Wolves (Canis lupus) in the Toruń Basin (N Poland): actual status and problems concerning the population

The characteristics on the present wolf population of the Toruń Basin were presented in the paper. The subject was introduced in terms of main ecological issues on Canis lupus as well as current problems in man-wolf relations occurring in the region. Forests of the Toruń basin are populated by 25–30 resident wolves which actually live in five packs. For some last seasons the predators have reproduced what is probably the main reason for stated slight increase in wolf number in the region. The major actual threats to local wolf population were indicated: pouching, car traffic and illegal off-road motor activity. In July 2014, the first for the 21st century documented wolf attacks on domestic ungulates were stated in the Toruń Basin when two unprotected from predators cow calves were bite near the Rafa village (NE of Bydgoszcz)

Wolves in the Toruń Basin

The present wolf population of the Toruń Basin is one of the very few that exist in the central and the western part of Poland. Wolves populated the region at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, and at least since 2004 they reproduced in the forests on both sides of the Vistula River. The population from the Toruń Basin is probably an important source of wolves that colonize Western Poland and spread to Western Europe. However, the human pressure on the environment is continuously increasing in the Toruń Basin, therefore the future stability of the existence of wolves in the region is uncertain. The aim of the paper is to present the main data on the occurrence of wolves in the Toruń Basin, together with the main human threats to the wolf population in this region

Survey of some attributes of post-agricultural lands in Polish State Forests

Based on materials gained in March 2015 from the Forest Data Bank the survey of some attributes (forest address including Regional Directorate of State Forest (RDSF), area in hectares, soil unit, forest site type, dominant species in a forest stand and age of the dominant species in a stand) of post-agricultural lands occurring in Polish State Forests was conducted in the paper. Distribution of post-agricultural lands in Poland by RDSF as well as the structure of soil units, forest site types, dominant tree species and the age of the species was presented and analyzed in the article. Distribution of post-agricultural lands is not regular in regions of Poland as the highest share of such lands in the total area of State Forests was stated for a northern part of the country (RDSF in Szczecinek, Piła and Olsztyn) and the lowest for central-southern regions (RDSF in Katowice, Radom and Kraków). In spite Brunic Arenosols distinctly prevail in cover of post-agricultural lands occurring in State Forests (65.8%) the soil unit is not the dominant one in all regions of Poland. Namely, in RDSF located in mountainous and upland areas Cambisols and Luvisols predominate. In terms of forest site types structure, mesotrophic sites clearly prevail in post-agricultural lands as two forest site types (fresh mixed coniferous forest and fresh mixed broadleaved forest) cover 62.4% of all such lands. In spite Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) is the main tree species overgrowing post-agricultural soils in Polish State Forests the share of the species in young plantations established in last two decades has clearly decreased. It has resulted from appearing since 1990s an increasing importance of ecologisation of forestry in Poland what has been reflected e.g. in a distinctly increase of a share of broadleaved species in young plantations introduced on post-agricultural lands in last decades. The trend has especially pertained oak species ( Quercus petraea and Q. robur ) and beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) of which much higher share was stated for the youngest analyzed age class (<20 years) of post-agricultural woodlands than for older forest stands

Deforestation increases differences in morphology and properties of dune soils located on contrasting slope aspects in the Toruń military area (N Poland)

In a comparative research we investigated characteristics of soils situated on contrasting slope aspects (northern and southern) in two inland dune ecosystem types: 1. dunes overplanted with a pine production forest and 2. dunes deforested for military purposes, where for some decades natural succession has been the main driver for vegetation development. We found that afforested dune slopes were entirely occupied by Podzols slightly varying by degree of development in respect to slope aspect what clearly changed after deforestation. Removal of forest distinctly predisposed dry south-facing dune slopes for erosion, which affected in truncation of Podzols. Nowadays, deforested southern slopes are covered by regenerating, weakly developed soils – Arenosols; while conditions prevailing on deforested northern slopes preserve Podzols. Such situation implies distinct increase of primarily existing differences in characteristics of soils of opposite slope aspects such as moisture, temperature and organic carbon stocks

Effect of changes in soil moisture on agriculture soils: response of microbial community, enzymatic and physiological diversity

Global warming-induced drought stress and the duration of changes in soil moisture content may reshape or complicate these ecological relations. Biological activity could be affected severely by the impact of drought on agricultural ecosystems. In this study, 4 agricultural different soils were collected, and analyzed at each time gradient (0, 1, 2, 4, 8th week) to determine the physicochemical parameters, microbial abundance, enzyme activities (dehydrogenases (DH), phosphatases (acid ACP and alkaline ALP) and urease (UR)), and physiological diversity. We found that soil physicochemical properties fluctuated within the time gradient in all sites, but significantly decreased in total organic carbon, available phosphorus (P2O5 Olsena), nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+) (except for S site) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content (except for L site). Overall, ALP activity was higher compared to ACP activity. The DH activity was highest at sampling day (high moisture content) in G and N sites, and at 2nd week for L and S sites, but significantly decreased at the end of the experiment. The UR activity decreased significantly in G, L and N sites but increased in S site at the end of our experiment compared to the sampling day. Overall, the physiological diversity of the microbial community was strongly affected by water stress in the utilization of carbohydrates, carboxylic and acetic acids, amino acids, polymers, and amines, in all sites. Our findings highlighted that the short-term duration of drought stress had a significant influence on soil biological activity. This may improve the understanding of impact of soil moisture changes on soil nutrient cycling and biological activities in agricultural ecosystems

