SE Poland Research Articles

Foraminiferal and Palynological Records of an Abrupt Environmental Change at the Badenian/Sarmatian Boundary (Middle Miocene): A Case Study in Northeastern Central Paratethys

The Badenian/Sarmatian boundary in the Central Paratethyan basins is characterised by a change from open marine conditions during the late Badenian to the assumed brackish conditions during the early Sarmatian. The foraminiferal and palynological results of the Badenian/Sarmatian boundary interval in the Babczyn 2 borehole (in SE Poland) showed that the studied interval accumulated under variable, unstable sedimentary conditions. The Badenian/Sarmatian boundary, as correlated with a sudden extinction of stenohaline foraminifera, is interpreted as being due to the shallowing of the basin. The lack of foraminifera and marine palynomorphs just above the Badenian/Sarmatian boundary can reflect short-term anoxia. The composition of the euryhaline assemblages, characteristic for the lower Sarmatian part of the studied succession, indicates from marine to hypersaline conditions.

A new clupeoid genus from the Oligocene of Central Paratethys (Menilite Formation, Poland)

The Suborder Clupeoidei Bleeker, 1859 comprises mostly marine fishes, which form large schools feeding on plankton. The fossil record of the suborder in the Late Paleogene reveals that clupeoids were abundant in the Western, Central, as well as Eastern Paratethys. Clupeoid descriptions from the Polish Outer Carpathians (SE Poland, Central Paratethys) remain incomplete due to usage of ‘collective species’, taxonomical inaccuracies, and lack of clear links between extinct and extant representatives. In this paper we present a new clupeoid, † Beksinskiella gen. nov., from the Oligocene of the Outer Carpathians, Poland. The new genus encompasses the nominal species † Maicopiella longimana (Heckel, 1850). † Beksinskiella gen. nov. has a unique combination of characters (skull roof with frontoparietal striae; smooth opercle; 6–7 branchiostegal rays; 42–48 vertebrae; dorsal and anal fins with 21–23 rays; the last two rays of the anal fin being elongated, and the presence of a complete series of abdominal scutes with the postpelvic ones poorly developed), supporting recognition of a new genus of the Suborder Clupeoidei. Similarities and differences between fossil and extant genera of Cluepoidei are discussed to shed light on their relationship.

A new clupeoid genus from the Oligocene of Central Paratethys (Menilite Formation, Poland)

The Suborder Clupeoidei Bleeker, 1859 comprises mostly marine fishes, which form large schools feeding on plankton. The fossil record of the suborder in the Late Paleogene reveals that clupeoids were abundant in the Western, Central, as well as Eastern Paratethys. Clupeoid descriptions from the Polish Outer Carpathians (SE Poland, Central Paratethys) remain incomplete due to usage of ‘collective species’, taxonomical inaccuracies, and lack of clear links between extinct and extant representatives. In this paper we present a new clupeoid, † Beksinskiella gen. nov., from the Oligocene of the Outer Carpathians, Poland. The new genus encompasses the nominal species † Maicopiella longimana (Heckel, 1850). † Beksinskiella gen. nov. has a unique combination of characters (skull roof with frontoparietal striae; smooth opercle; 6–7 branchiostegal rays; 42–48 vertebrae; dorsal and anal fins with 21–23 rays; the last two rays of the anal fin being elongated, and the presence of a complete series of abdominal scutes with the postpelvic ones poorly developed), supporting recognition of a new genus of the Suborder Clupeoidei. Similarities and differences between fossil and extant genera of Cluepoidei are discussed to shed light on their relationship.

Geocultural Heritage as a Basis for Themed GeoTown—The “Józefów StoneTown” Model in the Roztocze Region (SE Poland)

In many areas, the use of stone in architecture and art represents one of the most significant links between geological and cultural heritage. These links are used for the creation of themed places that fit into the marketing strategy of such places/towns, supporting their management and promoting geotourism as a form of sustainable tourism. In this field, the inhabitants and municipal authorities of the Józefów area have not yet used their full potential. This article presents the features of geological heritage and connected cultural heritage (stonemasonry) in the area of Józefów with a view to building a geotown in the context of the “Kamienny Las na Roztoczu” (“Stone Forest in Roztocze”) planned geopark. These features were analysed from three points of view: research (field inventory of sites and secondary data queries), perception of heritage by two groups of tourists (queries of secondary data obtained from the Tourist Information Centre and diagnostic survey), and perception of heritage by inhabitants (diagnostic survey). The results of the research show that the multicomponent and interdisciplinary space of Józefów contains closely interrelated geological and cultural features. These can be the basis for creating a themed town, which can drive its sustainable economic development and give the town a broader supralocal dimension.

