Wielkopolska Region Research Articles

Pro-environmental actions of agricultural farms - example of holdings from the Wielkopolska region

The main aim of the article is to identify pro-environmental actions in farms in the Wielkopolska region. The article uses the results of surveys carried out in 2020 in a group of 120 agricultural holdings from Wielkopolska running agricultural accounting according to the FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) system. The time scope of the analyses referred to the period 2016-2019, and in the case of economic data to 2018. The issue of pro-environmental activity on farms is complex due to the integration of the economic and environmental dimensions, which requires further scientific knowledge. It was found that the investigated farms in Wielkopolska, which undertook pro-environmental actions, most often realized it in the area of land improvement. The farms which showed the highest activity in terms of undertaken pro-environmental measures were more strongly connected with the market. The managers of these farms are open to innovative ecological solutions despite their quite high age (e.g. half of them are planning to install photovoltaics). It was also found that it was easier for larger farms to carry out pro-environmental measures due to the wider possibilities of income creation. In the case of smaller farms, there is a greater need to implement measures from the area of pro-environmental investments. In turn, in larger units, measures reducing production intensity, and in all groups concerning land improvement.

The Fears of Elderly People in the Process of Purchasing Food Products

Abstract Research background: The growing segment of elderly consumers implies the need to permanently explore the needs and expectations of older people in relation to the offer of food products. This is because, as the research results show, the households of the elderly are characterized by the different fulfillment of needs compared to others. Purpose: The survey conducted among people over 60 in 2019 was aimed at determining the selected concerns of senior consumers related to the safety of food products. Research methodology: The research among people over 60 years of age was conducted in the Wielkopolska region (of Poland) in 2019 on a sample of 373 people. The respondents were selected using the quota selection method. Results: The vast majority of seniors point to a variety of concerns about the safety of food products. This is surprising, as the respondents equally often emphasize that food in Poland is safe. Novelty: The observations are an important implication for producers or commercial agents – their task is to prepare messages to confirm that the food products offered meet the quality requirements. The process of educating older people can be made difficult – primarily through their well-established (over the years) nutritional practices related to the purchase and consumption of those products that are essential for life.

Carbon Footprint and Life-Cycle Costs of Maize Production in Conventional and Non-Inversion Tillage Systems

Given the problem of climate change and the requirements laid down by the European Union in the field of gradual decarbonization of production, it is necessary to implement solutions of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into agricultural practice. This research paper aimed to evaluate the carbon footprint and life-cycle costs of grain maize production in various tillage systems. The material for the analyses was data from 2015–2017 collected on 15 farms located in the Wielkopolska region (Poland) and growing maize for grain in three tillage systems: conventional, reduced, and no-tillage. The life-cycle assessment and life-cycle costing methodologies were applied to assess the GHG emissions and costs associated with the grain maize production in the stages from “cradle-to-farm gate”, i.e., from obtaining raw materials and producing means for agricultural production, through the processes of maize cultivation to grain harvesting. The calculated values of the carbon footprint indicator for maize production in conventional, reduced, and no-tillage systems were 2347.4, 2353.4, and 1868.7 CO2 eq. ha−1, respectively. The largest source of GHG emissions was the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Non-inversion tillage with cover crops and leaving a large amount of crop residues in the field increased the sequestration of organic carbon and contributed to a significant reduction of the carbon footprint in maize production. The conventional tillage system demonstrated the highest overall life-cycle costs per hectare.

Fluvial response to environmental conditions during MIS 4-3: a sedimentary record at the Brześnica site, central-western Poland

Fluvial deposits subjected to this study are exposed at the Brześnica site, in the south-western part of the Wielkopolska region in Poland, which was close to the ice-sheet limit during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Sedimentological analyses, including lithofacies descriptions, palaeocurrent measurements, grain size and rounding analyses and heavy mineral compositions indicate that the fluvial deposits at Brześnica were deposited in braided river environment. The following fluvial sedimentary processes were inferred: (1) shallow, rapid flow alternating with waning flow, (2) infilling of erosional channels with fluvial sediments during flood events, (3) changes from supercritical to subcritical flows, and (4) shallow sheet floods. The results of OSL dating indicated sediment deposition ~65.2 ±1.5 ka, i.e. in MIS 4, that was here characterized by cold environmental conditions and a general shift from meandering to braided fluvial sedimentation style. This finding contrasts with accumulation/erosion phases interpreted previously in this region for that time interval; however, it is consistent with recent studies of fluvial systems functioning during MIS 5-2 and of factors responsible for sedimentation style.

