The phenology of flowering and fluctuations of airborne pollen concentrations of selected trees in Poznań, 2003-2004

The aim of the study was to describe the relationships between the flowering phase of selected tree species, whose pollen is known to be allergenic, and fluctuations in the pollen in the air, and to use results obtained for making allergological forecasts. Studies were conducted of five tree taxa: Populus, Ulmus, Salix, Aesculus, and Tilia, in the years 2003-2004. Aeropalinological analyses concerned the above mentioned genera, while in phenological studies specific species were investigated, i.e. the most common representatives of a given genus found in Poland, that is Populus wilsonii, Ulmus laevis Pall. C. K.Schneid., Salix caprea L., Aesculus hippocastanum L. and Tilia cordata Mill. Aerobiological monitoring was performed using a the volumetric method and phenological observations of flowering phases were made according to the Łukasiewicz method. While observing the emergence of individual phenological symptoms and measurements of the concentration of pollen of the investigated taxa in the air of Poznań, a distinct acceleration was observed in 2004, a year that was characterized by a milder winter. This applied not only to the species blooming in early spring, but also to the later ones. Pollen grains of the investigated taxa, except for Aesculus, appeared earlier in aeropalinological observations than the macroscopically observed beginning of flowering in selected trees. Apart from a poplar, the end of flowering in the other trees occurred each year earlier than would follow from the aerobiological observations. This may be explained by the abundance of species within a taxon, and the effect of medium - and long-distance transport

Functioning of procedures for environmental impact assessments on Natura 2000 areas in Lesser Poland district.

Ocena oddziaływania na środowisko (OOŚ) na obszarach Natura 2000 – jeden z podstawowych instrumentów prawnych ochrony środowiska – to postępowanie pozwalające na interdyscyplinarne identyfikowanie oraz szacowanie wpływu planowanego przedsięwzięcia na określony obszar. W proces ten, usytuowany na granicy środowisko– inwestycje oraz dodatkowo – własność prywatna zaangażowanych jest wiele podmiotów, reprezentujących zwykle odmienne interesy. W zależności od perspektywy może być to formalny wymóg utrudniający inwestowanie lub narzędzie, pozwalające na rzetelne planowanie zrównoważonej działalności człowieka i ochronę obszarów Natura 2000. Zapewnienie właściwego działania systemu OOŚ wymaga połączenia wiedzy i doświadczenia ekspertów z wielu dziedzin. Celem niniejszej pracy było przeprowadzenie analizy funkcjonowania OOŚ na obszarach Natura 2000 w województwie małopolskim, w latach 2010-2012. Badania objęły: (1) analizę dokumentacji 348 spraw w Regionalnej Dyrekcji Ochrony Środowiska (RDOŚ) w Krakowie dotyczących OOŚ na obszarach Natura 2000, co było punktem wyjścia do kolejnego etapu badań – (2) przeprowadzenia wywiadów pogłębionych z pracownikami RDOŚ, ekspertami, wykonawcami raportów/inwestorami itp.) skierowanych na zbadanie ich opinii i doświadczeń związanych z procedurą OOŚ.Stwierdzono, że ze względu na zaangażowanie wielu stron w proces OOŚ powstają różnego rodzaju konflikty interesów, a także, że jest to skomplikowana procedura, bez której jednak ochrona obszarów Natura 2000 nie byłaby w ogóle możliwa. Za najtrudniejszy etap wszyscy respondenci uznali wykonanie raportu, na co w praktyce składa się: znalezienie eksperta, aspekt metodologii oraz inwentaryzacji; wskazano również znaczne koszty oraz czasochłonność. Udział społeczeństwa, mimo iż zapewniany legislacyjnie, wciąż jest nieznaczny, ma najczęściej charakter protestu, a motywacja wynikająca z chęci ochrony przyrody jest sporadyczna. Najbardziej narażone na inwestycje obszary Natura 2000 w Małopolsce to Dębnicko – Tyniecki obszar łąkowy (PLH120065) oraz obszary związane z rzekami województwa. Należy rozważyć weryfikację funkcjonowania, a na tej podstawie udoskonalenie systemu OOŚ, zwłaszcza w kwestii kontroli zgłaszania przez gminy planowanych przedsięwzięć mogących negatywnie oddziaływać na obszar Natura 2000. Powinno się rozważyć możliwość stworzenia list ekspertów zajmujących się wykonywaniem ocen oddziaływania oraz utworzenie kierunków studiów kształcących takich specjalistów. Ważnym jest również zwiększenie przystępności procesu OOŚ dla lokalnych społeczności jak też wskazanie korzyści wynikających z faktu występowania obszarów Natura 2000.Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) – one of the basic legislative instruments for environmental protection – is a procedure enabling an interdisciplinary identification and estimation of impact of a project planned on a certain area. That - lying on the verge between environment and investments and private possession as well - process involves many stakeholders, usually representing different interests. On the one hand it can be a formal requirement impeding investments, on the other - a useful tool for reliable planning of sustainable human activity and Natura 2000 areas' protection. Proper working of EIA system demands a mutual contribution of knowledge and experience of experts in numerous fields.A purpose of this study was to analyse functioning EIA within Natura 2000 areas in Lesser Poland district, from 2009 to 2011. The research included: (1) an analyse of documentation of 348 cases in Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection (RDEP) in Kraków regarding to EIA within Natura 2000 areas – that was a starting point for the next stage (2) – conducting in-depth interviews in which opinion and former experience of parties involved in EIA procedure was acknowledged (the respondents were: RDEP officers, experts, report/inventory executors, investors). The results show that due to involvement many stakeholders created conflicts of interests various type as well as that EIA – even being a complicated procedure – is the one without which Natura 2000 areas' protection would not be possible at all. As the most difficult part all of the respondents considered executing reports – which means: finding an expert, dealing with the methodology and inventory; significant costs and time consuming nature of the procedure were also mentioned. Public participation in EIA – though ensured by law – is still slight and in most cases takes a form of protest and a motivation of nature protection is infrequent. In Lesser Poland district the most plausible for investments Natura 2000 areas are Dębnicko – Tyniecki obszar łąkowy (PLH120065) and the areas connected to rivers of the district. Verification of EIA functioning based on which the system can be improved needs consideration – especially on the issue of reported by communes planned affairs that can affect Natura 2000 areas. Listing experts that execute impact assessments as well as creating this kind of faculty at universities are to be considered. The important thing is to make the process more intelligible for local communities and to show advantages of Natura 2000 areas' presence

