Polish Carpathians Research Articles

Stan obecny i kierunki rozwoju ośrodków narciarskich w Polskich Karpatach

Current state and main directions of ski resorts development in the Polish Carpathians Forecasts for the development of ski tourism in the world are not optimistic. They are related to the influence of climate change on the shortening of the ski season and the decrease in skier demand, as well as the progressive ageing process of the societies in economically developed countries. Therefore, ski resorts all over the world are faced with many challenges as a consequence of these phenomena. The purpose of this article is to present the current state of ski infrastructure in the Polish Carpathians and to define contemporary trends in the development of ski resorts in this area. The main methods used in the research process included inventory of ski infrastructure, field observation, analysis of the websites of ski resorts and their profiles posted on social media, and interviews with representatives of leading ski resort management companies. The state of infrastructure for downhill skiing in the Polish Carpathians in 2020 included 469 ski lifts, including 91 cableways, with a total length of 199.8 km and transport capacity of 400.8 thousand people per hour, as well as 528 ski runs with a total length of 304.7 km. The best developed tourist regions are the Tatras and Podhale region, as well as the Silesian Beskids. Among the 91 ski destinations in the Polish Carpathians, the best developed for skiing are: Białka Tatrzańska, Krynica-Zdrój, Wisła, Zakopane and Szczyrk. The most important development trends of ski resorts in the studied region are: modernization and construction of new, high-quality lifts (cableways, gondolas etc.); expanding the offer of ski resorts in terms of the summer season, especially for cyclists and families with children; combining the offers of many ski resorts in the region in the form of one joint ski pass; the use of special price promotions for the purchase of ski passes out of high season; using modern interactive tools for attracting customers; high concentration of tourist traffic in selected ski destinations; development of infrastructure for tourists travelling with motorhomes. The actions mentioned above are the most commonly used adaptation tools to climate and demographic changes that are aimed at increasing the profitability of ski resorts.

Impact of Mountain Grassland Management on Groundwater Recharge in the Polish Carpathians

Impact of Mountain Grassland Management on Groundwater Recharge in the Polish Carpathians

Mapping grasslands' preservation potential: A case study from the northern Carpathians

AbstractThe grasslands which are an important part of an ecosystem are endangered due to abandonment of traditional forms of land use. Preservation of biodiversity of semi‐natural grassland communities is of great importance, therefore it is important to identify threats and prepare a sustainable plan for their protection The goal of this study was to develop an approach to predict threatened grasslands hotspots, basing on multi‐factor machine learning analyses. The Gorce Mountains in the Polish Carpathians were chosen as a study area, as it is region partially protected by National Park, surrounded by villages with different socio‐economic conditions (agriculture or touristic oriented). The grasslands were identified and classified on Sentinel‐2 multispectral imagery. As lack of regular mowing of grasslands was found as main factor promoting forest succession. Therefore, in order to find endangered grasslands areas, support vector machines' algorithm was used to classify them in mowed and unmowed categories. Then the preservation potential of grasslands was modeled with the random forest method, based on the grasslands' mowing classification, digital terrain model, land‐use and population statistical data, and the historical forest extent. We found the grasslands above 750 m above sea level to be the most endangered. Also, the tourism activity and ongoing changes in employment structure from agriculture to services has had a negative influence on the grasslands preservation potential. On the other hand, the Gorce National Park's active grassland conservation by mowing and grazing was shown as a positive element in keeping with the high biodiversity of the area.

Maceral and calcareous nannofossil assemblages as proxies of late Rupelian (Oligocene) environmental changes in the Paratethys: An example from a section of the Menilite Formation in the northern Outer Carpathians

