Wigry Lake: The Cradle of Polish Hydrobiology - a Century of Limnological Exploration

Wigry Lake, located in North-Eastern (NE) Poland, has a century-old history of limnological exploration and is an excellent place to assess the impact of catchment changes caused by urbanization on the functioning of a large, polymictic, and flow-through lake. The history of prewar limnological research, the course of hydrochemical effects of urbanization in the river flowing into the lake since the 1970s, and long-term changes in the functioning of Wigry Lake are presented. The collected archival and current results indicate that the hydrochemical type of the lake’s waters remained the same, and the inflow of river waters from the urban catchment strongly transformed the lake bay receiving the load. In the remaining part of the lake, the eutrophication load caused smaller changes because of a gradual reduction in the inflow of nutrients. Consequently, there was an increase in vertical differentiation of oxygen, algal biomass, and their structure. A significant share of supplying the lake with groundwater and the natural in-lake system of biotic and chemical regulations significantly reduced the effects of the eutrophication process. The existing lake biodiversity has been maintained, constituting a valuable element of the European NATURA 2000 system

Biomass, abundance and sensitivity to antibiotics and antimycotics of the fungi in the Vistula River with its main tributaries

Mycoplankton of Vistula River and its main tributaries biomass as well as the number and morphotype diversity was studied in summer and autumn 2011. Summer mycoplankton biomass was within the range of 0.2 – 0.5 μg/l, while in the autumn it was two times wider range (0.1 – 1.3μg/l). The number of fungi in river water most often did not exceed 1000 – 2000 CFU/ml. Fungi colonies isolated from rivers water were sensitive to the commonly used amphotericine B (10 μg) and gentamicin (10 μg). It seems to be plausible that aquatic fungi can acquire immunity to drugs as a result of horizontal transfer of a gene responsible for drug resistance or as an effect of antibiotics and antimycotics getting into the aquatic ecosystems from wastewaters

Middle Jurassic black shales (Skrzypny Shale Formation) – palaeoenvironmental significance of one of the oldest deposits of the Pieniny Klippen Belt

This paper deals with a fragment of geological history of Middle Jurassic black spherosideritic shales outcropping in upper part of the Homole Gorge (Skrzypny Shale Formation, Niedzica succession). These important deposits belong to the Flackenmergel facies, widespread in oceanic Tethyan deposits. This formation represents one of the oldest rocks of the Pieniny Klippen Belt. Dark colour of these rocks (total organic carbon content in them amounts to about 1 wt.%) and the occurrence of siderite concretions indicate reducing conditions of their origin but oxidizing environment of waters above them in sedimentary basin. Oxic conditions of organic matter sedimentation are confirmed by the elevated values of pristine to phytane ratio. Moreover the results based on n-alkanes indicate mixed terrestrial/marine origin of organic matter with prevalence of the last one These information are slightly obliterated because of advanced thermal maturity of organic matter caused by postsedimentation processes. Microstructural features of deposits of the Skrzypny Shale Formation and the composition of clay minerals occurring in them indicate late diagenetic conditions. In SEM images we observe one-directional orientation of clay minerals and rotation of mica flakes, often chloritized. Clay minerals are represented by high-illitic illite/smectite, micas, post-biotitic chlorite and subordinately kaolinite. As follows from authors studies, these macroscopically nearly “mute” clay rocks, little interesting in outcrops, particularly when they occur in such attractive geological objects as the Homole Gorge, can be the source of important information concerning the history of sedimentation basins.//Praca przedstawia fragment historii geologicznej środkowojurajskich czarnych łupków sferosyderytowych ukazujących się w niewielkim odsłonięciu w górnej części wąwozu Homole (formacja łupków ze Skrzypnego, sukcesja niedzicka). Te ważne utwory należą do facji Fleckenmergiel szeroko rozpowszechnionej w oceanie Tetydy. Formacja łupków ze Skrzypnego reprezentuje jedne z najstarszych skał pienińskiego pasa skałkowego. Ciemna barwa badanych skał (zawartość całkowitego węgla organicznego około 1% wag.) oraz występowanie w nich konkrecji syderytowych, wskazują na warunki redukcyjne panujące w osadzie, natomiast na obecność natlenionych wód nad osadem w środowisku ich sedymentacji. Sedymentację substancji organicznej w warunkach raczej utleniających potwierdzają badania związków organicznych, tj. wysokie wartości stosunku pristan/fitan. Wyniki tych badań wskazują ponadto na mieszane, lądowo/morskie pochodzenie substancji organicznej z przewagą ostatniej z wymienionych. Informacje te są nieco zatarte z powodu dużej dojrzałości termicznej substancji organicznej spowodowanej procesami postsedymentacyjnymi. Cechy mikrostrukturalne utworów formacji łupków ze Skrzyponego oraz skład występujących w nich minerałów ilastych wskazują na warunki odpowiadające późnej diagenezie. W obrazach elektronomikroskopowych (SEM) widoczna jest bowiem jednokierunkowa orientacja minerałów ilastych i rotacja blaszek mik, często schlorytyzowanych. W składzie minerałów ilastych występuje zaś wysokoillitowy illit/smektyt, miki, pobiotytowy chloryt i podrzędnie kaolinit. Z przeprowadzonych badań wynika, że makroskopowo niemal „nieme” skały ilaste, niepozorne wyglądające w odsłonięciu, szczególnie jeśli występują obok atrakcyjnych obiektów geologicznych jak to ma miejsce w wąwozie Homole, są źródłem ważnych informacji dotyczących historii basenów sedymentacyjnych. Warto więc zwrócić na nie uwagę

