Bieszczady Mountains Research Articles

Evaluation of susceptibility to pyrazinamide and streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol of Mycobacterium caprae strains isolated from European bison (Bison bonasus caucasicus) in the Bieszczady Mountains (Southern Poland)

Evaluation of susceptibility to pyrazinamide and streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol of Mycobacterium caprae strains isolated from European bison (Bison bonasus caucasicus) in the Bieszczady Mountains (Southern Poland)

European Beech Masting Cycles and the Spatial Distribution of Wisents in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland

The variability of food resources considerably affects the habitat preferences of animals. In mast years, the availability of highly nutritive food increases significantly. We tested whether changes in the distribution of the areas of wisents, Bison bonasus L. concentration, in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland, were connected with the availability of beechnuts. In the two beech masting years of 2013 and 2022, we considered the months with the highest availability of beechnuts, namely September and October. The beechnut crop varied significantly between as little as 2.4 g dry matter/m2, recorded within the Baligród herd’s home range in 2013, and up to 238.8 g dry matter/m2 within the Tworylne herd’s range, also in 2013. The analysis of the spatial distribution of beech stands within various parts of the wisents’ home range showed that within the 95% kernel area, their share was mostly high, varying between 25.7% and 42.8%. Meanwhile, within the 50% kernel area, it was generally much lower, except for the year 2022 in the case of the Baligród herd. The densities of wisents varied significantly between the kernel areas of 95% and 50%, ranging between 0.04 and 0.08 animals/ha and 0.17 and 0.48 animals/ha, respectively. However, there was no statistical difference between the figures for all plots tested within the home range of the wisent population and plots dominated by beech. Based on the data obtained in this study, habitat selection patterns of wisents in the Bieszczady Mountains cannot be explained by the availability of beech stands and the phenomenon of mast years.

Retrospective Detection of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola from Snake Moults Collected in Bieszczady Mountains, Poland.

Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the causative agent of ophidiomycosis, poses a potential threat to wild snakes worldwide. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the prevalence of O. ophidiicola in archived snake moults collected from the San River Valley in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland, from 2010 to 2012. Using qPCR for O. ophidiicola detection and conventional PCR for clade characterisation, we analysed 58 moults and one road-killed specimen of Zamenis longissimus and Natrix natrix. A novel combination of primers (ITS2L) was used to simultaneously confirm SYBR Green-based qPCR results and perform genotyping. O. ophidiicola has been detected from two Z. longissimus and one N. natrix specimens. The identified clade (I-B) is consistent with those found in wild snakes of eastern Europe and San River Valley, indicating that O. ophidiicola has been present in this region for at least a decade. This study underscores the value of historical samples in understanding the long-term presence of pathogens and highlights the potential role of environmental reservoirs in the persistence of O. ophidiicola. Our findings are crucial for informing conservation strategies for the endangered Aesculapian snake populations in Poland, emphasising the need for ongoing monitoring and habitat management to mitigate the potential impact of ophidiomycosis.

“The Range of the Future”: An outline of the development history of ski tourism in the Western Bieszczady Mountains in the 1930s

In the early 1930s, the Western Bieszczady Mountains were yet to become a popular destination for skiing. However, thanks to the efforts of tourist and skiing organisations, attempts were made to promote the area as an attractive place for skiing tourists. This was done through cooperation with the railway and offers of special discounts for skiers who were members of organisations such as the Polish Ski Association (Polski Związek Narciarski), as well as the organisation of skiing holidays and stays.

Akcja H-T 1951 r. Zarys problematyki

In 1951, the communist governments of Poland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concluded an agreement to exchange some territories. Poland transferred lands located in the Hrubieszów and Tomaszów counties in the Lublin Voivodeship in the upper Bug basin (the so-called Grzęda Sokalska). The USSR gave up the area in the Bieszczady Mountains east of the upper reaches of the San River, including the town of Ustrzyki Dolne. The mentioned areas were part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Areas of 480 km2 for each side were exchanged. Poland and the USRS had to evict their citizens from the ceded areas and take away their movable property. Soviet Ukraine resettled 32,066 people. Poland over 14 thousand its citizens. Both sides had to provide care and state assistance to the displaced population. However, the grief for the lost „small homelands” remained among Poles and Ukrainians. Only a few managed to return to their hometowns in the Bieszczady Mountains after 1957, including: to Łobozewo, Teleśnica Oszwarowa and Polana. The return involved a change of citizenship. The exchange of some territories is sometimes referred to as “Action H-T”, from the first letters of the names of the Hrubieszów and Tomaszów counties from which Polish citizens were expelled. In turn, the term “Action-51” appears in Ukrainian literature. The border change made in 1951 was the largest in the post-war history of Poland.