Catalytic oxidation of toluene on the oxide systems containing aluminum, zinc and iron.

Obecnie, ze względu na istotne zagrożenie środowiska lotnymi związkami organicznymi (VOCs) stosuje się zróżnicowane metody ich eliminacji z gazów odlotowych. W niniejszej pracy testowano katalityczne utlenianie VOCs na przykładzie toluenu. Badano wpływ składu katalizatora oraz temperatury jego otrzymywania na aktywność w procesie utleniania. Wykonano pomiary metodą niskotemperaturowej sorpcji azotu, co pozwoliło określić właściwości teksturalne preparatów, a także na podstawie badań XRD zidentyfikowano ich skład fazowy. Wszystkie preparaty uzyskane z materiałów tlenkowych glinowo-cynkowo-żelazowych wykazały znaczną aktywność katalityczną w utlenianiu toluenu. Najlepszymi katalizatorami okazały się preparaty uzyskane z materiałów hydrotalkitowych cynkowo-żelazowych w wyniku obróbki termicznej w temperaturze 500, 600 oraz 700ᵒC. Wydajność bliską 100% uzyskano w temperaturze procesu 450ᵒC.Nowadays, various methods of removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from waste gases are in use due to the significant environmental hazard. The main objective of this study was to test the catalytic oxidation of toluene. The effect of catalyst composition and the temperature of its preparation were tested in reference to their efficiency in oxidation. The analysis was conducted using low-temperature nitrogen sorption, which allowed to identify textural properties, and by means of XRD measurements, the phase composition of preparations was determined. The oxide systems containing aluminum, zinc and iron showed significant catalytic activity in the oxidation of toluene. The best catalysts were obtained from hydrotalcite materials containing zinc and iron after heat treatment at 500, 600 and 700ᵒC. About 100% conversion was achieved at a temperature of 450ᵒ

Civilization conditions of human life and the development of lifestyle diseases: study based on the spectroscopic analysis of aortas from a mouse model of atherosclerosis.

