical research. Sediments deposited in the lake during its further evolution were rich in microelements such as Ca, Na, Mg, and K, and to a smaller extent – Fe and Mn (JuI/I–III local geochemical zones). The Late Glacial lacustrine period ended with the accumulation of very silty, pollen-free gyttja, with a stratigraphic hiatus (JuI/IV, 3.40–3.20 m). The sediments were enriched with SiO2ter, which indicates an increased rate of slope erosion, and concretions of Fe-Mn occurring below this layer (JuIII) provide evidence for lowering of the water level and even desiccation. In the Holocene, the lacustrine period ended with the accumulation of coarse detrital gyttja (3.20–2.60 m). Palaeobotanical data indicate that the next group of sediments were deposited in the Late Subboreal and Subatlantic periods (2.60–0.0 cm, JuI/V–VII; sedge peat). Their properties were varied and related to hydrologic conditions, limited denudation, and vegetation succession. There was also a significant change in the trophic conditions of the water and consequently in the sediments of the kettle hole, which changed during the lacustrine period from basic to acid, and strongly acid in the surface layer. This reaction may be related to a change in the water regime as well as to hu man impact in the environment, which led to the colonization of the peat bog by Sphagnum moss

History of the Białowieża Primeval Forest, NE Poland

Bia³owie¿a in Po land is a very fa mous re gion in Eu rope (be cause of its pri me val for est and bi son pop u la tion), but its en vi ron men tal his tory is poorly known. This ar ti cle shows the re sults of palynological anal y sis, macrofossil anal y sis and geo log i cal set tings of two mires in the Bia³owie¿a For est. The pol len di a grams show changes of the veg e ta tion cover from the youn ger part of the Late Gla cial un til the pres ent time. The rel a tive time scale is based on palynostratigraphy and com par i son to pub lished re sults of other sites from the ad ja cent re gions. Dur ing the Late Gla cial two stages of the veg e ta tion suc ces sion were re vealed: steppe and for est dur ing the Alleröd pe riod and tun dra-like veg e ta tion during the Youn ger Dryas. The Ho lo cene his tory con sists of five stages of plant cover de vel op ment. The spe cial fea tures of the Bia³owie¿a For est are con di tioned by two main fac tors: low de gree of anthropogenic im pact and in flu ences of con ti nen tal cli mate and bo real zone, stron ger than in the other re gions of Po land

Examining a scallop shell-shaped plate from the Late Roman Period discovered in Osie (site no.: Osie 28, AZP 27-41/26), northern Poland

Research conducted using Airborne Laser Scanning methods in northern Poland allowed traces of a settlement from almost 2,000 years ago to be registered. The most valuable item found is a copper-alloy scallop shell-shaped plate which is still an unknown object in the cultural realities of the Roman Period in northern Poland. The results of pollen analysis of the material obtained during the cleaning of the found scallop shell-shaped plate indicate the dominance of herbaceous plants over the representation of trees in the vicinity of the archaeological site discussed. The advantage of synanthropic plants among herbaceous plants informs us about the open habitat communities formed as a result of human activity (fields, meadows, roads or ruderal areas)