Tourism assets of the Bieszczady Mountains

Background: In the pandemic era, an increasing number of people have engaged in staycation as well as tourism that relied on the proximity of attractions. This led for some to the rediscovery and growing popularity of domestic, traditionally well-explored locations, such as the Polish section of the Carpathian Mountains. The easternmost mountain group of the Carpathian chain in Poland are the Western Bieszczady Mountains. In administrative terms, the Bieszczady Mountains are part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. This area enjoys the influx of tourists to its rich heritage, dramatic history and wild wastelands, but also the characteristic landscapes. The article is an attempt at a review of the causes of its popularity and at a categorisation of its tourism assets. Methods: The research method used was an analysis of primary sources of knowledge relying on own observations and secondary sources of knowledge, including literature, government data, and research reports as well as information contained in the relevant websites. Results: Geological structure, relief of the area and specific features of vegetation, hydrography as well as climate and human activity all contributed to the creation of a well-balanced and diverse realm rich in tourism resources which attract visitors throughout the entire year. Conclusions: Despite its remote location in the south-eastern part of Poland, as well as limited access by various modes of transport, the abundance and quality of tourism assets of the mountain group results in sustained, thriving and diverse tourism and hospitality industry, which benefits in a sustainable way from the conditions offered by the natural assets as well as human-created cultural context.

(Nie)obecność kobiety w Bieszczadzie w perspektywie kulturoznawczej

The article outlines the results of field studies conducted in selected villages in the Bieszczady Mountains. The purpose of the studies was to show the perspective of women in the context of life in the Bieszczady Mountains. The author briefly presents the history of the studied region and the importance of studies relating women in the humanities, and exposes the lack of women’s narratives in the common discourse concerning the area after 1945.

The first sighting of Isophya posthumoidalis (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) in Ukraine and observations on its biology and acoustics

Isophya posthumoidalis is a rare species native to Central Europe that is only found in a very small area of Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. Since Bazyluk’s description in 1971, it has been regarded as endemic to the Eastern Bieszczady mountains. In 1976, we discovered this species in Zakarpattia Province (Transcarpathia, Ukraine), but the records were not published, because there were no males available. Due to the analysis of a male’s acoustical signals in 2022, further confirmation was obtained.

Contact between European bison and cattle from the cattle breeders' perspective, in the light of the risk of pathogen transmission.

Pathogens transmitted between wildlife and domestic animals can pose a threat to endangered species, undermine conservation efforts in wildlife, and affect productivity and parasite control in domestic animals. There are several examples of pathogen transmission between European bison and other animals. The present study surveyed breeders from the vicinity of four large wisent populations in eastern Poland about observed contacts between wisent and cattle. Such contacts were noted by 37% of breeders, indicating a significant risk of contact between European bison and cattle in the study areas, even in the areas where the European bison live mainly in a forest complex, i.e., in the Borecka Forest. A higher potential risk of contacts between European bison and cattle was noted in the Białowieska Forest and the Bieszczady Mountains than in the Borecka and Knyszyńska Forests. In the Białowieska Forest, the risk of viral pathogen transmission resulting from contacts is higher (more direct contacts), and in the case of the Bieszczady Mountains, the probability of parasitic diseases is higher. The chance of contacts between European bison and cattle depended on the distance of cattle pastures from human settlements. Moreover, such contact was possible throughout the year, not only in spring and fall. It appears possible to minimize the risk of contacts between wisent and cattle by changing management practices for both species, such as keeping grazing areas as close as possible to settlements, and reducing the time cattle graze on pastures. However, the risk of contact is much greater if European bison populations are large and are dispersed beyond forest complexes.

New faunistic records of Limoniidae and Pediciidae crane-flies (Diptera) from the Bieszczady Mountains in Poland.

