Janina Borysiak

Geodiversity and biodiversity of the postglacial landscape (Dębnica river catchment, Poland)

Abstract The preparation of a proper zoning plan or landscape-ecological plan requires taking into account recognition of the natural values of an area covered by the plan and evaluating its abiotic and biotic diversities. The aim of the paper is to present the new approach to the procedure of geodiversity and biodiversity assessment. This procedure is used to characterise abiotic and biotic heterogeneity of the postglacial landscape modified by a man, tested on Dębnica River catchment (Western Pomerania, Poland). This catchment is a representative example illustrating the landscape of Central European Plain. The analytical algorithm of the geodiversity assessment is based on appropriate selection of the evaluation criteria: lithological, relative heights, landform fragmentation, hydrographical elements and mesoclimatic conditions. Biodiversity was assessed on the basis of real vegetation, potential natural vegetation and the degree of anthropisation of the natural vegetation with respect to syngenesis of plant associations. Seven factor maps were obtained: five for the diversity of abiotic elements, and two for the diversity of biotic elements, which became the basis for the creation of total geodiversity and biodiversity maps. Maps produced in accordance with given methodology may find a wide range of applications.

HYDROGEOCHEMICAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES IN KAFFIØYRA RIVER CATCHMENTS (SPITSBERGEN, NORWAY)

Abstract The paper presents the results of hydrogeochemical and biogeochemical studies in the area of Kaffiøyra river catchments in the ablation season 2004. Vegetation, hydrological regime, mineralization and ionic composition of circulating waters, rate of annual chemical denudation and biogenic CO2 content in soil air in relation to the concentration of dissolved and transported HCO3 - ions were documented. The waters represented the type HCO3 - - SO42- - Ca2+ - Mg2+. Most of ions showed a good correlation with electrical conductivity. A good correlation between dissolved and transported mass and the discharge was shown. The value of the chemical denudation in non-glacierized catchments of the Kaffiøyra plain was 0.07 and 0.13 t km-2 d-1, in glacierized catchment - 0,21 t km-2 d-1. The biogenic CO2 concentrations in tundra soil air ranged from 0.03-0.08%, while the average was 0.046%. The mean rate of CO2 ionic transport was 3 kg d-1, while of HCO3 - - 0.63 t d-1. A low correlation between the concentration of biogenic CO2 in soil air and HCO3 - was found, which indicates the involvement of other, unexamined bio- and physico-chemical processes.

Translocation of Nuphar lutea (L.) Sibth. & Sm. from the A2 road near Nowy Tomyśl (Poland) into alternative sites

Translocation of Nuphar lutea (L.) Sibth. & Sm. from the A2 road near Nowy Tomyśl (Poland) into alternative sites A translocation of Nuphar lutea (L.) Sibth. & Sm. was made from its primary location in Prądówka, situated in the path of the construction site of the A2 motorway, into replacement biotopes. All rhizomes were taken out of the water and used to prepare cuttings. These were divided into three approximately homogeneous groups. Each group was introduced into different replacement water bodies with environmental conditions that resembled those of the biotope in the Prądówka site. Two of the water bodies were fish ponds. A third was a so called ‘ecological water body’ (settling pond, settling basin) that collected fall effluents delivered from the surface of motorway. The results of the examination of the physical-chemical features of water and bottom sediments from the Prądówka peat pit, two fish ponds and four settling basins are presented in the article. Biological and autecological features of the species Nuphar lutea, which are significant from the aspect of the growth of the seedlings within the alternative sites, have been discussed. A year after translocation it was observed that in the case of fish ponds, 83% and 75% of the introduced plants survived, while in the settling basin only 50%. A conservation project was undertaken by the investor in order to compensate for the negative effects of the A2 motorway within the area of the European Ecological Natura 2000 Network.