Traces of collisional and transtensional processes between the Carpathia and the European platform in the geoelectric image (NE Slovakia and SE Poland)

AbstractWe present the latest magnetotelluric models on profiles in the northeastern part of Slovakia and the southeastern part of Poland. These models are focused on deciphering the tectonic structures at the contact of the Inner Carpathians with the European Platform in this area. For the Inner Carpathian block, we propose the term Carpathia. Profile SA-01 shows shallower structures and the parallel MT-05 profile shows deeper structures. These models are also correlated with the seismic profile CEL-05. All results are compatible and show an original subduction-collisional structure, which was later replaced by a transpressive-transtensional one. The most striking structures are thick highly conductive subhorizontal zones in the middle crust and a tectonically controlled deep vertical conductive structure—the Carpathian conductive zone. Other significant structures, which also appear in the seismic section, are back thrusting of Flysch Belt and the Klippen Belt basement (Penninic crust) uplift.

Bacterial Endospores as an Additional Source of Archaeological Knowledge in the Analysis of a Burial Cemetery of the Tarnobrzeg Lusatian Culture in Dębina (SE Poland)

Archaeological studies need to use laboratory techniques, including analytical methods like Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, gas chromatography – mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography, as well as genetic methods to resolve and verify scientific hypotheses. However, additional tools are still needed in the case of the cultural practicesand traditions of ancient societies. Archaeological examinations of cultural practices have made significant progress in recent years, but additional tools are still needed to fully understand the complexity and diversity of these practices. In this work, we demonstrate how the genotyping of soil bacteria that can produce endospores is a potentially additional method for discovering past funeral rituals in various human populations who used food during their ceremonies. Endospores were isolated from soil samples taken from inside earthenware cup and pot-type vessels from a burial ground identified with the Tarnobrzeg Lusatian culture (SE Poland). The detected species of spore-forming bacteria strains were mostly environmental (originating from soil and / or water). However, the presence of some of the taxa i.e. (Peanibacillus, Bacillus) may provide a valuable source of archaeological information. We found that a combination of molecular and microbiological analysis can support archaeological studies of burial grounds and – in particular – individual graves, especially when they are characterized by a complete lack of bones.

Inside and outside a burial mound: when, how and in what environment were the kurgans built by Late Neolithic communities on the Subcarpathian loess plateau (SE Poland)?

Inside and outside a burial mound: when, how and in what environment were the kurgans built by Late Neolithic communities on the Subcarpathian loess plateau (SE Poland)?

Hidden in snow: Selected aspects of chemical composition of an urban snow cover (Kielce, SE Poland)

Abstract Snow cover is a valuable source of information about air quality. It enables detection of dust and other air pollutants which have been accumulated throughout the period since the snow cover was formed. Research conducted in Kielce confirms multidirectional human pressure from local and regional emission sources. Combustion of fuels resulted in lower pH and increased EC, SO4 and NO3 concentrations in the southern and northern parts of the city. Elevated concentrations of Cl and Na indicate the effect of transportation and winter road maintenance. Apart from local emitters, air quality in Kielce is affected by the regional sources, including the nearby center of the lime and cement industries. Climate change is reflected in the number of days with snow and thickness of snow cover, declining since the 1990s.

Rutile to tourmaline index – a tool for the recognition of the hydrodynamics of the depositional environment; a case study from the Campanian Szozdy Delta System, SE Poland

The newly discovered mid-Campanian Szozdy Delta System (Roztocze Hills, SE Poland) located in the southern part of the Polish Cretaceous Basin, at the northern edge of the Łysogóry-Dobrogea Land, has revealed interesting features concerning the relationship between the abundance of rutile and tourmaline. A distinct inverse relationship between rutile and tourmaline can be readily recognised in the succeeding units of the tripartite cyclothems (calcareous mudstone, calcareous sandstone, and calcareous gaize) representing the submarine part of the Szozdy Delta System. In the Szozdy section, both minerals are of similar shape (highly rounded), durability, and size; they are, however, characterised by markedly different densities. Therefore, it might be expected that these two mineral phases will be strongly dependent, both vertically and spatially, on the local energy of the sedimentary environment hydrodynamic power that existed during the deposition of the succeeding units of the cyclothems. The lighter tourmaline was likely transported further to the more quiescent prodelta environment, rendering the prodelta facies overrepresented in this mineral, whereas the heavier rutile was deposited closer to the river discharge. Such relative change in the abundance of these two mineral phases, emphasised by a standardised Z-score statistics, is referred here to as rutile to tourmaline index (RuTidx). Accordingly, as the RuTidx increases, the hydrodynamic power in the sedimentary environment increases as well. Since these two mineral phases are comparatively immune to alteration during the sedimentary cycle, the RuTidx is considered here to be an independent tool in recognising the hydrodynamics of the depositional environments of any age.