The Menilite Formation (Oligocene) of the Skole Nappe in the Polish Carpathians was deposited in the Paratethys. Deep-sea unbioturbated fine-grained carbonates of the Dynów Marl Member contain cold-water calcareous nannoplankton from Zone NP23 (Rupelian), including Reticulofenestra ornata and Pontosphaera fibula, which are typical of brackish waters in the Paratethys. It is likely that the water column was brackish in the upper part and fully marine and anoxic in the lower part. The Dynów Marl Member records the maximum isolation of the Paratethys from the oceanic circulation (the Upper Solenovian Event). The overlying green mudstones (probably the Krępak Member) are shallowly bioturbated. They contain fully marine, warm-water calcareous nannoplankton from Zone NP24. The environmental change (marine/brackish) is reflected in the quantity and type of organic matter. The abundance and preservation of organic matter are very high (TOC varies from 2.7 wt % to 26 wt %; HI values are >300 mg HC/g TOC) in brown, laminated shales, which were accumulated in saline anoxic conditions. The macerals in the shales are predominantly composed of the liptinite group, including lamalginite, telalginite, liptodetrinite, and bituminite. These macerals are primarily derived from planktonic and benthic algae as well as bacteria. The percentages of vitrinite and inertinite, originating from terrestrial sources, range up to 10% and 0.5%, respectively. The macerals are much less abundant in marls of the Dynów Marl Member because of dispersion in the carbonate groundmass during the calcareous nannoplankton blooms in brackish surface waters. The overall liptinite (mainly liptodetrinite and lamalginite) contribution is 77%–99.7%. Vitrinite and inertinite contents are in average 4.6% and 0.3%, respectively. Macerals are also infrequent in the overlying green mudstones, likely because of oxidation and consumption by organisms in warmer waters.

Current and future variability of water supply to a mountain reservoir (Polish Carpathians)

AbstractThis study presents the characteristics of the current course of the phenomenon of droughts and floods in the catchment area of a man-made mountainous reservoir and forecasts of water inflow changes to the reservoir over the next three decades. The catchment area of the Klimkówka reservoir on the Ropa River, a tributary of the Wisłoka River, located within the Polish Carpathians was selected for the study. The analysis carried out, using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modelling among other techniques, showed an increase in the importance of low-flow outflow from the upper Ropa catchment and a negative balance of inflow to the reservoir (Q < 2 m3 s−1), manifested by a prolonged duration of low flows and an increase in outflow deficit during the year. The duration of flood flows and the runoff excess during these periods show a constant or decreasing tendency, while the length and excess of runoff increase during large floods. Thus, in the upper Ropa catchment, an increase in the intensity of extreme hydrological phenomena is observed. The prepared forecasts indicate an increase in annual runoff from the catchment in the decades 2021–2030 and 2031–2040 and a marked decrease in the decade 2041–2050. In the annual cycle, the projected changes in the coming decades will take different directions. In December only, throughout the entire period 2021–2050, the outflow will increase, whereas in May it will systematically decrease.

The water outflow from neighbouring mountain catchments in the Polish Carpathians: A comparative analysis

The water outflow from neighbouring mountain catchments in the Polish Carpathians: A comparative analysis

The influence of water level hydrodynamics on potential changes in the morphology of a mountain reservoir shore zone

This study evaluates the influence of water level fluctuations in a mountain reservoir on potential changes in the morphology of its shore zone. The analysis was carried out in the Czorsztyn reservoir on the upper Dunajec river (located in the upper Vistula Basin within the Polish Carpathians). The spatio-temporal distribution of water levels in the Czorsztyn reservoir was analysed using Fourier spectral analysis, Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN), and predictive models. The results indicate that the actual range of water levels in a mountain dam reservoir that can have an impact on the morphology of the shore zone is much narrower than its theoretical range. Over the multi-year distribution of daily water levels in the reservoir, four quasiperiodic, overlapping cycles were identified (0.5-year, 1-year, 1.9-year, and 3.8-year cycles); these cycles are expected to have the greatest impact on the intensity of changes to the morphology of the reservoir’s shore zone. Predictions of water levels in the reservoir were carried out using STLForecaster, TBATS, ThetaForecaster, ExponentialSmoothing, and EnsembleForecaster models. The forecasting results suggest that the reservoir will be subjected to slight but statistically significant changes in its water levels in the following years. Furthermore, the frequency of high water levels close to normal water levels is expected to increase, that may consequently lead to morphological changes of the shore zone and instability of the reservoir slopes. The results of the study can be useful in predicting the effects of environmental changes within dam reservoirs as important elements of infrastructure for effective water resources management.

