Marek Drewnik

Intra-annual groundwater levels and water temperature patterns in raised bogs affected by human impact in mountain areas in Poland

Over the last century, the vast majority of peatlands in Europe have experienced substantial transformation as a result of drainage works that led to an imbalance in the natural hydrologic regime as well as changes in vegetation composition. The ongoing study aims to reconstruct the natural hydrologic regime of peatlands and restore their typical vegetation communities. In this study, we examine the variability of groundwater levels and groundwater temperature in raised bogs located in the Bieszczady Mts. in southern Poland. Both groundwater table levels and groundwater temperature serve to characterise the hydrology of peatlands, which in turn is critical for plant growth and rates of relevant biochemical processes. Our objective is to determine the predominant scale of intra-annual variability in time series and identify their potential sources by assessing the adaptive response of peat bogs to key changes in weather conditions. For this purpose, data obtained from 9 monitoring wells located in peat bogs, with a varying degree of degradation, were used. Fluctuations in time series and potential linkages between selected variables were analysed in the frequency domain using the continuous wavelet transform. The results show that peat bogs exhibit a relatively high stability of groundwater table levels and groundwater temperature despite meaningful changes in weather conditions. The most visible response of peat bogs to weather conditions was observed in summer and autumn. Our study demonstrates that degraded peat bogs experience the largest decrease in groundwater table levels and more frequent fluctuations. In contrast, groundwater temperature remained stable throughout the year at all the studied bog sites.

Evolution of sandy soils within deflation hollows in shifting areas of sand – a case study from the Błędów Desert (Poland)

Gus M., Drewnik M. (2017): Evolution of sandy soils within deflation hollows in shifting areas of sand – a case study from the Błędów Desert (Poland). Soil & Water Res., 12: 161−169. Areas of shifting sand are important places for testing the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on soil morphology and evolution, where aeolian processes cause dynamic changes in the natural environment. The main aim of the study was to determine the evolution of soils within deflation hollows in shifting sands. In the context of this purpose, representative study areas were selected: (1) a reference surface in a plantation forest with soils undisturbed by aeolian processes – one pedon, (2) an active deflation hollow – two pedons, (3) a deflation hollow stabilized by reforestation (forest planting ca. 30 and ca. 100 years ago – two pedons). Soil morphology and micromorphology as well as several physical and chemical properties were analyzed. In a deflation hollow, the studied soils are found at various stages of development, mostly characterized by a relatively rapid accumulation of soil organic matter. A well-developed buried illuvial B horizon as an ‘ortstein’ material can limit aeolian erosion to a certain depth, while above these horizons aeolian erosion and accumulation remain active. History of changes in the environment is to a substantial degree reflected in morphology and micromorphology of the studied soils.

Properties of Soil Organic Matter in Abounded Pastureland: A Case Study from the Jaworzynka Valley in the Tatra Mountains, Poland

This chapter is a contribution to understanding soil processes occurring as the result of reforestation of previous pasturelands in the mountains. It aimed to compare the properties of humus horizons developed under two different species planted on an abounded pasture in the Jaworzynka Valley: larch and mountain pine. We determined the composition of humus fractions in ecto- and endohumus horizons under the larch forest, the mountain pine shrubs, and the meadow.