Bożena Michalska

Factors affecting nest size in a population of Blackbirds Turdus merula

Capsule We examined intraspecific variation in the nest size of open cup nesting Blackbirds Turdus merula and found that of seven variables considered, nest size variation was determined by the length of the nest construction period, nest height and the experience of the building female. Aims We tested seven hypotheses to investigate the influence of the following factors on nest size: (A) speed of construction: smaller nests are constructed faster; (B) nest height: nests placed higher up are smaller; (C) experience: inexperienced females construct smaller nests; (D) predation pressure: predation is less on smaller nests; (E) clutch size: larger nests contain larger clutches; (F) nest placement: nests constructed in open areas are larger than those situated in well-concealed sites and (G) incubation: larger and thicker nests are constructed during colder periods. Methods We used data from 54 Blackbird females nesting (73 nests) in two urban parks. Results Our data supported the speed, nest height and experience hypotheses. With respect to predation pressure, our data indicated that breeding failure occurred later in smaller nests. We found no evidence for the placement and incubation hypotheses. Conclusion Nest size may be determined by predator avoidance and the energy used during building. The negative relationship between nest size and time of nest failure suggests that nest size parameters are adjusted to avoid predation.

ESTIMATION OF WHEAT STRAW AND RAPESEED USEFULNESS FOR WHEAT FERTILISATION IN ARABLE FARMING

The aim of the research was the estimation of wheat and rapeseed straw usefulness for fertilising plants in arable farming. The subject matter of the study was the analysis of the influence of soil fertilisation with wheat and rapeseed straw on the yield and changes in the content of phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in winter wheat grain cultivars: Finezja and Ludwig. The static field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Experiment Station, Grabow, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute (51°21′ N, 21°40′ E) in the years 2008–2010 on Haplic Luvisol. The effect of fertilisation with wheat and rapeseed straw did not have a significant effect on grain yield of winter wheat cultivars ‘Finezja’ and ‘Ludwig’. The introduction of complementary nitrogen fertilisation caused an increase in grain yield of wheat cultivar Ludwig. Organic fertilisation with wheat and rapeseed straw as well as complementary nitrogen fertilisation did not significantly differentiate the content of phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium in winter wheat grain cultivars ‘Finezja’ and ‘Ludwig’.

Seasonality and variability of tourist movement in Poland.

W celu określenia nieregularności ruchu turystycznego w Polsce w latach 2004–2014 posluzono sie danymi GUS – miesiecznymi dotyczącymi liczby turystow ogolem, w tym krajowych i zagranicznych, oraz udzielonych im noclegow w 16 wojewodztwach. Na ich podstawie obliczono wskaźnik sezonowości liczby turystow z okresu lata do zimy (Slz) i jesieni do wiosny (Sjw) oraz udzielonych noclegow z okresu lata do zimy (SNlz) i jesieni do wiosny (SNjw), a takze wspolczynnik zmienności (W %) w ciągu roku. Nieregularnośc ruchu turystycznego najwyraźniej zaznacza sie w wojewodztwach polnocnej Polski, w tym w strefie wybrzeza i na pojezierzach, gdzie liczba turystow latem jest 3–4 razy wieksza niz zimą, a liczba udzielonych noclegow nawet 5–7 razy wieksza. W miare przemieszczania sie w gląb kraju maleje wielkośc sezonowości, przyjmując w jego środkowej cześci najnizsze wartości wskaźnikow dla liczby turystow krajowych Slz (iloraz liczby turystow z okresu lata do zimy) i udzielonych noclegow SNlz (iloraz liczby noclegow z okresu lata do zimy) – ponizej 2, a dla turystow zagranicznych – ponizej 3. W latach 2004–2014 w wiekszości wojewodztw wystepuje ujemny, istotny lub wysoce istotny statystycznie trend wskaźnika sezonowości liczby turystow (Slz). Uwzgledniając wartości wskaźnikow sezonowości dla liczby turystow (Slz) zarowno krajowych, jak i zagranicznych oraz udzielonych im noclegow (SNlz), jak rowniez wspolczynnika zmienności (W %) liczby turystow w roku, wydzielono na terenie kraju 5 obszarow o roznej sezonowości ruchu turystycznego: nadmorski, pojezierny, nizinny-wielkomiejski, wyzynny i gorski.

Ocena temperatury wody w jeziorach i długości sezonu kąpielowego na pojezierzach w Polsce = Assesment of water temperature and the length of bathing seasons in Polish lakelands