New data on the occurrence of 122 Limoniidae and 17 Pediciidae species in the Polish part of the Western Bieszczady Mountains is presented. Four species: Idiocera (I.) punctata (Edwards, 1938), Rhabdomastix (Rh.) laetoidea Starý, 2004, Lipsothrix ecucullata Edwards, 1938 (Limoniidae), and Dicranota (Paradicranota) subflammatra Starý, 1998 (Pediciidae), are reported from Poland for the first time. A general comparison of the species composition across the different protected areas of the Bieszczady Mts is also discussed.

Ten Years of Animal Tuberculosis Monitoring in Free-Living European Bison (Bison bonasus) in Poland

In the period 1996-2012, two outbreaks of animal tuberculosis were noted in the population of free-living European bison (Bison bonasus caucasicus) in the Bieszczady Mountains, Southern Poland. As the European bison is an endangered species and particularly susceptible to tuberculosis, not to mention a national icon, the decision was made to test all deceased bison for TB in Poland. The screened bison were obtained by elimination due to poor health or natural death. A total of 159 European bison have been examined over the last 10 years. The individuals came from four regions of Poland (Białowieża Forest, Bieszczady Mountains, Borecka Forest, Knyszyńska Forest), not only from the area where tuberculosis is still endemic. Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium spp. hominisuis were identified in two different herds. The isolation of M. bovis from European bison was the first case described in Poland. So far, the only causative agent of tuberculosis identified in European bison in Poland, both in the wild and in captive herds, was Mycobacterium caprae. The isolated M. bovis spoligotype has not previously been registered in international spoligotype databases so far. The obtained results highlight the need to monitor TB in European bison in Poland.

Comorbidities and concentration of trace elements in livers of European bison from Bieszczady Mountains (Poland)

European bison is a species for which health monitoring is essential in conservation activities. So far, little research has been carried out on the concentration of elements in this species. Most previous studies did not associate the concentration of elements with susceptibility to diseases. In this study we investigate the relationship between comorbidities in European bison and concentrations of a wide spectrum of elements in the liver. Samples were collected during the monitoring of the European bison population in Bieszczady (southeast Poland) over the 2020–2022 period. Each individual was also visually inspected by a veterinarian in the field for the presence of lesions as a part of a post-mortem examination. The animals were divided into 3 groups: group A—one type of clinical sign; group B—two types of clinical signs; group C—three or more types of clinical signs. The ICP-OES method was applied to assess the concentration of 40 elements in livers. Discriminant analysis showed clear differences between the mineral status of individuals in the groups with one, two, and at least three types of clinical signs. Detailed analysis of selected elements showed that, in the case of eight elements, there was a relationship with age, sex, or comorbidities. Cu, Se, and Zn showed significant differences in relation to comorbidities, but only Cu concentration was lower when the frequency of lesions was higher. We concluded that in research on the mineral status of the population, apart from the availability of trace elements in the environment, the health condition of the studied individuals should also be considered. However, inferring the mineral status of the population on the basis of randomly obtained samples from dead individuals may give an incomplete view of the population, especially in the case of species susceptible to diseases, such as European bison.

The Eradication of M. Caprae Tuberculosis in Wild Boar (Sus Scrofa) in the Bieszczady Mountains, Southern Poland - An Administrative Perspective.

Animal tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease caused by acid-fast bacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Both animals and humans are susceptible to infection by the MTBC. Interspecies transmission is also possible, including to livestock and humans. In the years 1997-2013, many tuberculosis cases were recorded in European bison in the Bieszczady Mountains; more alarmingly, TB was also recorded in wild boar in the years 2013-2020. In the years 2013-2020, 104 wild boar from the Bieszczady Mountains were tested for TB through necropsy, mycobacterial culture, strain identification and spoligotyping. The microbiological examination confirmed TB in 46 wild boar; these infections were identified as M. caprae, spoligotype SB2391. Free-living European bison are at risk of TB infection from wild boar carrying M. caprae. This situation also poses a risk to local cattle. There is a need for further activities aimed at monitoring the disease, preventing further transmission, and minimising the risk to public health.

