Intensity Of Human Impact Research Articles

Badania geoarcheologiczne pokrywy stokowej na stanowisku archeologicznym Szynkielew 11, gm. Pabianice

Artykuł prezentuje wyniki multidyscyplinarnych badań neoholoceńskicj pokrywy stokowej odkrytej w zlewni Neru w Polsce Środkowej. Badania z zakresu archeologii środowiskowej zrealizowane zostały w ramach prac archeologicznych prowadzonych na stanowisku Szynkielew. Przyniosły one odkrycie na obszarze stanowiska bogatych reliktów intensywnego osadnictwa grup ludzkich od epoki brązu po wczesne średniowiecze. Przeprowadzone badania geoarcheologiczne pokryw stokowych oraz aluwiów facji pozakorytowej umożliwiły rozpoznanie warstw kulturowych, gleb kopalnych oraz deluwiów rozwiniętych na zboczach doliny, a także miąższej pokrywy osadów pozakorytowych w dnie doliny Dobrzynki. W obrębie pokrywy stokowej rozpoznane zostały deluwia piaszczyste, a także zawierające domieszki próchniczne tzw. deluwia glebowe. Akumulacja osadów stokowych zachodziła w warunkach silnej antropopresji, co potwierdzają występujące w nich artefakty i ekofakty, które ponadto umożliwiły precyzyjne określenie wieku odkrytych deluwiów. Inicjowanie oraz rozwój procesów stokowych zostały skorelowane z fazami antropogenicznego przeobrażania środowiska naturalnego. Wyróżniono dwie główne fazy wzmożenia tych procesów, których wiek określono na środkową epokę brązu oraz wczesne średniowiecze. Czas akumulacji pokrywy aluwiów pozakorytowych także określony został na wczesne średniowiecze. Wczesnośredniowieczna faza intensywnych procesów geomorfologicznych miała miejsce w XII wieku, po włączeniu „opola chropskiego” w obręb włości kapituły krakowskiej.

EVALUATION OF OCCURRENCE OF AUXOTROPHIC ESCHERICHIA COLI IN SOME KARELIAN RESERVOIRS

Studied is the nutrient requirements in growth factors among 199 Escherichia coli cultures, isolated from a series of water reservoirs in Karelia that differ in type and intensity of human impact. Revealed is the fact that auxotrophic E. coli were found in all surveyed reservoirs. Minimal percentage of E. coli that require in growth factors observed in the central part of Onega Lake. It is noted that the occurrence of auxotrophs depend on the level of water pollution. In the reservoirs that are experiencing intense anthropogenic pollution most isolates were multiple auxotroph. During cultivation of Escherichia coli isolates there were discovered auxotrophic variants in almost all amino acids. These results allow evaluating more objectively the results of environmental monitoring of natural microbial communities in general, and correct description of the processes of self-purification within water bodies.

Assessment of Ecological Situation on the Territory of Russia Using the Method of Potential Surfaces of Human Impact

For the first time rating of ecological state of all of 1100 Russian cities by an integral index of intensity of human impact on the environment, including air pollution, pollution of water resources, amount of solid consumer waste, heat and radiation contamination was made. An integrated approach to the ecological situation assessment of the Russian cities, which takes into account both the level of human impact in the settlement and pollution in the existing settlement system is proposed. The rationale and elaboration of this method acts as an important research task, because main social and ecological consequences of the territorial structure transformation of the economy can be assessed through the number of people living in conditions of varying degrees of pollution. As a result, there was developed a typology of cities in the country by the ratio of the internal pollution potential and “induced pollution” from other cities, calculated as the potential surfaces of human impact. Almost in half of Russian cities ecological situation has formed as a result of internal human impact. One-third of Russian cities are characterized by an equal contribution of inner legacy funds and external sources. However, every fifth city of Russia provides its environmental resources for settling and recreation, influenced by centers of agglomerations. The proposed measures to improve the ecological situation in the different types of cities and regions take into account the structural features of the integral index, as well as proportion of own and external components of the potential surfaces of human impact.

