Wskaźniki udziału obszarów zieleni w wybranych miastach województwa pomorskiego jako podstawa działań programowych i planistycznych

W artykule zwrócono uwagę na problem istotnego zróżnicowania wielkości wskaźników udziału terenów zieleni, w zależności od metodyki ich szacowania, na przykładzie wybranych 15 miast województwa pomorskiego. Porównywano wskaźniki w dwóch grupach: odnoszących się do procentowego udziału terenów zieleni w miastach oraz do powierzchni zieleni przypadającej na statystycznego mieszkańca. Wartości wskaźników uzyskane przy użyciu odmiennej metodyki i danych wejściowych są diametralnie różne od podanych według oficjalnej sprawozdawczości GUS. Rezultaty przeprowadzonej analizy są przyczynkiem do dyskusji dotyczącej doboru, optymalizacji i stosowalności odpowiednich miar dotyczących zieleni w miastach

An Attempt to Assess the Potential of Geotourism Development in Selected Communes of Lower Silesian Voivodship (Poland)

The article discusses the potential and perspectives of geotourist functions development in three selected communes of the Lower Silesian Voivodship (Świerzawa, Ząbkowice Śląskie, Stronie Śląskie). These regions already possess a number of geotourist objects which attract tourist traffic, and whose presence creates further prospects for the development of tourism in this direction. Based on the conducted indoor studies and field reconnaissance, the author proposed and analysed prospective geostations, which may create a coherent network of objects, and thus, increase the development potential of this particular form of tourism. The presented assessment was predicated on a point-based evaluation method utilizing predetermined criteria for geostation valorisation. At the same time, the article draws attention to the difficulties pertaining to straightforward synthetic interpretation of the value assessment of individual structures. It is also shown that the existing nationwide database of geosites proves to be lacking in terms of both the potential assessment as well as the needs for planning of geotourism development at a local level

Influence of functional environmental processes on selected coastal ecosystems of the Gdańsk seashore

The paper discusses the diversity of the main functional processes that determine the formation of specific types of ecosystems in two types of coastal areas: cliffs and lowlands. The survey was conducted in selected areas of the Gdańsk Coast.In the case of low coasts, the objective was to identify the effects of the sea on the formation of the surface water properties that determine the presence of halophytes. The studies conducted indicate that these properties in brackish areas differ significantly in respect of electrolytic conductivity and chloride content from waters occurring in areas not occupied by halophyte communities. Based on the results obtained, it was found that in the studied coastal zone the occurrence of salt grassland ecosystems is associated with water conductivity above 2,000 S∙cm-1 and chloride content above 600 mg∙dm-3. These values are many times higher than average values for typical inland waters in the Pomerania area, which clearly indicates the dominant role of the brackish water inflow from the Baltic Sea in shaping the environmental conditions for the occurrence of such ecosystems. At the same time, it was found that high water conductivity and salinity conditions were maintained at a distance of about 100-250 m (Władysławowo) to more than 600 m from the seacoast (Beka). This differentiation depends both on the local conditions of seawater intrusion inland and on the intensity of inland surface and ground water inflows.In the case of cliff shores, the results of soil and habitat identification and their relationships with the dynamics of morphodynamic processes (abrasion, slope processes) were summarised. On this basis, the characteristics of the main types of cliff ecosystems (initial grassland communities, scrub with sea buckthorns, low stemmed scrub and sycamore forests) were presented. The results indicate that the varying intensity of the slope processes significantly affects the diversity of soil types and soil properties, including the presence of calcium carbonate and the high pH values in active cliffs. These features, among others, discriminate the cliff ecosystems commonly found in the Pomerania region

The ice regime of Lake Raduńskie Górne (Kashubian Lakeland, northern Poland)

The paper presents assessment results of the ice dynamics on Lake Raduńskie Górne (Upper Radunia Lake) based on long-term observations of the course of ice phenomena. Interannual changes in lake ice phenology parameters (freeze-onset, ice-on, freeze duration, melt-onset, permanent ice cover duration, ice-off, melt duration) in the years 1961–2010 are discussed. In addition, the ice cover thickness was taken into consideration. The analysed parameters of ice phenology were compared to each other as well as to the mean air and water temperatures of the winter half-year (November–April). The main periods of the ice regime of the lake have been determined and described. The permanent ice cover constitutes on average 79%, freeze-up period 13%, and break-up period 8% of the whole time of ice phenomena. It was shown that the weather parameters crucial for ice formation are the mean air and surface water temperatures. On Lake Raduńskie Górne the ice phenomena can only occur when mean air temperature in the winter half-year, at Borucino wheather station, is lower than 4.9°C, and water temperature (at a depth of 0.4 m) is lower than 5.7°C. In turn permanent ice cover is created when the mean air temperature of the winter half-year is lower than 3.9°C. The maximum and mean ice cover thickness on Lake Raduńskie Górne ranged, respectively, from 0.5 to 50 cm, and from 0.5 to 38.3 cm. These parameters were strongly positively correlated (r = 0.87–0.88, p <0.05) with the duration of the ice cover period

The impact of the Tri-City Ring Road on surface water of small endorheic wetlands

The paper presents the results of the impact of the Tri-City Ring Road on small endorheic catchment basins. Particular attention was paid to pollution discharged from the road to the surface water, as well as changes in hydrological conditions in the vicinity of the road. In the study, surface water samples were analysed in terms of their electrolytic conductivity, pH and content of major minerals. GIS was also used to study transformation of local catchment areas as a result of the road construction, determining their relevance to local conditions of drainage. Moreover, the main directions of transformation of surface waters of the small endorheic wetlands caused by runoff water from the ring road were discovered. Research results have shown a strong influence of the road functioning on surface water properties and changes in hydrological conditions of the studied catchment basins