Combating tuberculosis in European bison in the Bieszczady Mountains - administrative aspect

Tuberculosis in animals is an infectious and contagious disease, caused by acid-fast bacilli of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. The disease has been confirmed in Poland in farm and wild animals. Among the latter the largest number of cases was diagnosed in free-ranging European bison in the Bieszczady Mountains. The disease has also been present there since 2013 in the wild boar population. From April 21, 2021, in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/429, tuberculosis in European bison is a disease that is subject to mandatory eradication in all EU Member States. In Poland and in most EU countries where free-ranging European bison herds exist, no strategy has yet been developed to combat tuberculosis outbreaks in this species. To date, in Podkarpackie Voivodship eradication measures of bison tuberculosis have been undertaken in a framework of interdisciplinary cooperation of employees of the State Forests and the Veterinary Inspection, supported by representatives of the sciences. The article presents the legal status and the administrative aspects of the issue, as well as experiences and practical solutions of tuberculosis eradication in free-living European bison herds which have proven themselves in field conditions. The conclusions regarding an eradication strategy and the needs of tuberculosis monitoring are also presented in this article, which, apart from wild bison herds, takes into account other wild animal species and farm cattle from areas and buffer zones of bison herds infected with tuberculosis.

The occurrence and molecular identification of Thelazia spp. in European bison (Bison bonasus) in the Bieszczady Mountains

Infection with Thelazia nematodes results in eye disease in wild and domestic animals. The aim of the present study was to describe the occurrence of Thelazia nematodes in European bison, and to subject the isolated parasites to molecular identification and phylogenetical analysis. The eyeballs of 18 European bison from the Bieszczady Mountains, culled due to dysfunctional vision, were collected for study. The conjunctival sacs, tear ducts, corneal surface and nictitating membrane were rinsed with a saline solution. Any obtained nematodes were isolated under a stereoscopic microscope, and then identified as T. gulosa or T. skrjabini by molecular analysis of partial cox1 sequences. The prevalence of infection with Thelazia spp. was found to be 61%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI 95%) of 39–80%. Thelazia skrjabini was isolated from 56% (CI 95% 34–75%) of examined animals; T. gulosa was significantly less common (p = 0.038) with the prevalence of infection reaching 22% (CI 95% 9–45%). Three European bison were cross-infected with both T. gulosa and T. skrjabini. Phylogenetic analysis found the obtained sequences to be similar to those of Thelazia species from domestic ungulates in Europe. Infection intensity ranged from 1 to 16 nematodes per individual (median of three nematodes), and was significantly higher in females (6 nematodes) than in males (1 nematode; p = 0.019). A tendency for seasonal occurrence of nematodes in European bison was also observed. Our study provides further information regarding the patterns of Thelazia transmission in European bison in Poland.

How degraded are the peatland and forest ecosystems in the Bieszczady Mountains (Central Europe)? An assessment using long‐term records

AbstractPeatland and forest ecosystems located in the Bieszczady Mts. (Carpathians, Central Europe) have been affected by human activity since the Neolithic, with this impact intensifying over time. We conducted long‐term studies to: (i) determine past peatland and forest development and current ecological state; (ii) assess the role of different factors that influenced ecosystem development over the last 3750 years; and (iii) determine natural reference conditions as a basis for the restoration of degraded mountain bogs and forests in the region. High‐resolution multi‐proxy palaeoecological analyses (plant macrofossils, pollen, testate amoebae, macro and microcharcoal, peat stoichiometry and stable isotopes), supported by radiocarbon dating, were performed on peat cores from an ombrotrophic peatland. Our study revealed that the peatland and forest ecosystems have been impacted by both climate change and human activity (fires, deforestation, and grazing) over the past 3750 years and that massive deforestation took place 400 years ago. Changes in forest composition led to the intensification in erosion between 3700–1500 cal. BP and over the past 350 years. Drainage resulted in hydrological disturbances but did neither stop the peat formation process nor decreased the abundance of species forming the natural peat plant communities indicative of oligotrophic conditions. However, hydrological disturbances shifted peat plant composition to dry‐adapted species (e.g. dwarf shrubs, Pinus sylvestris). Average water level depth fluctuated between ca. 10 and 25 cm over the last 3750 years; thus these are conditions that could be considered as hydrological reference for restoration measures. Our approach to identify natural reference conditions may be expanded to peatlands from other temperate mountain ranges.