Appearance of the rotifer community as a potential indicator of stable paleohydrological conditions in peatlands since the Late Glacial: a case study of three wetlands in Poland

AbstractIn paleolimnological studies, rotifers are usually a very rare component in multiproxy research. These small invertebrates are identified from sediments by their loricas. Analysis of subfossil rotifers was conducted for sediment cores collected from three peatlands in within Poland: the Grel raised bog (S Poland, Carpathians, Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin), the Imszar raised bog (NE Poland, Podlasie Region), and the Podemszczyzna peatland (SE Poland, Sandomierz Basin). Results were compared with multiproxy analyses of peat deposits: pollen of aquatic and mire plants, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), and geochemical analyses. Analysis of the rotifers indicated the occurrence of the bdelloid species Habrotrocha angusticollis (Murray, 1905). In all profiles of the studied peatlands, the occurrence of rotifers was not correlated with pollen of aquatic or mire plants or NPPs; they seem to be more related to geochemical indices. The highest densities of rotifers were found in profile sections without significant fluctuations of geochemical variables, i.e. those with higher Na/K (chemical denudation) ratios and stable redox conditions (Fe/Mn ratio). The study of subfossil rotifers supported by multiproxy analysis of peat deposits could be a useful tool for indication of periods with stable palaeohydrological conditions during the Late Glacial and Holocene.

The requirements of three co-existing woodpecker species Picidae in relation to forests' features in the agricultural landscape of SE Poland

The occurrence of woodpeckers in European forests depends on many forest stand characteristics. During the study conducted in 2013 in the agricultural landscape of SE Poland (in an extremely deforested area with a 5% share of forest area), the habitat requirements of Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major and Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus were described. For this purpose, the degree of occupation by individual species of 73 forest patches was assessed over an area of 355 km2. To determine the habitat requirements of the woodpecker species, a set of 7 parameters characterizing the studied forests and their surroundings were determined, viz. forest patch area, average age of the tree stand, etc.). Generally, the Syrian Woodpecker inhabited small forest patches surrounded by a significantly larger proportion (2.3–5.6%) of orchards, compared to forests uninhabited by this species. The most important factors that positively influenced the occurrence of the Middle and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were the forest patch size, average age of the forest patch stand, and area of forest stands aged older than 80 years. The Great Spotted Woodpecker preferred forest patches with an area exceeding 15 ha, but the Middle Spotted Woodpecker occurred only in forest patches over 42 ha. Such minimum forest patch areas should be considered essential for protecting the two mentioned species in a heavily deforested landscape. Small-sized forest patches should also be protected, enabling refuge for the Syrian Woodpecker. Keywords: bird conservation strategy, forest management, habitat selection, primary cavity nesters, rural landscape, woods, woodpeckers, SE Poland 

Archaeomagnetic studies of bricks from ancient buildings sampled in SE Poland (Central Europe)

Brick samples for archaeomagnetic studies were collected from 25 historical buildings constructed between 1235 CE and 1790 CE in SE Poland. The Thellier-Thellier archaeointensity protocol was used in order to determine the ancient intensity and inclination registered by the bricks. 146 representative specimens (63 % of whole set) gave successful archaeointensity determination. The corrections for cooling rate and anisotropy of thermoremanent magnetization effects could be applied on 69 specimens from 22 sites. The above mentioned corrections of raw data reduce their dispersion at specimen/sample level in most of sites. A significant number of rejected results is due to important mineralogical changes of magnetic fraction in part of specimens during experiments. The mean values of corrected archaeointensities and archaeoinclinations for particular sites do not differ in limit of errors from these coeval obtained in western part of Central Europe.