Mapping the optimal forest road network based on the multicriteria evaluation technique: the case study of Mediterranean Island of Thassos in Greece

The sustainable management of forest resources can only be achieved through a well-organized road network designed with the optimal spatial planning and the minimum environmental impacts. This paper describes the spatial layout mapping for the optimal forest road network and the environmental impacts evaluation that are caused to the natural environment based on the multicriteria evaluation (MCE) technique at the Mediterranean island of Thassos in Greece. Data analysis and its presentation are achieved through a spatial decision support system using the MCE method with the contribution of geographic information systems (GIS). With the use of the MCE technique, we evaluated the human impact intensity to the forest ecosystem as well as the ecosystem’s absorption from the impacts that are caused from the forest roads’ construction. For the human impact intensity evaluation, the criteria that were used are as follows: the forest’s protection percentage, the forest road density, the applied skidding means (with either the use of tractors or the cable logging systems in timber skidding), the timber skidding direction, the visitors’ number and truck load, the distance between forest roads and streams, the distance between forest roads and the forest boundaries, and the probability that the forest roads are located on sights with unstable soils. In addition, for the ecosystem’s absorption evaluation, we used forestry, topographical, and social criteria. The recommended MCE technique which is described in this study provides a powerful, useful, and easy-to-use implement in order to combine the sustainable utilization of natural resources and the environmental protection in Mediterranean ecosystems.

Assessment of the ecological situation in russia using the method of potential surfaces of human impact

For the first time, a rating of the ecological state was made for all 1100 cities of Russia using the integral index of the intensity of human impact on the environment, which includes pollution of the atmosphere and water sources, the amount of solid wastes, and the level of thermal and radiation pollution. This article proposes an approach for the integral assessment of the ecological situation in Russian urban areas, which takes into account both the level of anthropogenic pollution in a settlement itself and pollution in the existing settlement system. The development of such a method is an important research problem, since the main socioecological effects of transformation of the territorial economic structure can be assessed by the quantity of the population living under different degrees of pollution. Russian cities and towns were classified by the ratio of the internal pollution potential and potential induced by other cities and towns. This calculated as the potential surfaces of the human impact. In nearly half of Russia’s cities and towns, the ecological situation is the result of internal human impact. One-third of Russian cities and towns are characterized by an equal contribution of intraurban outdated funds and external sources. Every fifth Russian city/town provides its environmental resources for settlement and recreation, being under the influence of agglomeration centers. The proposed measures to improve the ecological situation in different types of cities and regions take into account the structural peculiarities of the integral index, as well as the ratio of the intrinsic and external components of the potential surfaces of human impact.

Differentiation of the concentration of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in lake sediments depending on the catchment management (Lake Gopło case study)

Abstract This paper presents the results of the study on the concentration of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including PAHs and PCBs, in the bottom sediments of Lake Gopło. This lake is significantly elongated (about 25 km); its longitudinal profile is diversified, and there are deeps and thresholds impeding the flow of water. The shoreline is varied, which is characteristic of tunnel valley lakes. The catchment has a typical agricultural character with a point arrangement of industrial centres. The analysis of the diversity of the concentration of heavy metals and POPs was based on 37 samples from two representative cores: one collected in the northern part of the lake, the catchment of which shows an industrial character, and the second one in the southern part where the catchment is agricultural in character. In the sediments, the content of the following heavy metals was analysed: Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni, Cr, Hg and As, as well as PAHs and PCBs. The sediment age was determined by the 210Pb dating method. In order to assess the contamination level of the bottom sediments with heavy metals, the contamination factor (CF) and degree of contamination (DC) were calculated. Moreover, the impact of the changes in the catchment’s land use over the past 100 years was determined. The results showed that the sediments from the industrial part of the lake significantly exceed the geochemical background for both the heavy metals from the group identified as industrial pollution and from the group of agricultural pollutants. The southern core shows only a slight increase in the amount of pollution from the agricultural group, lack of industrial pollution and a low degree of contamination. A slight increase in persistent organic pollutants is also recorded, without any apparent effect on the state of the deposited sediment. The 210PB dating enabled the main stages of human impact to be determined: the pre-industrial revolution, from the beginning of industrialisation to the 1950s, intensive human impact from the 1960s to the 1980s, and a gradual decrease in the human impact starting from the 1990s. In addition, attention was paid to the changing sedimentation rate.

