Long-Term Consequences of Water Pumping on the Ecosystem Functioning of Lake Seksu, Latvia

Cultural eutrophication, the process by which pollution due to human activity speeds up natural eutrophication, is a widespread and consequential issue. Here, we present the 85-year history of a small, initially Lobelia-Isoetes dominated lake. The lake's ecological deterioration was intensified by water pumping station activities when it received replenishment water for more than 10 years from a eutrophic lake through a pipe. In this study, we performed a paleolimnological assessment to determine how the lake's ecosystem functioning changed over time. A multi-proxy (pollen, Cladocera, diatoms, and Chironomidae) approach was applied alongside a quantitative reconstruction of total phosphorus using diatom and hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen with chironomid-based transfer functions. The results of the biotic proxy were supplemented with a geochemical analysis. The results demonstrated significant changes in the lake community's structure, its sediment composition, and its redox conditions due to increased eutrophication, water level fluctuations, and erosion. The additional nutrient load, particularly phosphorus, increased the abundance of planktonic eutrophic-hypereutrophic diatoms, the lake water's transparency decreased, and hypolimnetic anoxia occurred. Cladocera, Chironomidae, and diatoms species indicated a community shift towards eutrophy, while the low trophy species were suppressed or disappeared

Wpływ osłon z włókniny biodegradowalnej na plon i jakość cebuli zimującej

Field cultivation of vegetables in Poland is strictly related to weather conditions. Low temperatures occurring from November to March limit vegetable cultivation in the field. However protecting plants with row covers can prevent losses from untimely frosts and freezes and provide a means to modify the environment around the plant, favorably resulting in more rapid growth, earlier maturity, and possibly increased yields. Experiments were carried out in 2008–2010 at the experimental field of the Agricultural University of Kraków (N 50º4’, W 19º50’) in order to determine the impact of flat covers made from biodegradable nonwovens produced by the Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibres and CENARO in Łódź. Seeds of frost-resistant ‘Glacier’ cultivar of onion were sown in the end of August, and after a significant drop in temperature occurred in the second half of November plants was covered with biodegradable nonwovens such as: Bionolle 59 g m⁻² and 100 g m⁻² and IBWCH 50 g m⁻² and 75 g m⁻², as well as standard nonwoven polypropylene PP 50 g m⁻². A plot that remained uncovered throughout the winter served as the control. The covers were kept until spring and were removed one (2009) and two months (2010) before harvest. During harvest, measurements of plant height and marketable yield were taken. In the laboratory harvested onions were estimated for ascorbic acid, dry matter, soluble sugar and nitrates content. The investigations showed that covering onion with biodegradable nonwoven material had a positive impact on yield in the first year of the experiment. There were no significant differences in the yield quantity in the second year. Contents of the analysed organic compounds showed no regular patterns in both years of the experiment. In 2009, the vitamin C, dry matter and nitrate contents were higher than in 2010. In the second year of the study, the control onions had the most soluble sugars.Polowa uprawa warzyw jest w Polsce uzależniona od warunków atmosferycznych. Niskie temperatury panujące od listopada do marca ograniczają uprawę roślin w polu w tym okresie, jednak wprowadzenie zabiegu osłaniania bezpośredniego umożliwia uprawę niektórych, odpornych na niskie temperatury odmian warzyw. Dzięki temu zabiegowi rośliny zimują w polu i na wiosnę kolejnego roku szybko wznawiają wegetację. Ponadto prawidłowo użyte płaskie osłony powodują przyspieszenie we wzroście wielu gatunków roślin oraz zwiększają plony. Doświadczenia wykonano w latach 2008–2010 na polu doświadczalnym Uniwersytetu Rolniczego w Krakowie, wykorzystując do okrywania bezpośredniego na zimę włókniny biodegradowalne typu melt-blown wykonane przez Instytut Biopolimerów i Włókien Chemicznych i CENARO w Łodzi. Cebulę mrozoodpornej odmiany ‘Glacier’ wysiano w drugiej dekadzie sierpnia, a w drugiej połowie listopada całe rośliny przykryto włókninami biodegradowalnymi Bionolle 59 g m⁻² i 100 g m⁻² oraz IBWCH 50 g m⁻² i 75 g m⁻² , a także standardową włókniną polipropylenową o masie powierzchniowej 50 g m⁻². Jako kontrolę przyjęto poletka nieosłonięte przez zimę. Osłony utrzymywano do wiosny i zdjęto 40 (2009) oraz 60 (2010) dni przed zbiorem. Podczas zbioru wykonano pomiary fitometryczne roślin cebuli oraz oznaczano wielkość plonu handlowego. W ocenie jakości plonu uwzględniono zawartość kwasu askorbinowego, suchej masy, cukrów rozpuszczalnych i jonów azotanowych. Stwierdzono, że osłanianie cebuli włókninami biodegradowalnymi w pierwszym roku doświadczeń wpłynęło korzystnie na plonowanie. W drugim roku nie wykazano istotnych różnic w wielkości plonu. Zawartości analizowanych składników organicznych nie wykazały regularnych prawidłowości w obydwu latach doświadczeń. W 2009 r. poziom witaminy C, suchej masy i azotanów był większy niż w roku 2010. W drugim roku doświadczeń najwięcej cukrów rozpuszczalnych było w cebulach pochodzących z obiektu kontrolnego