The concept of transcendentals and the theory of theology by Thomas Aquinas

In his metatheoretical deliberations on the subject and the methods used in the sacra doctrina Thomas Aquinas does not refer to the four causes of mental model or even the typology of scientific questions, advanced by Aristotle in Posterior Analytics. As a result, in the first issue of his commentary he gives not four, but five articles. It was dictated by the consistent use within the theology developed by the metaphysics of being as existing and manifesting its existence through five transcendental properties, ie, the reality of unity, individuality, truth and goodness. This behaviour of the theologian, who is explaining the intricacies of shots in the relevant field for himself, and by reference to the correct application of philosophy and other sciences, in the opinion of Thomas is the right way to implement the guideline contained in formulas auctoritates: Crede ut intelligas (Augustine) fidem si potes rationemque coniunge (Boethius), fides quaerens intellectum (Anselm). At the same time it allows him to emphasize the difference between theology and revealed theology, which is part of metaphysics. In his opinion, the metaphysical consideration take into account the concept of being as existing, and in the sacra doctrina we use the concept of being as a creature, because it is a derivative of one of the articles of faith

Koncepcje teologii według Bonawentury i Tomasza z Akwinu

W referacie ukazano filozoficzne podstawy wersji sacra doctrina, zaproponowanych przez Bonawenturę i Tomasza z Akwinu. Bonawentura odwołuje się do Arystotelesowskich konceptów czterech przyczyn, a jego wizja teologii jest typowa dla arystotelizmu neoplatonizującego. Tomasz z Akwinu uwyraźnia różnicę pomiędzy teologią, która stanowi część metafizyki, a która posługuje się pojęciem bytu jako istniejącego, oraz teologią objawioną, która posługuje się pojęciem bytu jako stworzonego, jako pochodną artykułu wiary. Dla jego objaśnienia teolog korzysta z wniosków filozoficznych i w ten to sposób realizuje wytyczne zawarte w formułach auctoritates: Augustyna, Boecjusza, Anzelma. 5

The variability of summer phytoplankton in different types of lakes in North East Poland (Suwałki Landscape Park)

This study describes summer phytoplankton communities in 27 lakes in the Suwałki Landscape Park (SLP) using in situ fluorescence methods. Low chlorophyll-a concentrations were noted in most of the studied lakes, particularly in the deepest lakes with highest surface area. Green algae, diatoms and cryptophyta were dominant components of lake phytoplankton. Higher chlorophyll-a concentrations in the shallow or more eutrophicated lakes were connected with an increase of cyanobacteria and cryptophyta concentrations as well as with a decrease in the share of diatoms inphytoplankton structure. Vertical distribution of phytoplankton in stratified lakes revealed the presence of deep chlorophyll layers just below the thermocline where the maximum concentrations of phytoplankton were up to 15 times higher than in the epilimnion zone. The deepest maximum concentration of phytoplankton was noted at a depth of 16.5 metres in Lake Jeglówek. In some lakes two or three significant increases of phytoplankton concentration in the vertical profile were observed, caused by intensive development of different algae groups

Evaluation of the possibility of using methane from cng by potential motor vehicle users

Today’s world is facing the necessity of reducing air pollution. One of the alternatives is to limit pollution related to road transport by using CNG fuel. The European Union is imposing increasingly strict requirements regarding the cleanness of car fumes, and the Polish government is endeavouring to take actions aimed at reducing the pollution related to car use by planning the development of transport electromobility. In this article, the authors want to draw attention to methane as an alternative to traditional fuels. The article presents the results of a survey conducted among drivers, which regarded their readiness to use CNG-powered cars. The results indicate that while respondents appreciate the ecological value of this fuel, they are also worried about safety, which is contradicted by the analysis of CNG advantages and disadvantages

Assessment of the project teams’ communication skills in the automotive industry

The implementation of a new product in serial production is a very important element in the company’s functioning. Manufacturers of cars and complex subassemblies have been working for years according to the established standards of designing and implementing new products for serial production. A great emphasis is placed here on the formal side. In addition, the supplier must prove that has sufficient resources to achieve these objectives. And this is what customers verify during system, product, process and potential audits. However, despite formal approval of parts from the supplier, as well as confirmation of design and production capabilities, defective parts or components are sometimes assembled in cars and distributed to the market. Why does this happen? The answer can often be found not in the forms, manuals or procedures, but in the way the project teams communicate and cooperate with each other and with other organizations. This is confirmed by the research results presented in this paper, which show that one of the key issues requiring improvement during production implementations is not the knowledge of specialists, problems with the machine park or plant equipment, but increasing the ability of specialists and managers to effectively communicate and cooperate. It shows how important is the problem of risk assessment related to the project team for the project within the quality planning. According to the authors, the new model of project plan should be enriched with the risk assessment related to communication in the project team, as a part of the feasibility assessment of the whole project