Peat Thickness Changes at the “Wołosate” Raised Bog in the Western Bieszczady Mountains

The study aims to present and analyze the rate of changes that occur in the area of Wołosate bog dome as a result of human pressure, which has been especially intense the period between 1967–2016. Additionally, the work presents current stratigraphic cross-section of the peat deposit, and illustrates and interprets the course of the peat accumulation process, that depends on hydrological conditions. The described study had been conducted on the area of “Wołosate” raised bog (nature reserve) in Western Bieszczady Mountains. From the analysis of data obtained from precise satellite surveys, it can be concluded that over 49 years, the average thickness of peat in the characteristic levelling-stratigraphic cross-section decreased by 27.2%. The most significant changes (34.3%) took place up until 1988, as during that period, the stream valley of Wołosatka river had been drained. The results of the discussed study indicate one more circumstance. In later period (1988–2016), following the restoration measures, a 35 cm acrotelm layer of Sphagnum peat (Eusphagneti) with a living layer of peat moss which happened to form itself on the western side of the peatland (along a section of approx. 50 m).

Is Serological Monitoring a Fit-for-purpose Tool to Assess the Epidemiological Situation of Tuberculosis in the Sylvatic Species of European Bison (Bison Bonasus) in Poland?

Bovine tuberculosis is one of the most dangerous zoonotic diseases. Despite the near-complete elimination of the disease from cattle breeding in Poland achieved in 2009, its re-emergence is now observed. Globally, the number of human cases is underestimated and the importance of free-living animals as reservoirs of tuberculosis is growing. As a species highly susceptible to Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infection, the European bison (Bison bonasus) has a role in the transmission of the disease in Poland. The purpose of the investigation was to assess the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in Polish European bison serologically. A total of 460 serum samples were collected from 436 European bison from 15 out of 26 national populations between 2013 and 2020. An M. bovis ELISA was used, and its sensitivity and specificity were assessed with an eyelid tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon gamma release assay (IGRA). Mycobacterium bovis antibodies were detected in nine serum samples. The presence of antibodies was found in two animals from the Białowieża Forest (1.2% of the population), and one each from the Borecka Forest (2.4%) and the Warsaw Zoo (14.3%). One European bison among the 14 sampled (7.1%) from Smardzewice was positive on five occasions. Other samples from Smardzewice and the Bieszczady Mountains, where tuberculosis had previously been reported, were negative. ELISA testing is an effective, easy and cost-efficient tool for monitoring of tuberculosis-naïve populations. Serological testing in tuberculosis control programmes can significantly improve the detection of infected herds. Antibody ELISAs may supplement TST and IGRA, but cannot replace them.

Contribution to the knowledge of planthoppers and leafhoppers fauna (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha et Cicadomorpha) of the Bieszczady Mountains (south-eastern Poland)

The paper provides new distributional data for 5 planthopper and 61 leafhopper species, recorded from the Bieszczady Mountains (south-eastern Poland), including 35 taxa listed as new for the region.

The spatial and temporal variability of hydrological drought in the Polish Carpathians

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the climate and geographic factors controlling the hydrological drought of the rivers located in the Upper Vistula catchment in the Polish Carpathians. Drought was identified based on the daily flow (based on water stage measered once a day at 6 UTC) series dating from between 1975 and 2019 at 49 gauging cross-sections. Four physico-geographical regions were identified in the Polish Carpathians and spatial variabilities of the basic drought characteristics were developed within these regions. Such spatial distributions were treated as maps indicating drought hazard areas in the region. In addition, an analysis was undertaken to study the seasonality of the start and end times of the drought (all in the multi-annual period), the longest duration of droughts, the droughts of the highest volume in multi-annual period, as well as the number of drought days. Multi-annual variability of the number of drought days was also analysed. The results suggest that droughts in the Polish Carpathians are events characteristic of summer and autumn, whereas in the Tatra Mountains and the Podhale region - of autumn and winter. The greatest hazard of a prolonged and high-volume drought occurs in the Podhale region and the Tatra Mountains, while the lowest hazard is observed in the Bieszczady Mountains and the eastern part of the studied area.