Volume 27 (2016): Issue 2 (June 2016)

The assessment of hydro-morphological conditions is a part of ecological evaluation of water bodies. Many methods have been developed, but only a few of them are dedicated to urban rivers. Hydro-morphological classification would be a basis for river valley management, including restoration issue. One of the main problems in this assessment is the rate of change in urban catchment and urban river valley. Traditional methods, which are based on field study, are expensive and prolonged. The paper is focussed on using Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data for classification of urban river sections. Although the assessment based on this data has some limitations, it is a good alternative to field study and may provide preliminary screen of the river valley. This material will make possible observation of river valley evolution in the future.

The aim of the study was to determine changes of daily amount of sewage inflowing into a wastewater treatment plant in Nowy Sącz in the years 2008-2014. To this end, the data in the form of time series corresponding to the investigated multi-year period were analysed. Daily volume of sewage for annual periods was forecast using a seasonal method of Holt and Winters based on the exponential smoothing algorithms. The model fit to actual daily amount of sewage for 2014 was assessed using linear regression. The results of fit for the additive Holt-Winters model confirmed the usefulness of this tool for forecasting the amount of sewage inflowing into the wastewater treatment plant.

Segetal flora of cereal crop agrocenoses in the Suwałki Landscape Park was studied in between the years 2012 and 2013. One hundred phytosociological Braun-Blanquet releves were taken, documenting the occurrence of 152 species of vascular plants that represented 29 botanic families. Analysis of the contributions of geographic-historical groups revealed the dominance of the native species, apophytes (87 species, making 57.2%), over anthropophytes (65 species, 42.8%). The number of short-lived species was twice greater (103 species, 67.8%) than the perennial ones (49 species, 32.2%). As regards the lifeforms, the therophytes were dominant (96 species, 63.2%) over hemicryptophytes (44 species, 28.9%) and geophytes (12 species, 7.9%). Among the species of segetal flora in the area studied, 23 valuable species classified to different categories of protection, were identified. The presence of Consolida regalis, Centaurea cyanus and Bromus secalinus, belonging to threatened species in other regions of Poland, was abundant. Also the species: Anthemis tinctoria, Echium vulgare and Anchusa officinalis were met with high frequency. The species: Agrostemma githago, Papaver argemone and Papaver dubium were represented by single plants, which can suggest their dying out. In the Park area, expansive species, threatening the biodiversity, such as Myosotis arvensis, Viola arvensis, Galeopsis tetraehit, Stellaria media, Artemisia vulgaris, Galinsoga parviflora, Elymus repens, Capsella bursa pastoris, Erodium cicutarium, Chamomilla recutita, Matricaria maritima subsp. inodora, Convolvulus arvensis, Polygonum persicaria, Polygonum lapathifolium subsp. pallidum and Polygonum lapathifolium subsp. lapathifolium, were commonly seen in the crop land.

The research area is located in the Ina Valley of the West Pomeranian Voivods hip, along the border between two counties Choszczno and Stargard. The majority of this area is covered by the largest wetland in Western Pomerania, which is under legal protection. The aim of the study was to identify chemical properties and typological variability of organic soils of the Ina Valley. On the basis of field studies, four sites that were characterised by the main soil types occurring on the study area were designated. By the river bed, a narrow strip of alluvial, clay-organic sediments was found, from which muddy-gley soils developed. The largest part of the central valley was composed of organic low moor peat deposits, from which organic fibric-muck soils, in the third degree of decomposition, evolved. The edge of the valley, on shallow organic sediments, was covered by highly decomposed organic sapricmuck and mucky soils. The richest resources of organic matter were recorded in fibric-muck soils and the poorest in muddy-gley soils. The reaction of soils derived from peat was slightly acid or neutral and alkaline for alluvial deposits. All examined soils were characterised by a very low content of available phosphorus and potassium whereas the amount of available magnesium varied, depending on the soil subtype. Very low concentrations of available magnesium were obtained in sapric-muck and mucky soils, medium in muddy gley soils and high or very high in fibric-muck soils. Total forms of microelements were present in considerable quantities and a very high share of available potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium in relation to total forms, in fibric-muck soil, attracts attention. In the case of other soil subtypes, only a high share of available calcium is observed.

Landfills of waste generated by coal mining could pose a serious environmental threat if not properly reclaimed. The study focuses on leaching select heavy metals from the waste disposed of by the closed down Siersza hard coal mine in Trzebinia (Silesian- Cracow area). The solid waste samples were analysed with the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method for Zn, Pb, Cd, Mn and Fe contents. The eluates were obtained by leaching the solid samples with distilled water at the ratio 1:10 and analysed with the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method. The most prone for leaching were Mn and Zn (78 and 73% of the total contents), the medium prone Pb and Cd (around 50% each), and the least prone Fe (30%). In the western part of the landfill, zinc occurs in unexpectedly high amounts (0.64-3.3 wt.%), which may be related to the presence of slag of unknown provenience. The concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd (averages in mg∙kg⁻¹: 6727, 2.3 and 10.3, respectively) in the leachates exceed the limits of Polish environmental standards. The landfill should be properly monitored and fully reclaimed.

The objective of the conducted analyses is the evaluation of the level of knowledge concerning the scope of problems related with genetically modified organism (GMO) amongst adolescents completing secondary schools and the determination of the relationship between the level of this knowledge and the selected demographic traits of the adolescents examined.

The scope of problems undertaken was elaborated based on the survey conducted in a group of 500 adolescents from the Lublin Region completing secondary schools, including 250 adolescents attending General Secondary Schools and 250 adolescents attending Agricultural Secondary Technical Schools. The study was conducted by the method of a diagnostic survey, using a questionnaire.

The study showed that the majority of adolescents completing secondary schools were not interested at all in the scope of problems concerning GMO. A large part of the respondents (more than 2/5) had a very low level of knowledge of this problem. The greatest differences in the level of knowledge about GMO were observed in subgroups divided according to the type of school attended by the adolescents (General or Agricultural Technical). Respondents who attended General Secondary Schools showed a better knowledge of theoretical problems, whereas those who attended Secondary Agricultural Technical Schools were better familiarised with practical issues.

In the article, the authors elaborate on an important aspect concerning ecological and environmental education in the context of complex ethical issues. They make the reader aware of the crucial role education serves when it is connected with pro-ecological and pro-environmental education as well as ecological ethics, which aims at determining a man’s attitude towards nature. They stress the importance of ecological ethics for society to function properly. Ethics is an inherent element of the whole universe, and primarily of ecology and environmental protection, which the article tries to present and prove. Not only does ethics refer to environmental protection, but also becoming familiar with nature. Most people do not realise what danger they can expose one another to until they experience it themselves. A man is not capable of existing without the resources the nature provides us with, which is an adequate reason why we should take care of it the best we can. To achieve it, new regulations to be observed are introduced. They are designed to make us stop progressive environmental degradation and also, restore the environment. People perform an important role in the existence of the environment as long as they treat it rightfully by following the voice of their conscience, which can influence its survival. We should take care of nature, treat it as a family member with love and kindness and then we can be sure it will not surprise us with something unexpected. We should take care of everything nature consists of, that is, plants, animals, water, soil and air because when we take care of all these aspects, we also take care of ourselves and the whole society