The prehistoric human impact on slope development at the archaeological site in Smólsk (Kuyavian Lakeland)

Abstract Periods of intense human impact on the relief and lithology of the area of the Smólsk site were recorded during geoarchaeological research accompanying archaeological field work. The phases of occupation of the area are known in detail from the results of the large-scale archaeological research of the site. The slope deposits with buried soils were recorded at the site area and researched in detail with the use of sedimentological, geochemical and micromorphological analyses. Beside geochronological deterioration, the chronology of the artefacts found in layers played an important role in the strict recognition of the age of deposits. The lower part of the studied slope cover is constituted by deluvium and the upper part by tillage diamicton. The origin and the development of the slope deposits are correlated with the phases of an intense prehistoric human impact as defined by the archaeological research. Four main phases of acceleration of slope processes were documented at the site and date to the Early Neolithic, the Middle Neolithic, the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age.

Differentiation of the concentration of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in lake sediments depending on the catchment management (Lake Gopło case study)

This paper presents the results of the study on the concentration of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including PAHs and PCBs, in the bottom sediments of Lake Goplo. This lake is significantly elongated (about 25 km); its longitudinal profile is diversified, and there are deeps and thresholds impeding the flow of water. The shoreline is varied, which is characteristic of tunnel valley lakes. The catchment has a typical agricultural character with a point arrangement of industrial centres. The analysis of the diversity of the concentration of heavy metals and POPs was based on 37 samples from two representative cores: one collected in the northern part of the lake, the catchment of which shows an industrial character, and the second one in the southern part where the catchment is agricultural in character. In the sediments, the content of the following heavy metals was analysed: Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni, Cr, Hg and As, as well as PAHs and PCBs. The sediment age was determined by the 210Pb dating method. In order to assess the contamination level of the bottom sediments with heavy metals, the contamination factor (CF) and degree of contamination (DC) were calculated. Moreover, the impact of the changes in the catchment’s land use over the past 100 years was determined. The results showed that the sediments from the industrial part of the lake significantly exceed the geochemical background for both the heavy metals from the group identified as industrial pollution and from the group of agricultural pollutants. The southern core shows only a slight increase in the amount of pollution from the agricultural group, lack of industrial pollution and a low degree of contamination. A slight increase in persistent organic pollutants is also recorded, without any apparent effect on the state of the deposited sediment. The 210PB dating enabled the main stages of human impact to be determined: the pre-industrial revolution, from the beginning of industrialisation to the 1950s, intensive human impact from the 1960s to the 1980s, and a gradual decrease in the human impact starting from the 1990s. In addition, attention was paid to the changing sedimentation rate.

Assessment of heavy metals mobility and toxicity in contaminated sediments by sequential extraction and a battery of bioassays.

The aim of this study was to assess heavy metals mobility and toxicity in sediments collected from a dam reservoir in the conditions of intensive human impact by using chemical fractionation and a battery of bioassays. In the studies, the test organisms were exposed to substances dissolved in water (Microtox, Phytotestkit) as well to substances absorbed on the surface of solid particles (Phytotoxkit, Ostracodtoxkit F). The studies showed that sediments from the Rybnik reservoir are toxic, but the tested organisms showed different sensitivity to heavy metals occurring in the bottom sediments. The sediment samples were classified as toxic and very toxic. Moreover, the studies showed a higher toxicity in solid phases and whole sediment than in pore water. The lowest sensitivity was observed in H. incongruens (solid phases) and V. fischeri (pore water, whole sediment). The studies revealed that the toxicity of the sediments is caused mainly by heavy metal forms associated with the solid phase of the sediments. The studies did not confirm the metals occurring in fraction I (exchangeable) to be bioavailable and toxic to living organisms because most correlations between the metal concentration in fraction I and the response of the organisms were negative. The highest mobility from the bottom sediments was found in zinc, average mobility—in copper, cadmium and nickel, and low mobility—in chromium and lead. Organic matter is likely to be the most important factor controlling metal distribution and mobility in the studied sediments.

<b>Diffuse sources of pollution and their influence on the nature of the sediments in Água Preta Lake

Sediments in aquatic systems are indicators of contamination levels. Therefore, they play an important role in the assessment of the nature and intensity of human impact on aquatic environments. The objective of this work was to assess the levels of pollution by determining the concentrations of various metals and phosphorus forms in the sediments of Água Preta Lake, which supplies water to the Metropolitan Region of Belém, in north-eastern Brazil. Our data indicate non-uniform sedimentation with a large granulometric fraction of silt. The predominant form of phosphorus was inorganic phosphorus, to the detriment of the organic form. Observed mean concentrations of nickel, copper, lead, and zinc were lower than the PEL (Probable Effect Level). However, the highest observed concentrations of nickel and lead exceeded the prescribed TEL (Threshold Effect Level), which suggests pollution from an anthropogenic source.