Cascading effects between climate, vegetation, and macroinvertebrate fauna in 14,000-year palaeoecological investigations of a shallow lake in eastern Poland

Late glacial and Holocene environmental history of Lake Łukie and its catchment is reconstructed from the lake sediments. This shallow lake is situated in the marshy Polesie region in eastern Poland. Sediments began to accumulate in the lake in the Older Dryas. On the basis of macrofossils, pollen, and Oribatida remains, and with the use of Kohonen’s artificial neural network (self-organising map, SOM), six stages (corresponding to subclusters X1, X2, X3 in cluster X, and Y1, Y2, Y3 in cluster Y) of the lake history were distinguished, and indicator taxa of each stage were identified from the indicator value (IndVal) index. During the transition period corresponding to the border between X and Y, the ecosystem transformed in the broad sense from the protocratic to mesocratic phase in a 5-point scale transformation of the landscape in the glacial–interglacial cycle. All the steps involved in post-glacial history succession during interglacial cycles include changes in climate, soil, and biotic interactions. Indicator taxa for the subsequent SOM subclusters X1, X2, and X3 are associated with the first phase of the protocratic glacial–interglacial cycle. The transformation that occurs on the level of cluster Y (subcluster Y1) is the mesocratic phase (ca. 9000–5000 14C age BP), which is characterised by high temperatures and development of closed forest (climax forest). Subcluster Y2 corresponds to the transformation of forest cover during the oligocratic phase (ca. 5000–3000 14C age BP), which is associated with decreasing forest share and deteriorating soils. Finally, subcluster Y3 can be associated with the telocratic phase, characterised by the influence of a more oceanic climate (from ca. 2500 14C age BP) with declining temperatures, higher humidity, and milder seasonal contrasts, which contributed to the development of more open vegetation and infertile soils. This stage also corresponds to an increased human activity and landscape transformation, such as from forests to cornfields and from wetlands to meadows. Interestingly, the currently strictly protected brittle naiad (Najas minor) was present in the lake during the Atlantic, Subboreal, and Subatlantic periods; however, this species is not listed as being part of the present vegetation and may have become extinct relatively recently

Environmental changes during the last millennium recorded in subfossil Cladocera, diatoms and sediment geochemistry from Lake El Sol (Central Mexico)

High-altitude lakes, which are very sensitive ecosystems and respond rapidly to climatic changes, are one of the best targets for palaeolimnological studies. Here, we present the record of environmental changes over the last millennium that are recorded in the sediments of El Sol, a tropical, high-altitude, volcanic crater lake on the Nevado de Toluca, Central Mexico. Palaeolimnological reconstructions are based on subfossil Cladocera, diatoms, magnetic susceptibility and chemical analysis of the sediments. In general, Cladocera occurring in tropical regions, and especially at high altitude, have been studied very little. Our data indicate that in the sequence studied, the species diversity of subfossil Cladocera is very low. Only four species were recorded, and the assemblage is dominated by littoral species. Two Cladocera taxa, Alona manueli and Ilyocryptus, found at Lake El Sol are endemic. Cladocera, diatoms and the sediment chemistry show changes in Lake El Sol which are mostly related to climate. The most pronounced climatic signal was obtained for the early Little Ice Age (1350–1625 AD). This cold episode was expressed by a reduction in the frequency of zooplankton (individuals/cm2/yr) and diatoms (valves/g of dry sediment) and by changes in the organic carbon content in the sediment. Our results show that human activity was very limited throughout the study period. According to historical data the presence of humans at the lake shore was mostly occasional, usually for ceremonial and ritual purposes, and humans did not have an important influence on the lake ecosystem. Only one period was identified when human activity was important. This period corresponds to the introduction of fish into the lake at the beginning of the 20th century

Potential of cultural ecosystem services in postglacial landscape from the beneficiaries’ perspective

The paper presents the results of a questionnaire carried out among landscape users in Suwałki and Augustów Region concerning the perception of goods of nature. Respondents were asked to assign services to 7 ecosystem types (deciduous forest, coniferous forest, swamp forest, grasslands, croplands, wetlands, water bodies) and rank them in order of importance. Our intention was to show the potential/capacity of each ecosystem type to deliver four cultural ecosystem services: sport and recreation, inspiration for creative work, education and science and spiritual experience in the view of local community and tourists

Potencjał ekosystemów do świadczenia usług zaopatrzeniowych i regulacyjnych w krajobrazie młodoglacjalnym