Land use changes impact on selected chemical denudation element and components of water cycle in small mountain catchment using SWAT model

Land use changes are extremely important in the context of land and water management. This study examines impact of land use and land cover (LULC) changes on nitrate nitrogen, outflow and surface runoff in the agriculture catchment in the Polish Carpathians using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The study covers 25-year (1995–2019) and was divided into three periods relating to different LULC patterns (1995–2004, 2005–2012, 2013–2019). The LULC maps used were based on aerial photos from 1997, 2009, and 2016. The SWAT was calibrated and applied to periods with variable LULC (in simulation 1) and by keeping the LULC constant during the period 1995–2019 (simulation 2; the LULC from 1997) to determine the impact of LULC changes on the analysed variables. The ongoing LULC changes were found to have resulted in a reduction of cultivated land area (by 72 %) and an increase of grassland (by 45 %), forest (by 2 %) and urbanised areas (by 17 %). The SWAT model achieved reasonable accuracy. The model results tend to overestimate the load of nitrate nitrogen and underestimate outflow and surface runoff. The LULC changes resulted in a decrease in outflow between 1995 and 2004 of 24 % in comparison to 2013–2019, and a decrease in surface runoff of 12 %. At the same time, there was a significant decrease in nitrate nitrogen load of 68 % (from 13.0 kg ha−1 in 1995–2004 to 4.2 kg ha−1 in 2013–2019). If the LULC of 2013–2019 was restored to 1997 conditions (as in simulation 2), the outflow and load of NO3-N would be higher by 16 % (12 % in simulation 1) and 67 % (55 % in simulation 1) in relation to the observed values. The impact of LULC on the analysed parameters was spatially differentiated between subbasins depending on the scale of the land use changes. The research conducted here indicates that planning and managing the effects of LULC changes is of key importance for sustainable development in terms of the quantity and quality of water.

Pockets of persistence of agricultural land use during the socioeconomic shock of forced post-WWII displacements in the Carpathians

Socioeconomic shocks can cause regime shifts in land use, but even during shocks, and when land use change is widespread, some areas persist in their land use. The question is what makes these areas more resistant. Our research goal was to find out what explains where arable farming persisted despite a major socioeconomic shock of forced post-war displacements. Our study area were 291 villages in the Polish Carpathians where abandonment due to the forced displacement of the Ukrainian population after WWII was widespread. We compared pre-war arable land with 1990 CORINE Land Cover data to quantify land-use change throughout the socialist period. We applied logistic regression with economically relevant environmental and access-related variables, and assessed the explanatory power of our models and relative importance of determinants. Forty years after forced displacements, arable farming persisted only in a small portion of what had been farmed in the 1940s (16 %), while the majority of former arable land converted to forests (54 %) or grasslands (22 %). Arable farming persisted mainly in areas with high accessibility that had oak-hornbeam forest as potential natural vegetation, on less steep slopes, and at lower elevations. Our models predicting agricultural abandonment leading to reforestation performed well (R2 = 0.57), but our model of persistent agriculture had low explanatory power (R2 = 0.26) as did models of conversion to grassland (R2 = 0.24). We therefore conclude that agricultural persistence is driven by different factors than agricultural land abandonment. In the long term, after arable farming ceases, areas can either be completely abandoned or convert to less intensive grassland use. These long-term changes have strong effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services, but are not well predicted by environmental and access-related determinants. Our findings can help to develop strategies and policies for areas affected by agricultural land abandonment caused by depopulation, and other socioeconomic shocks, and highlight the need to understand not only why arable land is abandoned, but also what determines its long-term fate.

Assessment of the trophic state of the Soła River dam cascade, Polish Carpathians: a comparison of the methodology

The aim of this research was to determine the trophic state of mountain dam reservoirs, which are characterized by greater hydrological and ecological dynamics than lowland reservoirs. The trophic state of three dam reservoirs forming a cascade system was investigated. Trophic evaluation was carried out based on multiple criteria, i.e., (1) the content of chlorophyll a in the water, (2) planktonic algal biomass, (3) groups and species of algae, (4) the total phosphorus concentration in the water, and (5) the Integral Trophic State index (ITS). The analyzed parameters were characterized by high variability during the study period, which to a large extent may have resulted from the mountain environmental conditions. The greatest dynamics concerned parameters related to phytoplankton development. Unequivocal determinations of the trophic states of the reservoirs were difficult; however, it was found that in successive reservoirs of the cascade (from the highest to the lowest), a reduction in water fertility occurred.