Vegetation Reconstruction in the UFA II fortified Settlement and in Adjacent Landscapes According to the Palynological Analysis Data

This paper presents the results of an analysis of the palynological characteristics of four sections at the Ufa II fortified settlement. Pollen and spores of 58 taxons that are predominantly grouped with the forest, meadow, and ruderal cenotic types have been identified among 68 selected samples. Pollen spectra are characterized by the dominance of pollen of herbaceous plants. The vegetation change phases since the initial development of this area have been revealed. Periods of alternating peaks of the complexes of broad-leaved forests, marge-forest and ruderal communities related to fluctuations in the intensity of human impact on the landscapes have been described.

Carbon pools of semi-arid Picea crassifolia forests in the Qilian Mountains (north-eastern Tibetan Plateau)

The vast alpine grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau are lined by a belt of oroboreal coniferous forests in the transition zone to the Central Asian semi-deserts and deserts which may play important roles in the hydrology and biogeochemistry of the region. Many of these forests exist under semi-arid climates, are exposed to rapid climate warming and suffer from intensive human impact. We investigated the carbon stocks in biomass and soil in the Picea crassifolia (Qinghai spruce) forests of the Qilian Mountains, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. In 18 forest plots at 2600–2800m elevation, we found ecosystem carbon stocks of 348MgCha−1 with carbon densities of 43MgCha−1 in the live and dead aboveground biomass, 12MgCha−1 in roots, 3MgCha−1 in litter and 305MgCha−1 in the soil (SOC; 0–100cm). The belowground carbon pools exceed averages reported for northern boreal forests and even more clearly for zonal forest vegetation in the temperate zone. The high SOC density in the P. crassifolia forests are probably the result of slow decomposition rates due to low soil temperatures in combination with low soil moisture. The widespread degradation of mountain spruce forests to shrubland reduces the ecosystem carbon stock by >85MgCha−1, and is partly caused by a 15%-reduction in SOC. We conclude that the remaining mountain forests of spruce and other conifers at the northern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau play an important role in the regional carbon budget and need urgent conservation.

Indicator pollen taxa of human-induced and natural vegetation in Northern China

Research on modern pollen assemblages of human-induced vegetation is conducive to extracting human impact information, and provides basis for determining human impact intensity. The use of 189 surface soil pollen samples from human-induced and natural vegetation shows that there were significant discrepancies of indicator pollen taxa and human impact intensity between different vegetation types in Northern China. The results demonstrate that forest and grassland pollen assemblages are dominated by natural vegetation pollen taxa, which show little effect from human impact. Farmlands are dominated by Cereal Poaceae pollen. Cultivation methods, climate conditions and human impact intensity are the main reasons that cause discrepancy in different regions. Uncultivated lands could be effectively distinguished based on common human-companion plant pollen types and certain amount of crop pollen, which display the first step of secondary succession from human-induced to natural vegetation. Indicator species analysis shows that Cereal Poaceae, Trilete spore, Humulus and Brassicaceae indicate farmlands; weeds Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Ranunculaceae and Selaginella sinensis indicate uncultivated lands; grasslands have the largest number of indicator pollen taxa, in which Convolvulaceae, Artemisia, Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Polygonaceae, and Nitraria pollen have the highest indicator values; in forests, Betula, Larix and Quercus have the highest indicator values with statistical significance. Meanwhile, Human Influence Index (HII) values can be used to differentiate human-induced and natural vegetation. The calibration model of pollen-HII based on the weighted averaging plus partial least squares (WA-PLS) method exhibits a good statistical performance ( R2 = 0.69), and the HII values have the same trend of change with Cereal Poaceae percentage. Our results confirm that pollen from human-induced vegetation can provide reliable estimates of HII, which provides a good reference for restoring human impact intensity in fossil pollen assemblage.

