Piotr Pachura

Assessment of the availability of heavy metals to plants based on the translocation index and the bioaccumulation factor

AbstractThe bioconcentration factors and the translocation index have been determined for the assessment of the level of phytoextraction in plants. The bioaccumulation factor, determined as the quotient of the content of a given metal of the plant to its content of soil, defines the ability of the plant to accumulate heavy metals. The translocation index, Ti, is a measure of the phytoextraction capacity of plants. This index provides a useful means of the quantitative description of relative differences in the biological availability of metals to plants. This paper presents the results of studies on the effect of fertilizing soil on the ability to translocate cadmium, zinc, lead, and nickel from the soil to the roots, and then to the above-ground parts of Virginia fanpetals. The source of the results was a pot experiment conducted under semi-natural conditions from April 2007 to November 2011. The studies described in this paper concern the last year of the experiment (the plant crop in November 2011). Si...

Effect of unconventional fertilization on heavy metal content in the biomass of giant miscanthus

AbstractThe article presents the results of the studies on the effects of fertilization with (1) sewage sludge, (2) compost produced from the mixture of sewage sludge and forestry waste and (3) compost from green waste produced with Dano technology on bioaccumulation of heavy metals in Miscanthus giganteus biomass. The results were obtained from the pot experiment in semi-natural conditions during the period of April 2007 to November 2010. The testing presents the studies concerning the third year of the experiment (the plant crop of November 2010). The soil used for cultivation of M. giganteus was sampled from the area in close vicinity to the steel works. The effects of sewage sludge, compost and mineral fertilizers on the concentration of Cd, Zn, Pb and Ni were compared in the above-ground parts and roots of M. giganteus. These treatments resulted in an increase in the concentration of zinc, cadmium, lead and nickel in the soil in comparison to the control. The highest increase in the concentration of ...

“Cognitive Economic Geography” – Evolution of Regional Strategies☆

Abstract The aim of this article is to present the role of cognitive approach in economic geography and regional innovation strategies based on theory evolution as well as the case of regional development strategies evolution for an old industrial region in emerging economic spaces.

Identification of Intellectual Capital Performance Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Our research approach is based on the belief that intangible factors (especially intellectual capital) are involved in the processes of territorial development as well as we express our conviction on the need to improve research tools for comprehensive public policy evaluation. The popular concept of intellectual capital (IC) has recently become a common performance measure both for organizations as well as for countries and regions. The authors have used specific approach—Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate intellectual capital in the Polish and Slovak NUTS 2 regions. The analysis aims to present the efficiency of chosen components of regional intellectual capital (IC). To verify the models, data on the Polish and Slovak regions are used for a dynamic comparison of their IC performance in 2011. The efficiency scores obtained show that the regions are significantly diverse in terms of their use of intellectual capital. Even though it is important to point out that the DEA methodology used for this evaluation still needs development, it is nonetheless very promising as a tool for measuring the efficiency of regional intellectual capital. This chapter attempts to contribute to the scientific discussion on methodology development in research on regional development factors. The practical dimension of this text may be to enrich the analytical implications for the paradigm of the public policies evaluation.

Fuzzy cognitive maps based on text analysis for supporting strategic planning

Strategy maps are attracting considerable interest in strategic planning due to their capacity to represent causal-effect relationships among the key concepts. Several studies have used expert estimates to quantify the relationships. However, these evolve dynamically and are context-specific. Therefore, there is a need to develop automatic knowledge acquisition systems. Here, the assumption was used that knowledge can be extracted from strategic documents in order to conduct a detailed analysis of causal strategic concepts. First, latent semantic analysis is employed to obtain an interpretable semantic model. Second, collocated causal concepts are used to model relationships among strategic concepts. This approach to generate fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) is semi-automatic, requiring theoretical background literature/domain experts to determine the direction of the causalities. The FCMs can subsequently be used to simulate the effects of strategic management and, thus, provide an effective decision support tool. Several innovation strategies of regions are used as a case study and it is demonstrated that the generated FCMs are consistent with expert opinions and fuzzy ANP method.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN IN THE BOTTOM SEDIMENTS OF THE WATER RESERVOIR PORAJ

The aim of this study was to determine the content of phosphorus and nitrogen in the bottom sediments of the Poraj Reservoir located on the Warta River, along with defining their spatial distribution and the relationship between these elements and organic matter, aluminum and iron. Samples of bottom sediments were collected on the basis of regular measurement grid of 46 points located in the area of the water reservoir Poraj. The collected samples were analyzed in terms of content of following elements, which values are in range: total phosphorus (TP) 0.06 – 5.06 g/kg, total nitrogen (TN) 0.17 – 9.66 g/kg, organic matter (OM) 0.49 – 28.41% of solid content, aluminum (Al) 2.44 – 145.15 g/kg and iron (Fe) 0.28 – 16.50 g/kg. By using of GIS system, spatial distribution of obtained results of laboratory analyzes were interpolated (Inverse Distance Weighted method was used). On basis of spatial distribution it was noted that in northern part of water reservoir bottom sediments have greater values of TP, TN and OM than in southern part. The study also included calculation of correlation between: OM and TN (n=46, R2 = 0.9335), TN and Fe (n=46, R2 = 0.8782), TN and Al (n=46, R2 = 0.8629), OM and Fe (n=46, R2 = 0.8243), OM and Al (n=46, R2 = 0.7981), TP and Fe (n=46, R2 = 0.7456), TP and Al (n=46, R2 = 0.6209). The presented pilot studies show that the potential content of phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter in the sediments of the water reservoir Poraj can reach a significant level. The need to plan and carry out further research allowing the evaluation of the properties of the analyzed elements and examining their potential impact on water quality in the tested water reservoir was stated.

Re-discovering Space for the Organisation - Conceptual Considerations

Background. The peculiar “shrinking” of the world and the already proverbial statement of “the end of the distance” as a result of global processes and technological development have set the thought of the distance aside. However, it seems that there would be a renaissance of scientific interest in space, because it still is one of the basic cognitive and interpretative categories, continually experienced by humans and organisations. The organisations are more and more “struggling” with different spaces, especially in the face of the “locality – globality” dichotomy, or virtual and network spaces phenomena. Research aims. The aim of the research is an attempt of interdisciplinary and innovative conceptualisation of space issues in the context of organisation and management sciences. Through the course of the research different dimensions of space were identified. Methodology. Deductive way of reasoning was implemented afterwards. At the macro analysis level – a conceptual model has was built. In the further part of the study a theoretical experiment was made to indicate the applicative capabilities of the model on the meso level, in relation to the business models concept. Key findings. As a result of conceptual experiments, an original model of four dimensions of space was proposed. This model can be a universal tool for the organization. This article presents its application within the concept of business models.

Zarządzanie ochroną środowiska na przykładzie analiz geostatystycznych osadów dennych

Environmental issues are one of the most common areas of interdisciplinary research, combining both knowledge and practical application of natural and social science, including management science. One of the most classic examples of interdisciplinary is the development of research in the #eld of spatial planning. Multidimensionality of spatial phenomena related to both climate change and increasing environmental anthropopressure pose a number of major challenges against communities of many disciplines of science. 4e aim of this study is to present geostatistical analysis in conjunction with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a practical tool for obtaining valuable information on the condition of the environment in the context of the conservation management of natural resources.