Professional independence of pre-school and early school education teachers and its determinants

The interest in the teaching profession is evident in the discussions of students and their parents, school graduates, teachers working at various stages of education, sociologists, psychologists, educators and representatives of many other professions that are simply impossible to be mentioned. Topics of these discussions are varied, they concern teachers’ qualifications and competences, their educational background, selection of candidates for the profession, personality traits, the functions they perform, teaching methods used by them, etc. Often, the participants of such discussions are not professionally connected with the teaching profession, but each of them had the opportunity to develop their own view and opinion of this profession based on many years of experience while participating, as a student, in the process of education. It can be assumed that this attention points to the significant role of the teacher in society and therefore results in frequently emotional discussions that conclude with enumeration of the teachers’ duties, skills and abilities in addition to the principles behind their actions and conduct while performing their didactic and educational work. At this point, I would like to pose the questions: What about the teacher’s independence? Does the teacher have the opportunity to carry out his or her work independently? In the article, which consists of two parts, I attempt to answer these questions. In the first part, I present theoretical approaches to the teacher, his or her qualifications and competences, with particular focus placed on the professional independence. The second part contains the results of surveys on professional independence and its determinants, conducted among pre-school and early school education teachers in the Wielkopolska region.

The Objectives of Farm Operations—Evidence from a Region in Poland

The objectives set by agricultural producers directly translate into the directions of the development of farms. What is particularly important: Is there a conflict between the economic and environmental objectives of farm operations? This issue is not resolved in the literature on the subject and still is a challenge for policymakers. The main aim of the article is to identify the preferences of farm managers concerning the objectives of farm operations, as well as to examine their mutual relations. The article employs the results of surveys carried out on farms from the Wielkopolska region (Poland). The analysis of Spearman’s rank, cluster analysis, also the classification tree method, and multidimensional scaling were applied. The research shows that the relations between the income and assets objective turned out to be moderate in terms of strength, while the environmental objective turned out to be statistically insignificant related to economic objectives (in the context of their perception by respondents). There are differences in this respect, including also a group of the respondents in which income and environmental objectives have been ranked simultaneously high. It is, however, difficult to state clearly whether there is a complementarity between the income and the environmental objective from the perspective of perception by respondents. Although when the context of the real action is taken into account then the answer should be positive. Therefore, there is a gap between the farmers’ perception of reality—choice of the hierarchy of objectives, and the real activities, e.g., in terms of pro-environmental activities. It is a new issue that points to the need to stimulate the environmental objective, in particular, through support at the level of agricultural policy instruments.

Social assistance institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of Polish social workers

This article aims to present the results of a quantitative study (which used the Computer-Assisted Web Interview [CAWI] technique) conducted among social workers from social assistance institutions in the Wielkopolska region – the second-largest first-level administrative unit in Poland in terms of area. The aim of the research was to diagnose and describe the main changes in the functioning of institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland.

Assessment of Environmental Burdens of Winter Wheat Production in Different Agrotechnical Systems

In recent years, an increasing interest has been observed in the reduction in environmental threats posed by the food production chain beginning with agricultural production. The impact of agriculture on the environment varies depending on farming practices. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the environmental effects of the life cycle of winter wheat cultivation in three soil tillage systems: conventional tillage, reduced tillage, and no-tillage. The study was conducted in 2015–2017 on 15 agricultural farms located in the Wielkopolska region, Poland. The “cradle-to-farm gate” life cycle of wheat production was analysed using life cycle assessment methodology. The values of impact category indicators, especially in the case of global warming potential, acidification potential, and eutrophication potential, depended mainly on mineral fertilization. Wheat production generated more adverse emissions with increased nitrogen fertilization both in reduced tillage and no-tillage systems on the studied farms, and consequently resulted in a more negative impact on the environment compared to wheat cultivated in the conventional tillage system. After nitrogen fertilization, use of fossil fuel, and phosphorus and potassium fertilization were the top contributors to environmental impacts of winter wheat production in different tillage systems. The pre-production phase associated with the agricultural means of production was dominant in determining the analysed environmental impacts, except for global warming potential and photochemical ozone creation potential, which depended mainly on the production phase on the farm. The other key environmental impacts that should be considered when it comes to improvements in the life cycle of wheat production were depletion of mineral resources and acidification.

The Role of Sports Practice in Young Adolescent Development of Moral Competence.