The heterogeneity of urban soils in the light of their properties

Despite 30 years of work on the issue of urban soils, there are still differences in opinions on the real significance of soil diversity for the functionality of urban areas. This also reflects a significant difference in the perception of the environment itself by representatives of natural sciences and engineering. The research was carried out in the town and administrative commune of Zielona Gora—a medium-sized town located in the western part of Poland (51°56′07″ N, 15°30′13″ E). This paper is a synthesis of more than a decade of research on soils covering the Zielona Gora urban area. A total of 562 samples were analysed from 105 soil profiles (to a depth of 150 cm) and 32 additional surface samples. Soils were classified according to the WRB 2007. Laboratory tests were conducted using standard procedures for soil investigation. As a result of the research, several soil groups were identified in a relatively small area—Podzols, Brunic Arenosols, Luvisols, Albeluvisols, Gleysols, Phaeozems as well as large areas covered by Hortic Anthrosols, Technic Regosols, Technic Arenosols, Mollic Technosols, Urbic Technosols and Ekranic Technosols. It was found that the transformation of soil under different land use forms was diversified, which was especially connected with soil profile decapitation, building rubble admixture, admixture of wastes, soil covering and compacting. As a consequence of this, different soil properties were noted, especially calcium carbonate content, pH, EC and concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn. Urban soils are frequently characterized by a strong horizontal and vertical heterogeneity. The differentiation of the soil sites is significantly related to the site age, human impact intensity and the form of land use. Not all properties of soils within urban areas are spatially strongly diversified when areas with a similar construction and use are taken into account. pH values and particle size distribution are unified over large areas of the city.

Rotatoria–Cladocera–Copepoda relations in the long-term monitoring of water quality in lakes with trophic variation (E. Poland)

On the basis of long-term research (since the 1960s), changes were determined in zooplankton in five lakes located in the Łeczna-Wlodawa Lake District (E. Poland). During this time period, the region changed from being economically neglected and difficult to explore to being under intense human impact, with hydrological changes and deformations in the earth’s surface also taking place. This alteration was connected with substantial changes in abiotic variables in the lakes that were studied; these were accompanied by changes in species number, density and structure of zooplankton dominance as well as the ROT:CLA:COP ratio. The most highlighted changes in the zooplanktonic communities were a (1) decrease in zooplankton species richness in lakes showing strongest changes in water chemistry, (2) replacement of large cladocerans by smaller cladocerans with an increase in trophic status and inverse operation in the process of deeutrophication, (3) decrease in Rotatoria density in favour of Cladocera and Copepoda in the ROT:CLA:COP ratios along with the process of eutrophication, and inverse operation in the process of deeutrophication. The study showed that species of Brachionus, Filinia and Polyarthra as well as Bosmina longirostris are indicative of a long-term rise in water temperature; Trichocerca prefer elevated conductivity; the occurrence of Chydoridae species and some Daphnidae, including Ceriodaphnia quadrangula and Simocephalusvetulus coincides with a rising gradient in dissolved oxygen; Daphnia longispina and Monospilus dispar prefer waters with elevated N–NH4; Cyclops kolensis and Cyclops strenuus correlate with a rising gradient in P–PO4; and Eucyclops serrulatus, Eudiaptomus graciloides, and Macrocyclops albidus are indicative of elevated pH levels.

Plant landscape and land use at the Neolithic lake settlement of Dispilió (Macedonia, northern Greece)

The Neolithic settlement of Dispilió (lake Orestiás, northern Greece) is a unique site due to its continual inhabitation from the Middle Neolithic (5400 BC) to the Chalcolithic (3600 BC) and its exceptional location at the shore of Lake Orestiás (also known as Lake Kastoria). The plant landscape shaping of the area has been examined by correlating pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs from both on-site and off-site records. The examined pollen profiles bear concrete evidence of agricultural activities and land use in the area. The local pollen assemblages identified, each of them corresponding either to a different kind or intensity of exploitation of natural resources, display the diachronic evolution of the cultural landscape during more than 2000 years of human activity. The successive phases of intense human impact on vegetation patterns are in good accordance with the periods of major constructing activities described by the archaeological study of the Dispilió settlement. Finally, the differences on palynomorph accumulation pathways of the examined records made possible the distinction between local and “regional” plant landscapes and related human activities.