Distribution of genetic variability in mature and progeny populations of Abies alba Mill. from the Polish Western and Eastern Carpathians

This study aimed to compare patterns in the genetic structure of 27 mature stands and the natural regeneration of A. alba in the Eastern and Western Carpathians within the introgression zone of two refugial lineages from the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. The distribution of the genetic diversity of fir stands was analysed using paternally inherited chloroplast DNA and five nuclear dominant inter simple sequence repeat markers (ISSRs). The study showed that the Balkan haplotype prevailed in both parental and progeny populations, and this haplotype was found in many mature Eastern Carpathian stands. Relatively high levels of genetic diversity were found in the mature stands (effective number of alleles Ne = 1.517, Shannon index I = 0.436, expected heterozygosity He = 0.295) and progeny (Ne = 1.515, I = 0.436 and He = 0.294) of silver fir. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed slight differences among the mature fir stands from the Western and Eastern Carpathians, with a value of 1.1%. According to principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and STRUCTURE analyses, the populations, including stands of mature and progeny trees, were genetically separated into two groups. Slight genetic differences between the mature and progeny populations in the Polish Carpathians indicate sound gene pool transmission, which is essential for creating new selection and breeding programmes.

Remarks on the state of research into hoards in the Polish Carpathians

In 2001, approximately 30 bronze hoards were known in the Polish Carpathians. At least 30 more were discovered between 2001 and 2022. An overview of these assemblages sheds some light on the dynamics of changes in the region and its contacts with various areas of Central Europe. While connections with the Carpathian basin initially prevailed (BrABrD), in BrD-HaA artefacts with analogies in the Oder basin and local types (Sieniawa style) became noticeable as well. At the end of the Bronze Age (HaB3), finds suggesting connections with the steppe cultures appeared, and bronze artefacts with analogies in northern Poland dominated in the early Iron Age (HaC-HaD).

Comparison of the Quality of Mountain Sheep Milk Obtained from Animals Kept on a Natural and Organic Mountain Pasture

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of mountain sheep milk obtained from animals kept on mountain pastures: natural and organic. The experimental procedure was conducted under production conditions, during annual grazing of mountain sheep on two mountain pastures in the region of the Polish Carpathians: on organic pasture certified for organic farming and natural mountain pasture belonging to the National Park. This study showed greater plant species diversity in the organic mountain pasture, but its yielding was lower than that of the natural pasture. The sward of the natural pasture was characterised by lower dry matter and fibre content but contained more total protein. The type of pasture did not affect the basic composition of the milk of mountain sheep, while differences were found in terms of acidity, alcohol number, fatty acid profile of fat and milk protein fractions. Milk obtained from sheep grazed on organic pasture was characterised by a higher proportion of medium chain fatty acids, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids, and also essential unsaturated fatty acids, both linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. In milk originating from the natural mountain pasture, a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid and the CLA c9-t11 isomer was found. The composition of milk protein fractions varied according to the location of grazing: milk from sheep grazing on natural pasture had a higher content of whey fractions, important for consumer health, milk from organic pasture had a higher content of κ-casein, of greatest importance in dairy processing technology. The floral composition of the pasture had an influence on the quality of sheep milk in relation to the fatty acid profile of fat and protein fractions of milk, which is important in terms of both the health-promoting and technological aspects of the raw material and may affect the quality of products made from it.

"Reorganization of the Primary School Network in the Polish Carpathians in the Period 2000 - 2020 "

"The study focuses on the process of reorganization of the primary school network in the Polish Carpathians, in the period 2000-2020, determined by population dynamics and the education reform in Poland, which focused on the abolition of middle schools (junior high schools) and the return to eight-year primary schools. Primary schools located in the Polish Carpathians represent almost 10% of all schools of this type in Poland, usually with a smaller number of pupils/school (1/4 when compared to the national average). In mountainous areas with a specific settlement network, the closure of a primary school in a small village usually leads to several socioeconomic issues and may become subject to changing the managing authority due to budgetary reasons. The main aim was to determine the dynamics of the process and analyze spatial differentiations, by investigating the relation between population change in the 15-39 age group and the change in the number of schools, and to identify the location of the closed schools. Results show variability in the dynamics of the analysed variables in the case of Polish Carpathians compared to the national level, for instance, much slower dynamics of school closures than the rest of the country, the number of primary schools dropping by 14% between 2000 and 2020, while the greatest decrease in the number of pupils was observed in the Carpathian communes of Subcarpathian Voivodeship, especially in peripheral locations. However, we can conclude that in mountainous areas school closure has been highly avoided due to the engagement of different types of managing authorities, from local government to other public or private entities, in governing these schools. "