The study examined the moral competence levels in adolescents participating in individual/team sports compared with those not undertaking sports at all. In total, 827 students aged 15–17 years old (45.4% boys, 54.6% girls) from randomly selected secondary schools in the Wielkopolska region in Poland participated in the study. The moral competences were assessed using the Lind’s Moral Competence Test. The students also answered questions concerning their statues of involvement in sport (not involved; amateur; professional), years of involvement, and the type of sport they partook in (individual/team). The results highlight that the moral competence level in most of the examined adolescents (71.6% girls, 76.8% boys) was low. Those who presented a high moral competence level were 10.4% in girls, 8% in boys. There was no interaction between modes of involvement in sport and moral competence when comparing adolescents. The moral competence levels were not correlated with years of training in either mode of involvement or with type of sports. Therefore, we assume that, at this age, the type of sport and the level of engagement do not differentiate moral competence level and that there must be more factors contributing to this. This opens new directions for further research on the role of external factors stimulating the socio-moral growth of youth.

Contribution to the Knowledge of Mycobiota of the Wielkopolski National Park (W Poland)

The Wielkopolski National Park is located in western Poland, near Poznań City. Its unique postglacial landforms are covered with various (semi)natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. The mycobiota of this Park has been studied for 90 years; however, current state knowledge is still insufficient. In 2018, a few-year- long project on the chorology, richness, and diversity of fungal biota of this area was started. In the first year, 312 taxa of macromycetes were found. Among them, 140 taxa were new for the biota of the Wielkopolski National Park. Five species (<em>Botryobasidium robustius</em>, <em>Hebeloma subtortum</em>, <em>Leccinum brunneogriseolum</em>, <em>Pachyella violaceonigra</em>, and <em>Sistotrema athelioides</em>) were new for Poland, and 26 taxa were new for the Wielkopolska region.

The import of used cars to Poland after EU accession

The purpose of the article is to identify the volume and spatial structure of imports of used cars to Poland during the first 15 years of membership in the European Union, using data from the Central Re gister of Vehicles. The article attempts to answer three key research questions: (1) What was the volume of imports of used cars to Poland in the period 2004–2018 against the background of the volume of imports into other selected countries and in relation to the level of sales of new cars? (2) From where (which countries) to where (which regions of Poland) were used cars imported? (3) How does the import of used cars affect the age structure of passenger cars in Poland? The conclusions of the study are as follows. In the period 2004–2018, nearly 12 million used cars were imported to Poland, which makes Poland the world leader in this field. The changes in the volume of imports were mainly influenced by the economic slowdown and lowering of consumers’ income levels, vehicle scrapping programs in Western Europe (which reduced the supply of older cars in these countries) and the value of the zloty against the euro. Most cars were imported from Germany, and the main gateways for imported cars were the so-called “car crescent”, located mainly in the Wielkopolska region. The average age of imported cars varied from around 8.5 to around 11 years and increased the average age of cars in Poland.

Determinanty intencji przedsiębiorczych studentów

Celem badań przedstawionych w artykule jest poznanie predyspozycji i postaw przedsiębiorczych studentów, barier utrudniających im otwieranie własnej działalności gospodarczej oraz czynników motywujących ich do tejże działalności. W artykule wykorzystano wyniki badań własnych przeprowadzonych wśród studentów w wieku 19–25 lat. Badania przeprowadzono za pomocą ankiety audytoryjnej na grupie 540 osób w Wielkopolsce. Przyjęto kryterium płci oraz miejsca zamieszkania respondentów. Pytania dotyczyły predyspozycji przedsiębiorczych, posiadanej przez studentów wiedzy na temat rozpoczynania działalności gospodarczej, barier i czynników zachęcających do aktywności gospodarczej oraz form wspierania przedsiębiorczości oczekiwanych przez studentów. W części empirycznej przedstawiono wyniki badań własnych dotyczących cech charakterologicznych studentów, ich intencji przedsiębiorczych, barier i czynników rozwoju postaw przedsiębiorczych, a także ich potrzeb szkoleniowych w zakresie planowania własnej działalności gospodarczej. Wyniki badań ujawniły, że gotowość do podjęcia działalności gospodarczej jest stymulowana przez wiele czynników oraz, że studenci mają niedostateczną wiedzę w zakresie prowadzenia własnej działalności gospodarczej, zatem dostarczenie im odpowiednich kwalifikacji w tym względzie powinno skutkować wzrostem intencji przedsiębiorczych.

Income or Assets—What Determines the Approach to the Environment among Farmers in A Region in Poland?

The theory about the impact of farm size, income and assets on the environmental approach of farmers is ambiguous. We contribute to the existing discussion in two ways. Firstly, we look for the determinants of the environmental approach. Secondly, we treat farm size as a heterogeneous factor, affected not only by the value of assets but also flows of incomes. The main objective of the article is, therefore, to recognize the impact of assets and income on the environmental approach of agricultural producers. We analyze the results of surveys carried out in 2020 on a group of 120 farms from the Wielkopolska region (Poland), using structural equation modelling (generalized structural equation modelling (GSEM)-multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) model). Our results indicate that both the income and assets of the agricultural producers have a positive impact on their approach to the environment. However, to a greater extent, the farmer’s approach to the environment is influenced more by income than by assets. This may be influenced by the capitalization of subsidies in the price of agricultural land, which makes this element of farm assets detached from real processes. It is easier for farms with a higher income and assets to realize the orientation towards sustainability.

