Alfred Stach

Recent sedimentation dynamics in a shallow coastal lake (Lake Sarbsko, northern Poland): driving factors, processes and effects

Despite the fact that sediment dynamics in shallow coastal lakes strongly influences lake water quality and is crucial for preserving good quality paleo-records from coastal zones, the depositional processes in coastal lakes have not been thoroughly recognised so far. The present study aims at investigating the relationship between lake water circulation and the distribution of surface sediments, identifying the postdepositional physical mechanisms affecting lake deposits, and estimating the intensity of sediment mixing in a coastal lake on the Baltic coast. Our approach includes analyses of sediment grain size and chemical composition, hydrodynamic modelling and measurements of 210Pb activity in sediment short-cores from various sections of the lake. We showed that the distribution of lithofacies in the lake is explained by hydrodynamic conditions. Enhanced water dynamics reduces spatial extent of organic-rich lacustrine deposits and results in the exposure of relic marine-lagoonal sediments. A major part of the lake sediments is prone to vertical mixing by wind waves to a depth of ≥ 40 cm. Hydrodynamic modelling and 210Pb displayed overall agreement in predicting the depth of sediment mixing. At the same time the limitations of 210Pb as a geochronologic marker in shallow coastal lakes are revealed. It appears that even exponential depth-wise 210Pb distributions may be produced by storm redeposition.

The Influence of Seabirds on the Concentration of Selected Heavy Metals in Organic Soil on the Bellsund Coast, Western Spitsbergen

ABSTRACT Seabirds are an important factor affecting the chemical properties of the arctic soil environment. The objective of this work was to study the differences in content and distribution of heavy metals in organic soils resulting from the differential influence of seabirds. Studies were conducted in two stations in the southwest part of Spitsbergen—the first without the influence of seabirds and the second directly affected by an avian colony. Basic properties of soils as well as total content of Ca, Na, Mg, K, Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, Pb, Cd, Co, and Cr were determined. Reference was made to the previously published contents of different forms of phosphorus (P) for these locations. The studies showed that Zn, Mn, Cu, and Cd contents were higher in the soils that had been in the vicinity of the seabird colony. High statistically positive correlations of Cd, Cu, and Zn were noted with particular P forms. In the case of Pb, Cr, Co, and Ni content, the seabird influence was not dominant; probably other factors were more relevant (the processes of weathering, denudation, leaching, and atmospheric pollutants transported in the form of dust or gases). Clear segregation was observed of individual positions conditioned by selected soil features and by heavy metals content.

Forecasting model of Corylus, Alnus, and Betula pollen concentration levels using spatiotemporal correlation properties of pollen count

The aim of the study was to create and evaluate models for predicting high levels of daily pollen concentration of Corylus, Alnus, and Betula using a spatiotemporal correlation of pollen count. For each taxon, a high pollen count level was established according to the first allergy symptoms during exposure. The dataset was divided into a training set and a test set, using a stratified random split. For each taxon and city, the model was built using a random forest method. Corylus models performed poorly. However, the study revealed the possibility of predicting with substantial accuracy the occurrence of days with high pollen concentrations of Alnus and Betula using past pollen count data from monitoring sites. These results can be used for building (1) simpler models, which require data only from aerobiological monitoring sites, and (2) combined meteorological and aerobiological models for predicting high levels of pollen concentration.

RELATION BETWEEN EXTENSIVE EXTREME PRECIPITATION IN POLAND AND ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION

Abstract The basic aim of this study was to find relations between the dates of occurrence and characteristics of extensive extreme daily (24-h) precipitation totals (EEDPTs) and pressure systems. The analysis was conducted on the basis of precipitation data from the multi-year period 1956-1980 and the Grosswetterlagen classification of circulation situations. EEDPTs were taken to embrace those cases of maximum annual daily precipitation totals that were registered on the same day at a minimum of 75 precipitation stations. In the years 1956-1980 there were 209 such events. The hypothesis about the effect of a circulation situation on the probability of occurrence of an EEDPT was verified in quantitative terms, the reference being both the entire multi-year period and the seasonal variation in the occurrence of precipitation of this type. Next, circulation situations were compared in terms of amount-related parameters of EEDPTs (mean precipitation, coefficient of variation), their spatial features (perimeter, area), and precipitation volume. The analyses performed show a statistically significant dependence between the atmospheric circulation and extensive extreme precipitation. It was demonstrated that there were circulation situations during which EEDPTs occurred much more often or much more rarely than over the entire multi-year period under study. Also identified was the connection of an atmospheric circulation with the mean amount, coefficient of variation and volume of extensive extreme precipitation.

Influence of Relief and Land Cover on the Distribution of Values of the Land Surface Temperature in Upper Parsęta River Area

Abstract The primary research problem presented in the article is verification of the thesis on the influence of relief and land cover type on the spatial variability of the land surface temperature (LST) distribution in the area including the river catchment area of upper Parsęta. The paper presents the use of thermal channels from two Landsat ETM+ scenes pictures, Corine Land Cover database from 2000 as well as the DTED-2 digital elevation model. Two ETM+ thermal bands processing algorithms were used for calculation of the land surface temperature: Qin et al. (2001) and Jiménez-Muňoz et al. (2003). Conducted statistical tests show significant differences of the land surface temperature values between particular land cover forms as well as types of relief. LST maps can be applied in topoclimatology eg. to detail and verify the in situ measurements.

Spatial Variability of Physical and Chemical Properties of River Water in the Upper Parsęta Catchment During Rising Spring Flows

The paper discusses the spatial variability of the physical and chemical properties of river water in the upper Parseta catchment (West Pomerania, Poland) during rising spring flows. Making use of data generated by 6 hydrochemical surveys, the studied waters were classified based on so-called fuzzy clustering methodology and attempts were made to interpret their spatial distribution. The obtained results show that during spring rising flows meteorological and hydrological conditions present in the period prior to sampling have a major impact on the water chemistry of the upper Parseta catchment. These prior conditions significantly weaken the spatial variability of lithological and hydrogeological characteristics which is clearly perceptible in the case of low outflows.

Spatial Variability of Light Morainic Soils

The aim of the study was to estimate spatial variability of soil texture with particular consideration of soil susceptibility to wind erosion and it shows that in Central Poland this variability is high even within small fields. The fields’ soil texture revealed a combined effect of the initial lithological variability of soil and the Aeolian selection of material. The latter embraces both the relatively permanent patterns of deflation and accumulation zones connected with the prevailing wind direction, and the pattern of permanent terrain barriers, such as the result of the last significant Aeolian episode. Wind erosion further increases the naturally high soil variability and makes it difficult for agriculture to progress in obtaining maximum yield from the practice of optimal organic manuring. The second aim was to show usefulness of the method, developed by Stach and Podsiadlowski, in the determination of deflation and accumulation zones on fields of up to 10 ha.