Isophya modesta Frivaldszky, 1868 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae): a new bush-cricket species in Poland

Isophya modesta, a bush-cricket species belonging to the subfamily Phaneropterinae, was found for the first time outside of the forest-steppe zone. This study is the first report on I. modesta in Poland. It was found at our sites in the Przemyśl Foothills (Pogórze Przemyskie) in the south-eastern Polish Carpathians, where I. modesta inhabits xerothermic grasslands, dry and semi-dry meadows, but also successional meadows on abandoned arable land. One site occupied by I. modesta in the Przemyśl Foothills is located within a nature reserve, but other sites may be threatened by secondary succession or afforestation. We estimated population densities of around 30–80 adult individuals per hectare, and the whole known population consisted of a total of 3,000 to 15,000 adult individuals. The discovered populations may either be insular in character or connected by a continuous range with populations from Opilia Upland in Western Ukraine.

Spatial distribution of micro- and nanoporosity in Oligocene Menilite and Cretaceous Lgota mudstones (Outer Carpathians): Organic porosity development as a key to understanding unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs?

The Oligocene Menilite Beds are considered the most important source rock for hydrocarbon accumulation in the Polish Carpathian region, whereas the Cretaceous Lgota Beds have been regarded as an additional potential source rock. Understanding their petrophysical and geochemical properties is essential for evaluating the hydrocarbon potential of these beds.This paper presents mineral and organic porosity characterization and focuses on factors responsible for the development of organic pores as a reflection of the depositional and diagenetic processes. Mudstones were evaluated as potential source and reservoir rocks, describing their diagenetic and thermal history and examining their effective porosity and permeability. The results show that the Lgota Beds mudstone in the Huczwice quarry is thermally mature (late oil/early gas window, Tmax 460–470 °C), containing type III kerogen and TOC between 0.68 wt% and 4.2 wt%, in contrast to the Menilite Beds mudstone (Monasterzec outcrop), which is thermally immature (Tmax<426 °C), containing type II kerogen and TOC content from 1.24 wt% to 8.7 wt%. The geochemical properties show that the Lgota mudstone is currently an ineffective source rock, whereas the Menilite mudstone can be a potential source rock. SEM-identified pores include mineral pores, organic pores and microfractures. Organic porosity is observable both in immature oil-prone type II kerogen and highly mature gas-prone type III kerogen. The amount of pores in organic matter increases with maturity, and no relation between TOC and organic porosity development has been observed. Palynofacies analysis showed that the Menilite and Lgota mudstones are dominated by amorphous organic matter, and that the Lgota mudstone also contains opaque woody material. MICP measurements indicate high (up to 15%) effective porosity values for the Menilite Beds and up to 8% for the Lgota Beds, with very low permeability values (<0.1 mD) in both cases. Isotherms obtained from nitrogen adsorption are type IV for the Lgota Beds and type II for the Menilite Beds, while the BET surface areas are around 13 m2/g and 3 m2/g, respectively. The Lgota Beds demonstrate advanced diagenetic processes such as compaction, cementation, dissolution, replacement, and transformation, which contributed to the significant reduction in porosity, while the Menilite Beds represent an early stage of burial with the prevailing impact of compaction and thus less destruction of original pores. Finally, the Menilite Beds from the Monasterzec outcrop do not demonstrate sufficient conditions for shale-oil/-gas source rock due to the lack of proper thermal maturity. Such criterion is fulfilled by the Lgota Beds in the Huczwice quarry, but due to very low hydrocarbon potential, the Lgota mudstone is an ineffective source rock. However, given the other petrophysical and geochemical properties, the analysed formations may constitute a basis for further research on the occurrence of unconventional reservoirs in the entire Carpathian region.

