Preliminary investigation of mineralogy and chemistry of peats from the Kietrz site, southern Poland

Peat bog deposits provide a very important record of past environmental conditions, preserving biotic and abiotic processes that occurred in the vicinity of the bog. In this study, we examined three peat bog profiles from Kietrz, located in the micro-region of the Głubczycki Plateau, southern Poland. The objective of this study was to determine the type of peat occurring in this area, through examination of its mineral composition, and evaluation of the total carbon and total sulphur content. In addition, we measured peat reaction (pH) and identified floral and faunal components occurring within the peat deposits. The peat comprises primarily of fragments of fossilized plant and mollusk remains, as well as minerals (calcium sulphates, calcium carbonates, and pyrites). Additionally, an assemblage of iron oxides/hydroxides, Kfeldspar, apatite, zircon, and quartz grains was identified. A neutral and/or light alkalinity was recorded for the peat deposits, but an increase in acidity (pH) with increasing depth through each peat profile was also recorded. We observed a positive correlation between the pH and chemical composition of deposits, where a significant presence of calcite is associated with higher reaction (higher pH), whilst a lower pH is characteristic for sediments where carbonates are rare. The recognized species of mollusks are typical of shallow, fresh-water stagnant reservoirs with a high fluctuation of water level

The results of palaeontological excavations in the Sadowa Góra quarry (2012-14)

Palaeontological fieldwork (2012-14) in the Sadowa Góra quarry carried out under the auspices of the University of Silesia, within the framework of a research project supported by the National Science Centre, helped to document the taxonomic diversity of Middle Triassic marine vertebrates from the Cracow-Silesia region. Accumulations of fossil bones are correlated with storm deposition and are time-averaged

Impacts of vegetation and palaeohydrological changes on the n-alkane composition of a Holocene peat sequence from the Upper Vistula Valley (southern Poland)

Purpose The analysis of n-alkanes in palaeoenvironmental studies of peatlands is mainly limited to ombrogenous peatlands which are a rare feature in the environment. Using n-alkane and plant macrofossil analysis, we have tracked changes in the environment in the valley of a large Central European river. We tested the possibilities for applying such studies to low-moor bogs which are the most commonly occurring type of bog in the world. Materials and methods Representative peat samples were taken from two profiles in a peatland located in the Vistula Valley (southern Poland), and they were analysed for the occurrence and distribution of biomarkers. The distribution of n-alkanes was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The botanical composition of the samples was determined by analysis of plant macrofossil remains, and the degree of peat decomposition was also determined. Results and discussion Samples of low-moor peat were characterised by a prevalence of medium- and long-chain n-alkane homologues, which is typical for higher plants. The variable values of the CPI, CPI (25–31), and the C23/ C25 ratio have provided information on the stages of formation of the Zapadź bog. The source of n-alkane differentiation is vegetation change related to palaeohydrological dynamics and palaeoenvironmental conditions within the peatland. Conclusions We have shown that analysis of n-alkanes can be successfully used in low-moor bogs as a complement to palaeobotanical and palaeozoological methods. The bringing together of these types of research enables changes in the ecosystems of large river valleys to be tracked

Multi-Tool (LA-ICPMS, EMPA and XRD) Investigation on Heavy Minerals from Selected Holocene Peat-Bog Deposits from the Upper Vistula River Valley, Poland

Peat sediments represent important environmental and climatic archives, as well as recording information on the processes a ecting the formation of these deposits; combined these data can be used for paleoreconstruction of peat-bogs. In this paper we characterize heavy mineral-rich sandy layers from two peat-bog sites in Mizerów and Strumie´n (Poland). In both cases, the most common identified mineral suite is: epidote, staurolite, tourmaline (dravite and schörl), garnet, spinel, Al2SiO5 polymorphs (sillimanite, kyanite, andalusite), amphibole (mainly hornblende), pyroxene (e.g., richterite, diopside), perovskite, topaz, cordierite, apatite, monazite, chromite, ilmenite, chlorite, iron oxides, rutile and siderite. This mineral suite is characteristic of a metamorphic aureole surrounding a magmatic body. Pyrite is likely authigenic in origin. Apatite and monazite were employed for U-Pb and CHIME dating, respectively. Based on the U-Pb age information composition and textural features of selected minerals, di erent provenance areas were indicated: the Tatra Massif, the Bohemian Massif, and the Silesian Basin area. Transport of the investigated mineral phases was linked to development of both the Odra (praOdra) and the Vistula valleys