Zanieczyszczenie środowiska oraz życie w wysoko rozwiniętej cywilizacji powoduje coraz częstsze choroby. Wśród nich do najczęściej występujących zaliczane są choroby układu sercowo-naczyniowego, których główną przyczyną jest miażdżyca tętnic. Wiele obecnych badań koncentruje się na poszukiwaniu leku przeciwdziałającego zapaleniu naczyń oraz technik diagnostyki i w trend ten wpisuje się również cel niniejszej pracy. Pod tym kątem badano wpływ 1-metylonikotyamidu (MNA) i kwasu nikotynowego (NA) oraz oceniano przydatność spektroskopii FT-IR w diagnostyce zmian związanych z chorobami cywilizacyjnymi. Skoncentrowano się na ocenie wpływu wymienionych substancji na profil lipidowy i zmiany miażdżycowe w tętnicach pnia ramienno-głowowego aorty (BCA) pochodzących z modelu mysiego ApoE/LDLR–/–. Dane pochodzące z obrazowania FT–IR poddano integracji wybranych pasm prowadzącej do identyfikacji głównych składników BCA. W oparciu o metody chemometryczne (FCM) uzyskano informację wizualną, pozwalającą na wydzielenie obszarów przypisanych do składników budujących tkanki aorty oraz obszaru zmian miażdżycowych. Transformacja danych z widm, jak również ich normalizacja pozwoliła na opracowanie skutecznej metody analizy zmian ilościowych w składzie biochemicznym materiału biologicznego serii leczonej MNA i NA względem serii kontrolnej. Działanie testowanych substancji wpływa na zmniejszenie zawartości lipidów. Można przypuszczać jednak, że mechanizm tego działania jest odmienny.Environmental pollution and living in highly developed civilization result with increasing incidence of diseases. Among them the most common are the cardiovascular system diseases, mostly caused by atherosclerosis. A lot of current studies are focused on searching for a drug for vasculitis or diagnostic techniques – and so is the present study. An influence of methylnicotinamide (MNA) and nicotinic acid (NA) were examined and FT-IR spectroscopy's utility for effects of lifestyle diseases diagnosing was evaluated. The main goal was to assess an influence of the substances mentioned on lipid profile and atherosclerotic lesions in brachiocephalic arteries (BCA) according to the ApoE/LDLR–/–mice model .Data coming from FT-IR imaging was integrated on a base of chosen bands what resulted in main BCA components identification. Using chemometric methods (FCM) the visual information was obtained what enabled to recognize areas corresponding to the aorta tissues and those of atherosclerotic lesions. Spectrum data was transformed and normalized what brought an effective method of analysis of quantity changes in biochemical composition in biological material from the group treated with MNA and NA relative to the control group. The substances tested decrease the lipid content. Though, a different mechanism of this effect can be considered

Étude sédimentologique et palynologique des dépots lacustres tardiglaciaires et holocènes du Gour de Tazenat (Massif Central, France) [Sedimentological and palynological investigations of late glacial and holocene lacustrine deposits of the Gour de Tazenat (Massif Central, France)]

Cores were taken below 66 m of water from lacustrine deposits of the extinct basaltic maar named "Gour de Tazenat", Chaîne des Puys, Massif Central, France. Those cores allowed us to describe the environmental changes in the northern Chaîne des Puys (France) from the early Late Glacial to the present time. Geomorphological evolution of the catchment, along with the sedimentological investigations of lacustrine deposits are described. This shows that the only inlet of the lake has formed a delta; the volume of deltaic sediment is almost equal to the volume of the dell eroded by the post-eruptive backward erosion of the inlet. Since the delta is little developped, the lake (and the end of the eruption) should not be much older than Upper Weichselian in spite of TL-dates obtained on quartz grains from the adjacent tufiQ-ing and going back te about 120 ka. This paper deals also with sedimentological analyses of a 10 m long core that was taken in the muddy deposits of the flat bottom of the lake. That sequence corresponds to a period running from the early Late Glacial to the present time. The overall variations of clay-, water, organic matter contents and percentage of tree pollen throughout the core are correlated with each other. A thin tephra bed (volcanic ash-falls) was also found and linked with the Pavin volcano based upon trachytic composition of glass shards, along with the stratigraphical position within the Atlantic. That finding allowed us to enlarge the northern fan of the Pavin tephra over the entire Chaîne des Puys. New results of pollen analyses of the Atlantic to present time period shows the obvious development of Fagus (up to 50% of pollen sum). Later on, two phases of human deforestation are clearly recorded and attributed respectively to Neolithic then Celtic and subsequent populations; those two phases are separeted by a period of natural reforestation. Five sandy layers are interbedded in the Subboreal to Subatlantic mud; they should have anthropogene origine. The pollen analysis of the Late glacial to Boreal sequence was published elsewhere (Juvigné and Bastin, 199S). Nevertheless the main relevant results are summarized in this paper: Middle Dryas is particularly well recorded and the Late Dryas can be subdivided in three cold sub-oscillations. The same sequence contains two tephra beds: one is mugearitic within the Altered palynozone and dated at 10,280 yr BP and ; the other is trachytic within the Boreal and dated at about 8220 yr BP.Des carottes de sédiments lacustres ont été extraites du Gour de Tazenat. Un diagramme pollinique montre l'évolution naturelle de la végétation depuis l'Atlantique, ainsi que l'impact de deux phases de défrichements anthropiques. Dans l'ensemble, les variations des parts d'argile, d'eau et de matières organiques sont en corrélation positive depuis le Tardiglaciaire. Une mince couche de la téphra du volcan Pavin a été trouvée; elle permet d'étendre le lobe septentrional de cette retombée à l'ensemble de la Chaîne des Puys.Juvigné Etienne, Stach-Czerniak Alicja. Étude sédimentologique et palynologique des dépots lacustres tardiglaciaires et holocènes du Gour de Tazenat (Massif Central, France) [Sedimentological and palynological investigations of late glacial and holocene lacustrine deposits of the Gour de Tazenat (Massif Central, France)]. In: Quaternaire, vol. 9, n°1, 1998. Hommes et volcans. pp. 15-23