Human impact on low-land Vellayani Lake, south India: A record since 3000 yrs BP

Abstract Humans have continuously changed the landscape and vegetation cover of the earth, including deserts and lake margins. Vellayani Lake, Kerala, is being severely affected by human activity in the catchment basin. Population increase, leading to increased demand for agricultural land and water, is driving a positive feedback loop resulting in the accelerating siltation of the lake and lowering of water levels. A 145 cm sediment core represents deposition since 3000 yrs BP, but at least half of the sediment has been deposited since 1650 AD, possibly since 1950 AD. The sediment stratigraphy is disturbed, most likely by slumping since 1970, of an unstable sediment accumulation near the lake margin. The disturbance precludes detailed interpretation of paleoenvironmental proxies, textural variation, chemical weathering index, pollen and phytolith assemblages. The proxies provide evidence of drier climate up to 3000 yrs BP, and wetter conditions at about 1210 yrs BP. Low frequency of phytoliths morph types indicates reduction in vegetation cover and a significant increase in grassland since 2300 yrs BP due to climate warming, weakened southwest monsoon, deforestation reclamation of the lake margins for intensive agricultural practices. Occurrence of diatoms and sponge spicules indicate shallowing of the lake from 2300 yrs BP onwards. Occurrence of charcoal pieces post 3000 yrs BP represents human impact. Integration of all the results show that the Vellayani Lake has contracted because of a weakened Indian southwest monsoon since 3000 yrs BP, intense human impact in the form of deforestation, irrigation and agricultural practices.

Late Pleistocene and Holocene landscape formation in a gully catchment area in Northern Hesse, Germany

Permanent gully channels under forest are common geomorphological features in Central European low mountain areas. In the Rehgraben/Fuchslöchergraben gully catchment in Northern Hesse, Germany the Late Pleistocene landscape formation is reconstructed based on periglacial cover beds. In addition, the Holocene landscape development and soil erosion history are investigated using anthropogenic soil sediments and alluvial fan sediments. Until now, a combination of these approaches has not been applied to a gully catchment to this extent. The distribution of the different Quaternary sediments enables the differentiation between Pleistocene and Holocene landforms. Radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating are applied to add numerical data to the relative ages of the sediments and landforms.The gully channels are oriented along Pleistocene depressions that are built up of periglacial cover beds and intercalated reworked loess. As the gully channels cut through the periglacial cover beds, especially the upper layer, the gully system is of Holocene age. At least two phases of gully erosion are identified in the alluvial fan sediments. The initial gully erosion is dated to the time span between the Late Bronze Age and Roman Times. A second gully erosion phase is dated to the 14th century and may be correlated to the severe precipitation events during this time. Gully erosion started during the Younger Holocene and is connected to human settlement and land use activity. The intense human impact hampers the application of the concept of periglacial cover beds to reconstruct landscape formation and limits it to areas where the periglacial upper layer is still preserved.

Temporal dynamics of bird community composition: an analysis of baseline conditions from long-term data.

Numerous anthropogenic activities threaten the biodiversity found on earth. Because all ecological communities constantly experience temporal turnover due to natural processes, it is important to distinguish between change due to anthropogenic impact and the underlying natural rate of change. In this study, we used data sets on breeding bird communities that covered at least 20 consecutive years, from a variety of terrestrial ecosystems, to address two main questions. (1) How fast does the composition of bird communities change over time, and can we identify a baseline of natural change that distinguishes primeval systems from systems experiencing varying degrees of human impact? (2) How do patterns of temporal variation in composition vary among bird communities in ecosystems with different anthropogenic impacts? Time lag analysis (TLA) showed a pattern of increasing rate of temporal compositional change from large-scale primeval systems to disturbed and protected systems to distinctly successional systems. TLA slopes of <0.04 were typical for breeding bird communities with natural turnover, while communities subjected to anthropogenic impact were characterised by TLA slopes of >0.04. Most of the temporal variability of breeding bird communities was explained by slow changes occurring over decades, regardless of the intensity of human impact. In most of the time series, medium- and short-wave periodicity was not detected, with the exception of breeding bird communities subjected to periodic pulses (e.g. caterpillar outbreaks causing food resource peaks).

Lead in the bottom sediments of water bodies in the Upper Silesia region (southern Poland)

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the bottom sediments of water bodies in the Upper Silesia region in southern Poland are contaminated with lead; an attempt was also made to determine the factors that condition spatial differences in the concentration of this element between individual water bodies. Lead content was determined in sediment samples of 0.25g each at Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Canada) using the ICP method with a lead detection limit of 5 ppm. Lead was found in the bottom sediments of water bodies examined in amounts ranging from 32 to 3340 ppm. In only seven out of the 50 water bodies examined did bottom sediments contain lead in amounts that is considered natural; in the remaining water bodies, natural levels were exceeded pointing to probable anthropogenic pollution. In order to confirm the correlation found between the amount of lead in the bottom sediments of water bodies in the Upper Silesia region and the intensity of human impact, additional studies will need to be conducted. Lead content in bottom sediments was in some cases several times higher than that in the sediments within the substrate of water body basins.