Differentiation of vertical limit of forest at the Babia Góra Mt., the Western Carpathian Mountains

The work contains quantitative analysis of differentiation of altitudinal position and sinuosity of two lines determining the course of forest limit, i.e. timberline and treeline within Babia Góra Mt. (1725 m a.s.l.) homoclinal flysch ridge (the Western Carpathians). The course of the empiric timberline was delimited basing on aerial photographs with details from spatial data of Aerial Laser Scanning conducted in 2012. On the N slope, the course of timberline is exclusively conditioned by natural factors, whereas on the S slope this line was shifted downwards as a result of sheep and cattle grazing (however it has shown progression for the last 80 years). In the course of theoretical treeline conditioned by macrotopography and local climate, the mass-elevation effect is visible, and on the N slope, additionally, a sub-summit downward shift (the Diablak effect) occurs. The sequence of natural factors, according to their positive or negative influence on timberline and treeline courses was determined

Comprehensive study of the mountainous lake sediments in relation to natural and anthropogenic processes and time (Mały Staw Lake, Poland)

The Sudety Mts. form a chain of mountains in the South of Poland and during the last 200 years were subjected to strong industrial and agricultural pressure. The records of these human-induced changes are stored in natural archives like lake sediments. For the comprehensive study, three sediment cores taken from Mały Staw Lake (Sudety Mts.) were analyzed for the concentration of K, Na, Mn, Fe, Cu, Mg, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and radioactivity of 137Cs and 210Pb. As a result of the studies, the bathymetry map was developed and the sources of solid material supplied to the lake were identified. The geochronology studies of the cores were performed using 210Pb method, to evaluate model of time changes in the sediment. Radioactivity of 210Pbuns (determined indirectly by 210Po) ranged from 1051 ± 64 to 12 ± 8 Bq kg−1. The 137Cs radioactivity was determined directly by gamma spectrometry and varied from525 ± 37Bq kg−1 for top layers to 9.80 ± 5.40 Bq kg−1 for the bottom of the core. Two characteristic peaks of 137Cs radioactivity related to the global fallouts after nuclear weapons testing and the Chernobyl accident were observed and used to confirm210Pb dating method. Chemometrics analysis of the chosen metal’s concentrations combined with sample dating showed distinct imprint of human activity on the studied area

Application of timberline morphometric analysis for detecting snow avalanche paths : a case study of the Tatra Mountains

The upper forest limit is principally controlled by climate factors, mainly temperature but locally also other factors, such as snow avalanches, debris flows, and wind throw. Therefore, the timberline course may be use as a proxy of these drivers. The aim of the study was to employ the morphometric features of the upper forest limit for remote detection of avalanche paths. We introduced the Morphometric Avalanche Index (MAI), which combine simple parameters such as: Perimeter Development, Altitudinal Difference, Elongation Ratio, Area, and the existence forest patches. This tool was tested in four valleys in the Tatra Mountains, wherein 103 known avalanche paths. The employment of MAI resulted in remote identification of 90% of avalanche paths existing and acknowledged in this region. Additionally 28 avalanche paths that had not been previously indicated as such were detected

Rapid river bed recovery after the in-channel mining : the case of Vistula River, Poland

The effects of in-channel wet-pit mining is nowadays widely discussed in terms of negative influence of the created pits on the river ecosystem and fluvial processes. The pits induce an alteration of natural flow or sediment transport. This paper describes the post-mining channel recovery observed in a relatively short time in a gravelly sand bed lowland river. The study was based on repeated bathymetry of the channel and grain size analyses of bed material taken from the mining area and its surrounding upstream and downstream pit. We also use calculations of possible bedload sediment movement in the studied river reach. We noticed that the excavation pit exceeded the maximum depth of 8.8 m in 2014 and, immediately after the end of mining, the bedload started to infill the pit. The bathymetric measurements in 2019 indicated that the process of pit infill was completed after five years, though the former pit is refilled with material finer than the natural bedload observed in the discussed river reach, and consists mainly of sand. The studied process of pit infilling runs continuously, even during the annual average water stages

The use of the the ActiGraph device (GT1M model) in measurement of weekly energy expenditure and number of steps during weight loss treatment