In the 2002-2015 period, 15 lakes of Poland’s Pomeranian, Masurian and Wielkopolska Lakelands were characterised in terms of multiannual mean, monthly, and daily maximum and minimum values for water surface temperature. The relevant calculations were based on data provided by the PISHM Bulletin of the National Hydrological and Meteorological Service, as published by Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Determined for each individual lake were the average dates of the beginning and end of the bathing season (and hence duration), in relation to water temperatures of 15°, 18° and 20°C. Relationships involving monthly water and air temperatures, as well as mean depths of lakes, were also analysed. From May through to mid-March of a following year, the mean monthly water temperature in lakes is higher than mean monthly air temperature by 1.0–2.0°C. Water and air temperatures are comparable at other times. Variation in monthly values for water temperature and the length of the bathing season in selected lakes of the Pomeranian Lakeland was also analysed. In most of the lakes under study, water temperatures in the warmest month ranged between 21.0° and 22.0°C, which is higher than air temperature by approximately 2.0°C. In summer (June–August), the greatest variations in water temperature occur in July, the most limited in August – as is exemplified by Lakes Komorze and Slawskie. Moreover, August temperatures are characterised by a significant upward trend through the 2002-2015 period. From among the three morphometric features of lakes considered (i.e. area, volume and depth), it was mean depth that displayed the most significant relationship with water temperature in the warm half-year, and especially in April and May. From February through to September, and sometimes October, mean monthly values for water temperature along the Baltic coast are lower than those recorded in lakes of the Pomeranian Lakeland, particularly in May and June – on average by between 3.1 and 4.4°C. In the remaining period of each year, water temperature in the Baltic Sea is higher than in the lakes by between 0.5 and approximately 1.0°C. Across the Lakeland area, in directions from southwest through to northeast, or from south to north, the length of the bathing season generally decreases. However, different morphometric features of given lakes may be associated with significant variations in the lengths of the bathing season, even between lakes in close proximity to one another (like Lakes Jasien and Radunskie Gorne). In most lakes of the three Lakelands, the average length of the potential bathing season with water temperature 15°C is approximately 120 to 145 days. In turn, the seasons with temperatures 18°C or 20°C last respectively 76-100 and 50-70 days. From the thermal point of view, the most favourable bathing conditions in the Lakelands characterise the Lubuskie Lakeland and the southwest region of the Pomeranian and Masurian Lakelands. The least favourable conditions are those noted in the Kaszubskie and Suwalskie Lakelands.

The seasonal nature of tourist flows in relation to meteorological conditions as illustrated by the case of Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship

Abstract The analysis is based on the materials published by the Statistical Office in Szczecin for 2000-14, presented on a monthly basis, concerning the total number of tourists (including foreign tourists) and the overnight stays. The distribution of the number of tourists and their accommodation per month and season was correlated with mean monthly values for air temperature, cloudiness and wind speed. Meteorological data for the period 2000-14, as averaged for the whole voivodeship, was obtained from four IMGW stations (Świnoujście, Koszalin, Szczecin and Szczecinek). Statistical analysis was conducted and time trends of the number of tourists and overnight stays were identified for individual months with the use of linear and polynomial regression. The seasonal nature of tourist flows was assessed by the number of tourists and accommodation provided for tourists in summer compared to winter, and spring to autumn. Air temperature and cloudiness were found to have the greatest effect on the uneven distribution of tourist numbers across a year. Each year, approximately 1.7 million tourists visit Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship, 1.1 million of which (i.e. 66%) stay on the coast.

Calls for Emergency Medical Service and Synoptic Conditions in Stargard Szczeciński Province

The assessment of weather conditions on days with registered calls for emergency medical service (EMS) was made with the use of weather charts at the level of 850hPa, 00 UTC provided by the German Weather Service (www.wetterzentrale.de/topkarten/tkfaxbraar.htm). Synoptic situations on days with registered calls for EMS were categorized into 13 weather types according to the German Weather Service. This paper analyses the number of calls for EMS recorded on individual days in Stargard Szczecinski province in the period of 2008-2011 to people suffering from coronary heart disease, including myocardial infarction, mental disturbances (mainly schizophrenia), epilepsy, stroke, arterial hypertension, asthma and emergency-related ambulance trips as well as death. The number of calls registered in Stargard Szczecinski province in the period of 2008-2011 amounted to more than 41 thousand, and the daily number ranged from 13 to 50 – the highest in March and January, lowest in September and October. From the analysed 13 weather types the following types were most predominant on days with calls for EMS: the centre of low pressure area (type 6), cold air advection in the retral part of low pressure area (type 7), and lingering centre of high pressure area (type 1, 2). 70-80% of the analysed days in a year were characterised by low pressure system and weather types connected with it: 4 (warm aid advection in the front part of low pressure area), 5 (warm sector of low pressure area), 6 (the centre of low pressure area), 7 (cold air advection in the retral part of low pressure area); and high pressure system and weather types: 1 (high pressure centre – no thermal inversions), 2 (high pressure centre – thermal inversions), 11 (cold high pressure area), 12 (warm sector of high pressure). From the remaining 5 types of weather (3, 8, 9, 10, 13) occurring on days with calls for EMS, the following weather types were predominant: type 3 (air slips at the edge of high pressure area) – 10.1%, followed by type 8 (waving front zone) – 9.4%. Depending on the type of illness, the sensitivity of patients to changing meteorological conditions, expressed by the number of calls for EMS, varied during a year. People suffering from asthma and COPD required EMS help in summer on days with low pressure systems – 64.7%, and in winter during lingering high pressure areas – 33.3%. Epileptic seizures were more common in summer during the transition of low pressure systems – 63%, and in autumn during high pressure systems – 20% of days under study. The frequency of calls for EMS to people suffering from arterial hypertension was the highest in autumn and winter – approximately 57% each, during transition of low pressure areas, and in winter during lingering high pressure – 25.4%.