Changes in Soil Features and Phytomass during Vegetation Succession in Sandy Areas

This research was conducted on an area of inland sands characterised by various degrees of overgrowth by vegetation and soil stabilisation. This landscape’s origin is not natural but is connected to human industrial activities dating from early medieval times, which created a powerful centre for mining and metallurgy. This study aims to identify the changes in the above- and belowground phytomass in the initial stages of succession and their influence on the chemical properties and mor-phology of the soil. It was found that Salix arenaria dominated in primary phytomass production in all plots tested. The amounts of this species found in each community were as follows: 8.55 kg/400 m2 (algae–mosses), 188.97 kg/400 m2 (sand grassland–willow), 123.44 kg/400 m2 (pine–willow–mosses), 14.63 kg/400 m2 (sand grassland–mosses–willow), and 196.55 kg/400 m2 (willow–pine–sand grass-land). A notable share of Koeleria glauca was found in the phytomass production of Plots IV (45.73 kg) and V (86.16 kg). Basic soil properties (pH, Corg, Nt), available plant elements (P), and plant nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, P, Fe) beneath the dominant plant species were examined. Soil acidity (pH) varied greatly, ranging from acidic (pH = 3.2) to weakly acidic (pH = 6.3). The content of organic carbon (Corg) in individual plots beneath the dominant species in the humus horizon ranged from 0.28% to 1.42%. The maximum contents of organic carbon and total nitrogen were found in organic (O) and organic-humus (OA) horizons. The highest Pavail content was found in organic and organic-humus horizons, ranging from 10.41 to 65.23 mg/kg, and in mineral horizons under K. glauca (24.10 mg/kg) and Salix acutifola (25.11 mg/kg). The soil features and phytomass were varied differently across individual sites, representing different stages of succession

9th Geosymposium of Young Researches 'Silesia 2016' Kroczyce, 31.08-2.09.2016 r.

W dniach 31 sierpnia-2 września 2016 r. odbyła się konferencja naukowa 9th Geosymposium of Young Researches „Silesia 2016” dedykowana młodym naukowcom prowadzącym badania z zakresu szeroko pojętych nauk o Ziemi. Organizatorem spotkań, które od 2015 r. mają status konferencji naukowej o charakterze międzynarodowym, jest Koło Naukowe Doktorantów Wydziału Nauk o Ziemi Uniwersytetu Śląskiego. Młodzi naukowcy z 11 państw spotkali się w Kroczycach na Wyżynie Krakowsko- Częstochowskiej. Podczas sesji tematycznych poruszano zagadnienia m.in. z zakresu geografii fizycznej, kartografii, teledetekcji, systemów informacji geograficznej, ochrony środowiska, ekologii krajobrazu oraz badań polarnych[...

EMPA, XRD, and Raman characterization of Ag-Bearing Djurleite from the Lubin mine, Lower Silesia, Poland