WSTĘP. Aktywność fizyczna stanowi istotny element kompleksowego leczenia otyłości. Celem pracy była wstępna ocena przydatności urządzenia ActiGraph (GT1M) działającego na podstawie akcelerometru w przebiegu kuracji odchudzającej. MATERIAŁ I METODY. W badaniu wzięło udział 17 pacjentów (grupa B), którzy uczestniczyli w 3-miesięcznej kuracji odchudzającej: 11 kobiet i 6 mężczyzn; wiek: 44,4 &#177; 12,4 (21-60) lata, BMI: 31,5 &#177; 3,4 (26-38) kg/ m2. Badanym zalecano ograniczenie kaloryczności diety oraz zwiększenie aktywności fizycznej. Średnie zmniejszenie masy ciała w grupie badanej w okresie 3 miesięcy wyniosło -8,9 kg (-9,6%). Grupę kontrolną stanowiło 8 osób (grupa K): 6 kobiet i 2 mężczyzn; wiek: 37,2 &#177; 9,8 (23-52) lata, BMI: 22,4 &#177; 1,4 (20,2-25) kg/m2, którym nie zalecano modyfikacji diety ani zwiększania aktywności fizycznej. Do monitorowania aktywności fizycznej (kcal) oraz liczby kroków wykorzystano urządzenie ActiGraph model GT1M, które badani nosili na wysokości talii przez 7 dni. WYNIKI. Osoby otyłe posiadały wyższą wartość wydatku energetycznego w czasie monitorowanego tygodnia kuracji w porównaniu z osobami z grupy kontrolnej (602,6 vs. 375 kcal/dzień; p < 0,05), jednak w przeliczeniu na kilogram masy ciała badanych nie zaobserwowano różnicy między badanymi grupami. Średnia liczba kroków zarejestrowana w czasie 7 dni była podobna w obydwu grupach (B: 9988 vs. K: 8123/dzień). Wykazano istnienie zależności między wartością wydatku energetycznego (kcal) i liczbą kroków zarejestrowanych w czasie 2 dni wolnych od pracy a zmniejszeniem masy ciała podczas 3-miesięcznej kuracji (p < 0,05). WNIOSKI. ActiGraph model GT1M jest przydatnym urządzeniem do monitorowania tygodniowej aktywności fizycznej (mierzonej liczbą kroków) oraz wydatku energetycznego w przebiegu kuracji odchudzającej.INTRODUCTION. Physical activity constitutes an essential component of complex weight loss treatment. The aim of the present study was to assess usability of the ActiGraph (GT1M), accelerometric device, during weight loss treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study group consisted of 17 subjects (group B) participating in 3-month weight loss treatment: 11 women, 6 men, with mean age of 44.4 &#177; 12.4 (21-60) yrs and BMI of 31.5 &#177; 3.4 (26-38) kg/m2. Subjects were recommended to reduce daily calorie intake and increase their physical activity. The average weight loss during 3 months amounted to -8.9 kg (-9.6%). The control group included 8 subjects (group K): 6 women and 2 men with mean age of 37.2 &#177; 9.8 (23-52) yrs and BMI of 22.4 &#177; 1.4 (20.2-25) kg/m2 who did not receive any recommendations concerning diet or physical activity. The ActiGraph (GT1M) worn on subjects&#8217; waist line was used to monitor their physical activity [kcal] and amount of steps taken during 7 days. RESULTS. Obese subjects had higher value of energy expenditure during monitored 7 days of weight loss treatment when compared to lean ones (602.6 vs. 375 kcal/day; p < 0.05), however when calculated per a kilogram of body mass, the difference was not of statistical significance. The mean amount of steps were similar in both groups during 7 days (B: 9 988 vs. K: 8 123/day). There was a correlation noted between caloric expenditure [kcal], number of steps taken during 2 weekend days and the value of body mass reduction after 3 months of treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION. The ActiGraph, model GT1M, is a useful device measuring weekly physical activity (number of steps taken) and energy expenditure during weight loss treatment

Regional Patterns of Late Medieval and Early Modern European Building Activity Revealed by Felling Dates

Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist, Andrea Seim, Willy Tegel, Paul J. Krusic, Claudia Baittinger, Christelle Belingard, Mauro Bernabei, Niels Bonde, Paul Borghaerts, Yann Couturier, Anne Crone, Sjoerd van Daalen, Aoife Daly, Petra Doeve, Marta Domínguez-Delmás, Jean-Louis Edouard, Thomas Frank, Christian Ginzler, Michael Grabner, Friederike M. Gschwind, Kristof Haneca, Anton Hansson, Franz Herzig, Karl-Uwe Heussner, Jutta Hofmann, David Houbrechts, Ryszard Jerzy Kaczka, Tomáš Kolář, Raymond Kontic, Tomáš Kyncl, Vincent Labbas, Per Lagerås, Yannick Le Digol, Melaine Le Roy, Hanns Hubert Leuschner, Hans Linderson, Francis Ludlow, Axel Marais, Coralie M. Mills, Mechthild Neyses-Eiden, Kurt Nicolussi, Christophe Perrault, Klaus Pfeifer, Michal Rybníček, Andreas Rzepecki, Martin Schmidhalter, Mathias Seifert, Lisa Shindo, Barbara Spyt, Josué Susperregi, Helene Løvstrand Svarva, Terje Thun, Felix Walder, Tomasz Ważny, Elise Werthe, Thorsten Westphal, Rob Wilson, Ulf BüntgenAlthough variations in building activity are a useful indicator of societal well-being and demographic development, historical datasets for larger regions and longer periods are still rare. Here, we present 54,045 annually precise dendrochronological felling dates from historical construction timber from across most of Europe between 1250 and 1699 CE to infer variations in building activity. We use geostatistical techniques to compare spatiotemporal dynamics in past European building activity against independent demographic, economic, social and climatic data. We show that the felling dates capture major geographical patterns of demographic trends, especially in regions with dense data coverage. A particularly strong negative association is found between grain prices and the number of felling dates. In addition, a significant positive association is found between the number of felling dates and mining activity. These strong associations, with well-known macro-economic indicators from pre-industrial Europe, corroborate the use of felling dates as an independent source for exploring large-scale fluctuations of societal well-being and demographic development. Three prominent examples are the building boom in the Hanseatic League region of northeastern Germany during the 13th century, the onset of the Late Medieval Crisis in much of Europe c. 1300, and the cessation of building activity in large parts of central Europe during armed conflicts such as the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648 CE). Despite new insights gained from our European-wide felling date inventory, further studies are needed to investigate changes in construction activity of high versus low status buildings, and of urban versus rural buildings, and to compare those results with a variety of historical documentary sources and natural proxy archives