The general objective of the study was to present different methods for identification and assessment of ecosystem services provided by various ecosystems in postglacial landscape. Our study focused on ecosystem-oriented approach in which the potential of ecosystems to deliver goods and services was analyzed. Other approaches, e.g. society-oriented (dealing with goods and services demands) or process-oriented (focused on uptake of goods and services) were applied only additionally.W niniejszym artykule zaprezentowano wyniki badań nad przestrzennym zróżnicowaniem potencjału ekosystemów do dostarczania wybranych usług zaopatrzeniowych i regulacyjnych. Każde z wybranych do prezentacji świadczeń (cztery usługi zaopatrzeniowe – plony zbóż, miód, biomasa zwierząt kopytnych, zapas drewna na pniu; jedna usługa regulacyjna –sekwestracja węgla w glebie) jest przykładem innego podejścia do definiowania i obliczania wskaźników określających potencjał do świadczenia usług. Wyniki zróżnicowania przestrzennego potencjałów przedstawiono na mapach, obejmujących trzy gminy z Polski północno-wschodniej

Świadczenia ekosystemowe w krajobrazie młodoglacjalnym. Podstawowe założenia i metoda badań

W artykule przedstawiono założenia teoretyczne i metodologię badań projektu finansowanego przez Narodowe Centrum Nauki (2012/07/B/ST10/04344) zatytułowanego “Świadczenia ekosystemowe w krajobrazie młodoglacjalnym – ocena zasobów, zagrożeń i wykorzystania”. Celem projektu jest zastosowanie koncepcji usług ekosystemowych do oceny wartości potencjałowej środowiska przyrodniczego i kulturowego w dostarczaniu ES w trzech gminach (Nowinka, Giby, Suwałki), położonych na obszarze młodoglacjalnym.Nonetheless, to date, there has been rather a small number of scientific papers which verified in a comprehensive manner the methodological assumptions of the ES concept as a conglomerate of material and non-material benefits derived by human from natural environment and cultural heritage. Such scientific approach to ES concept has been adopted and implemented in the project “Ecosystem services in young glacial landscape – assessment of resources, threats and use” supported by National Science Centre (2012/07/ B/ST10/04344), carried out in Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences since 2012. This article presents the project objectives, assumptions and research methodology

Characteristics of depositional environments of Czechowskie Lake basin and its vicinity

W artykule przedstawiono przegląd badań nad morfogenezą misy jeziornej Jeziora Czechowskiego na Pojezierzu Starogardzkim. W dostępnych odsłonięciach, wkopach i wierceniach o nienaruszonej strukturze przeprowadzono analizę sedymentologiczną osadów glacjofluwialnych, glacjolimnicznych, limnicznych i stokowych. Wyniki tej analizy uzupełniono rezultatami kartowania geologicznego i geomorfologicznego. W efekcie przeprowadzonych prac stwierdzono, że misa jeziora założona jest w głębokiej rynnie subglacjalnej, która do początku allerødu zakonserwowana była bryłami martwego lodu. Ich wytopienie doprowadziło do powstania zróżnicowanej morfologii dna rynny. W najgłębszych miejscach, dzięki ograniczonej miksji, były warunki do zachowania rocznej laminacji osadów dennych. Sedymentacja osadów glacjofluwialnych w otoczeniu rynny była bardzo zróżnicowana i w wielu miejscach wskazuje na warunki przepływu nadkrytycznego. W przypowierzchniowej warstwie osadów sandrowych stwierdzono ślady zapisu procesów mrozowych (gleby mrozowe) oraz wytrącenia węglanowe wskazujące na występowanie warunków peryglacjalnych po zaprzestaniu przepływu proglacjalnego. Osady limniczne są również zróżnicowane w zależności od cech morfometrycznych basenu sedymentacyjnego, a przede wszystkim od głębokości ich depozycji. Osady stokowe pochodzą w większości z ostatnich dwustu lat, a ich depozycja nastąpiła wskutek działalności gospodarczej człowieka.The paper aims to review the investigations on the genesis of the Czechowskie Lake basin (Starogard Lakeland, north-central Poland). The sedimentological analysis of the glaciofluvial, glaciolimnic, limnic and colluvial deposits have been conducted in the outcrops, pits and boreholes with undisturbed cores. They were supplemented by the results of the geological and geomorphological mapping. Summing up the investigations it can be stated that the lake basin developed within a deep subglacial channel which was preserved by the dead ice blocks till the onset of the Allerød. Their melting led to the emergence of a morphologically diversified lake basin. The conditions in its deepest parts, due to hampered mixing and wave action, favoured the preservation of the annually laminated sediments. The glaciofluvial deposition in the vicinity of the lake was diverse and in many places it indicates the supercritical condition of the water flow. Within the near-surface layer of outwash deposits were recognized the traces of the periglacial processes and calcareous precipitates which indicate short glaciolimnic periods or breaks in sedimentation. The limnic sediments are also diversified and dependent on the morphometric features of the sedimentary basin, mostly the depth of the deposition. Colluvial deposits have originated mostly in the last 200 years as a consequence of the transient deforestation of the surrounding area