Relations between features of forest floor vegetation and surface soil horizons properties in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in southwest Poland

The paper presents the studies on relations between features of forest floor vegetation and surface soil horizons (organic and humus) properties. The research was taken in 100 pine stands located in southwest Poland. The investigated relations were different when concerning two forest floor layers. The higher values of the analysed herb layer indicators (the herb layer cover and the amount of plant species in the herb layer) are related to the higher trophy of the surface soil horizons. For the analogous moss layer indicators the relations are opposite to the herb layer relations. In the investigated pine stands the forest floor species composition was more related to organic than to humus horizon properties.Badania przeprowadzono na 100 powierzchniach badawczych położonych w drzewostanach sosnowych na terenie Nadleśnictwa Bolesławiec, Głogów i Oława w południowo-zachodniej Polsce. Za pomocą analizy korelacji wykazano, że na badanych powierzchniach analizowane zależności są różne dla poszczególnych warstw runa. Wartości analizowanych wskaźników dotyczących warstwy zielnej runa (stopień pokrycia warstwy i liczba gatunków roślin w warstwie) są pozytywnie skorelowane z trofizmem poziomu organicznego i próchnicznego gleby. Zależności dla analogicznych wskaźników wyliczonych dla warstwy przyziemnej runa (mchów i porostów) okazały się przeciwne do tych uzyskanych dla warstwy zielnej. Na podstawie przeprowadzonej analizy porządkowania w pakiecie CANOCO stwierdzono, że skład gatunkowy runa jest na analizowanych powierzchniach badawczych silniej zależny od właściwości poziomu organicznego niż próchnicznego gleby

A comprehensive framework for the study of species co-occurrences, nestedness and turnover

Binary presence–absence matrices (rows = species, columns = sites) are often used to quantify patterns of species co-occurrence, and to infer possible biotic interactions from these patterns. Previous classifications of co-occurrence patterns as nested, segregated, or modular have led to contradictory results and conclusions. These analyses usually do not incorporate the functional traits of the species or the environmental characteristics of the sites, even though the outcomes of species interactions often depend on trait expression and site quality. Here we address this shortcoming by developing a method that incorporates realized functional and environmental niches, and relates them to species co-occurrence patterns. These niches are defined from n-dimensional ellipsoids, and calculated from the n eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the variance–covariance matrix of measured environmental or trait variables. Average niche overlap among species and the spatial distribution of niches define a triangle plot with vertices of species segregation (low niche overlap), nestedness (high niche overlap), and modular co-occurrence (clusters of overlapping niches). Applying this framework to temperate understorey plant communities in southwest Poland, we found a consistent modular structure of species occurrences, a pattern not detected by conventional presence–absence analysis. These results suggest that, in our case study, habitat filtering is the most important process structuring understorey plant communities. Furthermore, they demonstrate how incorporating trait and environmental data into co-occurrence analysis improves pattern detection and provides a stronger theoretical framework for understanding community structure

Soil sequences atlas. 2

TäistekstThis is the second book in the series of Soil Sequence Atlases. The first volume was published in 2014. Main pedogeographic features are presented in the form of sequences to give a comprehensive picture of soils - their genesis and correlations with the environment in typical landscapes of Central Europe from Estonia furthest north, through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary to the southernmost Slovenia. Soils of natural landscapes - loess and sand (continental dunes) - are presented, as well as those of plains of various origin, karst lands, low mountains, and anthropically modified soils. Each chapter presents soil profiles supplemented by landscape information and basic analytical data. Then, genetic interpretations of soil properties related to soil forming agents are given as schematic catenas. When one factor changes while the others are more or less stable, the soil sequence can be recognised. Depending on the dominant soil-forming factor affecting repeated soil patterns, different types can be distinguished. Chapters are arranged roughly in accordance with the main soil-forming process in sequences, and referring to the WRB key (peat formation, vertic and gleyic process, podzolisation, humus accumulation, clay illuviation), with one small exception - the Technosols have been placed at the end of book. The main objective of this book is to present the diversity of relations between soil and landscape, climate, hydrology and human relations, and to present interpretations reflecting the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (2015) classification with comments on the choice of qualifiers. Sixteen Reference Soil Groups are featured, and represented by 67 soil profiles. The secondary objective is pedological education. One of the aims of soil science education is to explain to students the relations between landscape and soil cover. The patterns of soil units within landscapes are to some extent predictable. The collected data is intended as a useful educational tool in teaching soil science, supporting understanding of the reasons for the variability of soil cover, and also as a WRB classification guideline. The Atlas was developed as part of the EU Erasmus+ FACES project (Freely Accessible Central European Soil). Marcin Šwitoniak, Przemyslaw Charzynsk