Polymorphism analysis of the Gly972Arg IRS-1 and Gly1057Asp IRS-2 genes in obese pregnant women

Genes encoding insulin receptor substrates IRS-1 and IRS-2 perform key functions in the insulin pathway. Numerous authors have suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) changes in the DNA sequence may be associated with the development of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The Gly972Arg polymorphism of the IRS-1 gene and the Gly1057Asp polymorphism of the IRS-2 gene are believed to be associated with the occurrence of insulin resistance and obesity according to many sources. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of these polymorphisms on the clinical parameters and to assess their correlations in obese Polish pregnant women. A total of 154 pregnant Caucasian women from the Wielkopolska region were analyzed: 78 diagnosed with overweight or obesity (study group) and 76 with normal body mass (controls). The analysis of the polymorphisms was performed using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The IRS-2 Gly1057Asp polymorphism revealed no significant correlations with excessive weight gain during pregnancy. The analysis of the IRS-1 Gly972Arg polymorphism showed an association with obesity between the study and control groups (GG-80.77%, GR-17.95%, RR-1.28% vs GG-94.74%, GR-5.26%; p = 0.023). We also observed slightly increased BMI values ​​and higher values ​​of the waist and hip circumference before pregnancy in the case of the IRS-1 Gly972Arg polymorphism. The analysis of the clinical and anthropometric parameters demonstrated no significant relationships between the genotypes of the polymorphic variants of the IRS-1 and IRS-2 genes but suggested an association between the IRS-1 Gly972Arg polymorphism and the risk for obesity.

Development of flood prone areas in Wielkopolska region

The aim of the study was to analyse the state of flood-prone areas development in 10 towns on the Warta River in the Wielkopolska region in terms of the possibility of adapting existing and planned buildings to flood risks. A significant percentage of the areas exposed to floods was the basic criterion for selecting three towns for the second stage of the research. The analysis of the content of 22 local spatial development plans (LSDP) in three selected towns has revealed that the plans for special flood hazard areas (SFH) and embanked areas lack precise requirements for flood adaptation. The research proved that small riverside towns in Wielkopolska region insufficiently use planning tools to create appealing and resilient waterfronts and reduce their vulnerability. New buildings not adapted to changing water levels are still being built in the flood-prone areas, because LSPD plans do not impose such requirements. The authors proposed the graphical analysis method (based on overlay maps), which allows to indicate the areas requiring special flood-adaptation guidelines. The building and site recommendations in LSDP should refer to BFE level and may include various types of amphibious architecture and their location conditions, which has been identified in the study.

A Comparison of Selected Biochemical and Physical Characteristics and Yielding of Fruits in Apple Cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh.)

The aim of the research was to determine selected biochemical and physical characteristics and yielding of fruits in apple varieties (Malus domestica Borkh) such as Gala Schniga, Beni Shogun (Fuji) and Ligol, M.9 rootstock growing in the Wielkopolska region, Poland. high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed differences both in the profile and contents of soluble sugars and other metabolites detected in fruits of the tested apple varieties. The highest total saccharide content was found in fruits of cv. Gala Schniga, while leaves and shoots of this variety showed the lowest contents. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed the lowest contents of semiquinone radicals in apple fruits and the highest in leaves of apple trees. All organs of Schniga Gala apple trees were characterized by the highest levels of these radicals. Besides, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of abscisic acid (ABA) revealed the highest levels of this molecule in shoots of apple trees, especially the Beni Shogun variety, while in fruits the levels were the lowest. Ligol fruits had the highest content of ABA. The percentage of injury observed after a low-temperature treatment and estimated on the basis of electrolyte leakage, was shown to be the lowest in fruits of the Beni Shogun variety. In turn, the lowest average yield of apple fruits was recorded for the Ligol and Fuji varieties, with the highest in the case of the Gala Schniga variety. At the same time, a significant variability in the average weight of fruits was observed; the highest average mass of fruits was recorded for the Ligol variety, while it was lowest for Gala Schniga. Additionally, firmness evaluation of the fruits revealed that the firmest fruits were harvested from Gala apple trees, before the Beni Shogun and Ligol varieties. A significant variability was recorded in the red blush on fruit surfaces of the tested varieties, with Ligol fruits having the weakest blush. Altogether, these results indicate that fruits of the analyzed apple varieties differed both in terms of their biochemical composition and physical characteristics.