Factors Involved in the Phenological Mechanism of Alnus Flowering in Central Europe

The objectives of this paper are to ascertain the main factors involved in the phenological mechanism of alder flowering in Central Europe by understanding the in - fluence of the main meteorological parameters, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) effect and the study of the Chill and Heat requirements to overcome dormancy. Airborne pollen (1995–2007) was collected in Poznań (Poland) by means a volumetric spore trap. Temperatures for February, and January and February averages of the NAO are generally key factors affecting the timing of the alder pollen seasons. Chilling accumulation (which started in Poznań at the beginning of November, while the end took place during the month of January) of 985 CH with a threshold temperature of -0.25ºC, followed by 118 GDDºC with a threshold temperature of 0.5ºC, were necessary to overcome dormancy and produce the onset of flowering. The calculated dormancy requirements, mean tem - peratures of the four decades of the year, and January and February average NAO index recorded during the period before flowering, were used to construct linear and multiple regression models in order to forecast the start date of the alder pollen seasons Its ac - curacy was tested using data from 2007, and the difference between the predicted and observed dates ranged from 3–7 day

Long-term and Short-term Forecast Models for Poaceae (Grass) Pollen in Poznan, Poland, Constructed Using Regression Analysis

Airborne concentrations of Poaceae pollen have been monitored in Poznań for more than ten years and the length of the dataset is now considered sufficient for statistical analysis. The objective of this paper is to produce long-range forecasts that predict certain characteristics of the grass pollen season (such as the start, peak and end dates of the grass pollen season) as well as short-term forecasts that predict daily variations in grass pollen counts for the next day or next few days throughout the main grass pollen season. The method of forecasting was regression analysis. Correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between grass pollen counts and the factors that affect its production, release and dispersal. The models were constructed with data from 1994-2004 and tested on data from 2005 and 2006. The forecast models predicted the start of the grass pollen season to within 2 days and achieved 61% and 70% accuracy on a scale of 1-4 when forecasting variations in daily grass pollen counts in 2005 and 2006 respectively. This study has emphasised how important the weather during the few weeks or months preceding pollination is to grass pollen production, and draws attention to the importance of considering large-scale patterns of climate variability (indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation) when constructing forecast models for allergenic pollen

Factors that Determine the Severity of Betula spp. Pollen Seasons in Poland (Poznań and Krakow) and the United Kingdom (Worcester and London)

The aim of this paper is to analyse variations in the severity of Betula pollen seasons, particularly in relation to meteorological parameters at four sites, Poznań and Krakow in Poland and Worcester and London in the United Kingdom. Results show that there is a significant relationship between Betula pollen season severity and weather conditions in the year before pollination as well as conditions in the same year that pollen is released from the plant. Furthermore, it is likely that the magnitude of birch pollen seasons in Poznań, Worcester and London is linked in some way to different phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Significant positive relationships exist between birch pollen counts at Poznań and temperatures, rainfall and averages of the NAO in the year before pollination. An opposite relationship is evident at the two sites studied in the British Isles. There were significant positive correlations between the severity of birch pollen seasons recorded at Worcester and London and temperatures and averages of the NAO during the year of pollination, and negative correlations with similar variables from the previous year. In addition, Betula pollen seasons in Krakow do not appear to be influenced by the NAO, which is probably the result of Krakow having a more continental climate