PROCESY SUFOZYJNE NA TERENIE PIENIŃSKIEGO PARKU NARODOWEGO NA PRZYKŁADZIE STWIERDZONEGO ZAPADLISKA

Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to determine the range and conditions for the formation of the piping hole and the piping canal found in the Pieniny National Park in May 2019. Material and methods: The scope of the research carried out included the determination of the geotechnical characteristics of subsoil on the slope near the piping hole and along the piping canal. Numerical calculations with the finite element method were also carried out in the GeoStudio program, which allowed to assess the possibilities of soil deformation caused by the seepage forces. Results and conclusions: The results of the research and the analysis of the literature showed that the piping processes in the Polish Carpathians are a common phenomenon that plays a sculptural role. The observed piping form indicates that on the slope is a continuous, several dozen meters long, piping channel formed in medium-cohesive, clay-dusty soils. It should be expected that during periods of prolonged or intense rainfall such phenomena will intensify. The calculation results did not confirm the occurrence of conditions favoring the formation of hydraulic deformations. However, during the increased filtration flow, high values of the hydraulic gradient in the soil are generated, which, in the case of high porosity of the soil, favors the removal of soil particles. The occurring process of piping on the slope in question is favored by the presence of a wooden through from which water infiltrates the ground, which increases the intensity of in-soil flow in the analyzed part of the slope.

The Risk of Extreme Streamflow Drought in the Polish Carpathians-A Two-Dimensional Approach.

Poland has relatively small water resources compared to other European countries. Droughts are a characteristic feature of the Polish climate; however, recent years have been particularly warm, causing longer and more severe droughts, including streamflow droughts. The most unfavourable streamflow droughts, considering the economic or social (including health-related) consequences, are the longest and/or the ones with the largest volumes. Such prolonged and severe droughts may constitute a natural disaster threatening public health. The main aim of this article was to define the spatial variability of the annual maximum streamflow drought in the Polish Carpathians and the risk of the maximum streamflow drought of a duration and volume exceeding the given value occurring in this region. This was conducted based on a 30-year time series of daily flows in selected gauging cross sections on rivers in the Polish Carpathians. One- and-two-dimensional probability distributions (utilising a copula function) of the two most important maximum streamflow drought characteristics were identified, specifically duration and volume, which, in consequence, led to identifying the maximum streamflow droughts of a given return period (a given risk level). Maps of maximum streamflow drought hazard were developed and understood as spatial distributions of the maximum streamflow drought frequency of duration and volume exceeding the annual given values. Analysis of the maps allowed for the selection of areas/basins being more or less at risk of extreme annual streamflow drought of a duration and/or volume exceeding the given value.

Catch Effectiveness Revealed by Site-Related Differences in Capture-Mark-Recapture Methods: A Butterfly Metapopulation Study.

Understanding metapopulation structures is very important in the context of ecological studies and conservation. Crucial in this respect are the abundances of both the whole metapopulation and its constituent subpopulations. In recent decades, capture-mark-recapture studies have been considered the most reliable means of calculating such abundances. In butterfly studies, individual insects are usually caught with an entomological net. But the effectiveness of this method can vary for a number of reasons: differences between fieldworkers, in time, between sites etc. This article analyses catch effectiveness data with respect to two subpopulations of the Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) metapopulation in the Pieniny National Park (Polish Carpathians). The results show that this parameter varied significantly between sites, probably because of differences in microrelief and plant cover. In addition, a method is proposed that will include information on catch effectiveness for estimating the sizes of particular subpopulations and will help to elucidate the structure of the entire metapopulation.

Dam-induced changes in river flow dynamics revealed by RQA

The impact of dam construction on the river environment has been widely studied from various perspectives (e.g. biochemical, hydrological, ecological, geomorphological). To obtain new information, recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) is used to analyze the dynamics of mountain river flow and its changes caused by the construction of dam reservoirs with different parameters and functions. The analysis focuses on daily river flow for time periods before and after the construction of selected reservoirs in the Polish Carpathians. RQA shows that the reservoirs in question significantly changed the dynamics of the river flow in terms of the two considered complexity measures, indicating an increase in the regularity, autocorrelation and laminarity of the river flow dynamics for the river section below the reservoirs. Interestingly, the results suggest that the large complex of two reservoirs (Czorsztyn–Sromowce Wyżne) has a weaker impact on the dynamics of the river flow below the dam than the smaller Dobczyce reservoir; this may indicate an important role of the balancing reservoir (Sromowce Wyżne) in mitigating the changes taking place in the affected river system.