The materials to determine the eastern range border of acidophilous oak forestCalamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum petraeaein Poland – two new stands of the association in the southern part of Mazovian Voivodeship

AbstractAcidophilous oak forestsCalamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum petraeae(hartm. 1934 scam. et Pass. 1959) are mostly known from the western part of Poland, while its eastern border has not been determined accurately. in order to address this issue, we performed a phytosociological analysis of two newly identified stands of acidophilous oak forest located in the southern part of the Mazovian Voivodeship near Kiedrzyn (vicinity of Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą) and Mikówka (vicinity of Białobrzegi). For comparison, we also examined the distribution of known patches in the region (Łódź and Mazovian Voivodeships) against this association’s background of the eastern range border.Within the identified sites, a total of 10 phytosociological relevés were taken and soil samples were collected from a depth of 10 cm. the content of organic matter, soil ph and sieving analysis were performed in the laboratory. the phytosociological material was ordered and numerically classified which gave two groups of relevés: typical for this association (seven relevés) and a degenerated form (three relevés), which has an increased share of pine in the stand. All our relevés were similar to acidophilous oak forests from the Wielkopolska region and thus different from oak-pine forests of eastern Poland. habitat conditions of the patches and the bonitation of oak were analogous to patches of this association from other parts of Poland. Furthermore, the sites we studied are located between known locations from the Bolimowska and Kozienicka Forests and are therefore connecting these two previously known areas of occurrence. this indicates that the range of theCalamagrostio-Quercetumassociation is at least a few dozen kilometers wider in this part of the country than the assumed range.

A person-organization fit Model of Generation Z: Preliminary studies

The study looks at developing a person-organization fit model based on the unique characteristics of the new generational cohort, Generation Z, now entering the workforce. Theory suggests competitive advantage may come to a firm based on its unique human capital, the human resources it employs and develops. Further, organizations will be more successful in attracting the valuable employees they seek if they can provide a workplace appealing to them in terms of organizational values, culture, and other aspects that may also include more familiar enticements such as pay and benefits. To address the gap, this pioneering study investigates the context of person-organizational culture for the Z Generation entering the labor market. The key questions answered by the authors when describing the Person-Organization Fit Framework for Generation Z include the differences in how organizational culture appeals to Gen Z men and Gen Z women. The research results are presented in three steps: an analysis of workplace environment elements for Gen Z, correlation analysis between the workplace environment elements required by Gen Z, and presentation of a Person-Organization Fit Framework for Gen Z. From a sample of 3393 students at technological secondary schools in the Wielkopolska Region, the survey results provided evidence of the workplace preferences for this cohort. In addition, results were further analyzed for differences in gender and intended profession. For this region, Generation Z has variable individual needs and wants, some of which can be easily identified (gender, profession) but some of which may be less clear. These research results may be used for designing appealing workplaces taking into account person-organization needs for young people. Based on this novel research, organizations employing the resulting work framework for Gen Z will be better prepared to consider the nature and communication of what they have to offer as well as how they can be flexible in adapting these offerings to unique individuals.

Natural groundwaters in Poland - occurrence, properties and chemical types.

Chemical composition, organoleptic and physicochemical properties of natural groundwaters are varied and dependent on their geological environment. Determining the basic organoleptic properties - such as colour, taste, odour - as well as physical properties - such as electrical conductivity or redox potential - allow us to assess the stability of water chemical composition. Based on their origin, groundwaters can be divided into infiltration, as well as condensation, juvenile, metamorphic and relic groundwaters, which are currently of lesser value. Groundwaters sourced in Poland belong to various chemical types and play an important role in balneotherapy and the bottling industry. Of particular importance are thermal, bicarbonate, chloride or sulphate type waters. There is also a growing interest in humic waters found in the Wielkopolska region.

Reasons for the resignation of young people from employment

The labour market is constantly changing. Employees, depending on their age, experience and qualifications, have different expectations towards the employer, and at the same time expect other motivators in the employment process. A particular challenge for employers is to motivate young people who enter the labour market, because it is difficult to motivate them in such a way that they do not give up work and want to get involved with the company for longer. Due to the topicality of this issue, the purpose of the study is to indicate the reasons that make young people quit their jobs. The study uses reports on factors determining the behavior of young people on the labor market, as well as the results of surveys conducted among students of selected universities in the Wielkopolska region. These studies have shown that the most common reasons for changing jobs identified by young people are: unsatisfactory pay, a bad atmosphere, and inappropriate relationships with their superiors.