Divergent growth of Norway spruce on Babia Góra Mountain in the western Carpathians

Growth divergence – i.e. the expression of divergent growth trends of neighboring trees – has certain implications for dendrochronological research, for instance in the context of climate reconstructions but also in terms of estimating net ecosystem productivity. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms is essential to extend our fundamental dendroecological knowledge. In this context, the Picea genus plays an important role since several of its species were reported to exhibit growth divergence. Here, we investigate a well sampled Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) data set for growth divergence comprising ring-width and Blue Intensity measurements from seven sites on Babia Góra Mountain, at the border between Poland and Slovakia. By means of Principal Component Gradient Analysis, inter-series correlations, and climate growth relationships, we are able to show that I) Norway spruce on Babia Góra expressed growth divergence since the 1970s, II) the definition of groups increased the strength of population signals and the stability of climate-growth relationships, and III) Blue Intensity appeared as a more robust proxy for environmental conditions. We discuss soil heterogeneity, genetics, and air pollution as possible underlying mechanisms, thereby indicating further research avenues to obtain a better understanding of growth divergence

Paleoflood discharge reconstruction in Tatra Mountain streams

Floods represent a common process in Tatra Mountain streams and may cause flood risk in the valleys of the Tatra foreland. Dealing with the hazards and risks caused by floods requires a detailed analysis of the frequency and magnitude of past and recent events. However, the Polish Tatra region is characterized by a scarcity of data on past floods in general and on systematic peak discharge in particular. In this study, we performed a paleohydrological analyses in four high-gradient mountain streams using scarred trees as paleostage indicators. We couple two-dimensional hydraulic modelling in a highly-resolved topographic environment (LiDAR data) with an important spatiotemporal data set of scars on trees to investigate (i) the magnitude of unrecorded major floods of the twentieth century, (ii) the effect of variability in geomorphic tree positions on the peak discharge reconstruction, and (iii) the impact of reconstructed events on the results of flood frequency analyses. The data set is based on a total of 55 scarred trees and allows peak discharge reconstruction of 16 major floods covering the last 113 years. Results suggest that trees growing in straight stream reaches or in the inner side of channel bends would be better candidates for peak discharge reconstructions than trees located on the outer side of channel bends or growing in overbank sections with dense vegetation cover. The largest reconstructed flood is dated to 1903 with an estimated peak discharge of 115.9 ± 59.2 m3 s− 1, and larger-than-today floods are found to have occurred at Strążyska and Łysa Polana in the first half of the twentieth century. The inclusion of our results into the flood frequency analyses suggests that flood hazards might have been underestimated by up to 25.5% in the case of a 100-year flood in Strążyski Stream. In that sense, our findings will be useful for the design of future strategies dealing with flood risks in the foreland of the Polish Tatra Mountains

Tree growth influenced by warming winter climate and summer moisture availability in northern temperate forests

The role of future forests in global biogeochemical cycles will depend on how different tree species respond to climate. Interpreting the response of forest growth to climate change requires an understanding of the temporal and spatial patterns of seasonal climatic influences on the growth of common tree species. We constructed a new network of 310 tree‐ring width chronologies from three common tree species (Quercus robur , Pinus sylvestris and Fagus sylvatica ) collected for different ecological, management and climate purposes in the south Baltic Sea region at the border of three bioclimatic zones (temperate continental, oceanic, southern boreal). The major climate factors (temperature, precipitation, drought) affecting tree growth at monthly and seasonal scales were identified. Our analysis documents that 20th century Scots pine and deciduous species growth is generally controlled by different climate parameters, and that summer moisture availability is increasingly important for the growth of deciduous species examined. We report changes in the influence of winter climate variables over the last decades, where a decreasing influence of late winter temperature on deciduous tree growth and an increasing influence of winter temperature on Scots pine growth was found. By comparing climate–growth responses for the 1943–1972 and 1973–2002 periods and characterizing site‐level growth response stability, a descriptive application of spatial segregation analysis distinguished sites with stable responses to dominant climate parameters (northeast of the study region), and sites that collectively showed unstable responses to winter climate (southeast of the study region). The findings presented here highlight the temporally unstable and nonuniform responses of tree growth to climate variability, and that there are geographical coherent regions where these changes are similar. Considering continued climate change in the future, our results provide important regional perspectives on recent broad‐scale climate–growth relationships for trees across the temperate to boreal forest transition around the south Baltic Sea