The chalcocite group minerals are widely distributed among different hydrothermally affected rocks, the oxidized zone of copper sulfide deposits, or may be even crystalline from supersat-urated volcanic gases. Some of the chalcocite group minerals form the main Cu orebodies. Djurleite (Cu31S16) is a rare member of the chalcocite group, with a very complex structure. The physical and chemical similarities between all members of the group make them almost unidentifiable by macroscopic and microscopic methods. In this study, Ag-bearing djurleite from the Kupferschiefer deposits, Lower Silesia, Poland, is characterized by EMPA (Electron Microprobe Analyses), XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), and Raman spectroscopy. Djurleite from the investigated site has the following general, average chemical formula: Cu30.86Ag0.1Fe0.04S16. The Ag content is up to 0.55 wt.%, while Fe is up to 0.19 wt.%. The presence of djurleite confirms a low-temperature (~90 ◦C), hydrothermal origin of the Cu-Ag deposit in Kupferschiefer, which is consistent with previously studies. Moreover, the authors believe that Ag-rich djurleite may often be mistaken for Ag-rich chalcocite, which used to be one of the main Ag-bearing minerals in the orebody from the Cu-Ag deposit in the Fore-Sudetic Monocline. However, the confirmation of such a statement requires more samples, which should be studied in detail

Use of abandonem quarries on selected examples from Cracow-Czestochowa area

In Poland exploitation of rocks is more and more often abandoned due to economic problems. When the mine is closed, a problem concerning of the mining area remains. Usually, the quarries are left without any interference. Such places are valuable mainly due to their educational value, as the rocks exposed contain data about important past phenomena, geological boundaries and fossils. The quarries changed the landscape of the Cracow-Czestochowa region. Previously they disturbed its visual appearance, but now they can constitute its characteristic element. There are a lot of solutions for their development, e.g., recultivation for recreation-touristic or educational purposes. The variable geomorphology of the area, historical monuments and natural biodiversity make the landscape of the Cracow-Czestochowa region is truly unique not only on a national, but also European scale

The structural properties of mollusc shells as inspriation for bionic engineering

Inżynieria bioniczna to stosunkowo młoda dziedzina nauki zajmująca się opracowaniem nowych rozwiązań w technice, inspirując się tymi, które obecne są już w przyrodzie ożywionej. Rozwiązania takie są wysoce wydajne i obiecujące ze względu na to, iż organizmy żywe, ewoluując od milionów lat pod presją czynników środowiskowych, wykształciły zoptymalizowane adaptacje mające zredukować tę presję. Przykładem takiej adaptacji są muszle mięczaków (Mollusca), które pojawiły się w zapisie kopalnym już w kambrze (ok. 500 milionów lat temu) i których podstawową funkcją od tego czasu jest ochrona ciała zwierzęcia przed drapieżnikami. Pomimo, że głównym składnikiem mineralnym muszli mięczaków jest stosunkowo kruchy węglan wapnia (pod postacią aragonitu i/lub kalcytu), charakteryzuje się ona niezwykłymi właściwościami mechanicznymi, polegającymi na dużej zdolności do rozpraszania energii działających sił zewnętrznych. Spowodowane jest to głównie jej zhierarchizowaną budową oraz dodatkiem substancji organicznej, które znacząco zwiększają jej wytrzymałość. Obecnie środowisko naukowe dąży do wytworzenia materiałów o podobnych atrybutach naśladując hierarchiczną budowę muszli oraz tworząc mineralno-organiczne materiały kompozytowe, dzięki czemu być może w przyszłości możliwa się stanie produkcja takich materiałów oraz ich powszechny użytek.Bionical creativity engineering is a relatively young branch of science concerned with development of new solutions in technique, inspired by those that are already present in nature. Such solutions are highly efficient and promising due to the fact that living organisms have been evolving for millions of years under the pressure of environmental factors and had developed a highly optimized adaptations designed to reduce this pressure. An example of such adaptation are mollusc shells (Mollusca), which first appeared in the Cambrian fossil records (ca. 500 million years ago), the primary function of which since that time is to protect the animal inside against predators. Despite the fact that the shell is made of relatively fragile components (calcium carbonate in aragonite and/or calcite form), it has remarkable mechanical properties. This is mainly due to its hierarchical structure and presence of inclusions of organic matter, which significantly increase its resistance to external forces. Currently, researchers are seeking a way to produce materials with similar attributes forging a hierarchical construction of the shell and creating mineral-organic composite materials, so that it may be possible to produce such materials in the future for a widespread use