Plant macro-remains from a large middle Neolithic settlement in SE Poland – Internal diversification and possible status of the settlers

The Mozgawa site, covering area of ca. 40 ha, is located in the loess area in SE Poland. It belongs to large settlements of the Middle Neolithic Funnel Beaker culture (TRB) and was occupied ca. 3600–3200 BCE. The aim of the research was to assess the role of plants in the life of the settlers, including domesticated and wild food resources as well as possibilities of non-alimentary use of herbal plants. The connection of two types of plant macroremains, namely seeds/fruits and wood charcoal, found in three different parts of the site was done to evaluate possibility of spatial palaeoeconomic differentiation between the sectors of the settlement. The site is exceptional among the other TRB dry sites studied due to high quantities of flax seeds and pulses, namely lentil, although the most numerous were wheat remains, mostly emmer grains. The high number of charred seeds of gromwell, the crop weed but also a source of purple dye, which was linked to flax seeds in statistical analysis, could suggest production of purple or red textiles at the site. High significance of textile production can be supported by discovery of a broad spectrum of utensils, representing all chaîne opératoire stages. Nonetheless, there are no convincing archaeological premises according specialisation of textile production at the settlement. Taking into account the proportions of main groups of plants among the three studied parts of the site, some differences were noticed, which could indicate the diversification of past activities at the settlement. The detailed study of other categories of findings and exact spatial–temporal scheme of settlement development are necessary to confirm this diversification and assess whether it mirrors higher material and social status of people living in the central part of the settlement than those living in the NW and SE parts.

Psammophilous Grasslands and Other Open Sandy Habitats in the Sandomierz Basin as a Refuge for Threatened Orthoptera in Poland

Psammophilous grasslands are declining in Europe due to ecological succession and anthropogenic pressures, yet they group many specialised invertebrates of early successional biotopes. We investigated the occurrence of six threatened species of Orthoptera in 135 patches of psammophilous grasslands and other open sand-related habitats (dry heaths, sandy roads, sand pits) located in the Sandomierz Basin (SE Poland). The aim was to verify whether these habitats, and especially the active military range, serve as a refuge for any of the selected species. Localities of Podisma pedestris and Calliptamus italicus found in the study area covering 0.7% of Poland’s territory represented a significant proportion (50 and 18%, respectively) of UTM grid squares known to be currently occupied by these species in the country. In the regional scale of southern Poland, studied habitats also accumulated a large proportion (ca. 17%) of the current localities of Oedipoda caerulescens. However, for Aiolopus thalassinus, Psophus stridulus and Sphingonotus caerulans the importance of the Sandomierz Basin as a country wide refuge was rather minor. Five of the six target species were found on the military range, with two (P. pedestris, P. stridulus) recorded only there. These results indicate that sand-related habitats are important refuges for some threatened orthopterans in the region and should be actively protected.

Clasts derived from rhizocretions in shallow-marine Miocene clastic deposits of northern Hungary: an example of zombie structures

Disc- and cylindrical-shaped clasts of fine-grained calcareous and ferruginous rock, each with a central tunnel, occur in shallow marine brackish Miocene sandy deposits of the Egyházasgerge Formation in Hungary. Previously, these have been interpreted as enigmatic biogenic (?) structures. After field and laboratory examination and comparisons with sub-recent rhizoclasts in subsoils developed on Quaternary fine-grained deposits in SE Poland, they are re-interpreted as redeposited rhizocretions possibly washed out of the coeval continental deposits of the Salgótarján Lignite Formation. Most are fragmented and abraded. They are termed rhizoclasts and are presented as an example of zombie structures inherited from another environment where they played a different role. Such rhizoclasts can be considered as an indicator of the source of the clastic material transported from a vegetated landmass on which moderate or poorly drained soils develop and plant roots penetrate the fine-grained substrate. In such soils, iron was mobilized, then fixed by oxidation, as the water table and oxygen levels fluctuated.

Haplotypes of Dirofilaria repens from Poland and selected countries of Central, North-Eastern Europe and the Middle East: An evaluation on the relation between the genetic diversity and the geographic distribution of the fast-spreading parasite

Subcutaneous dirofilariosis is a fast-spreading infection of dogs, and occasionally of other carnivores and humans. Several factors contribute to its spread, including climate change, which facilitates development and survival of Dirofilaria repens in the mosquito vector. Movement/relocation of infected definitive hosts (dogs) from endemic regions to non-endemic regions is another possible cause of local emergence and the presence of a wide variety of wild reservoirs of the parasite may also contribute to its spread. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of D. repens from different regions of Europe and to evaluate the spread of identified haplotypes and their geographic origin. A total of 95 D. repens isolates were obtained from Central and Eastern Europe (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Austria, Romania), NE Europe (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), Italy and Israel. All but two positive samples were obtained from the blood of dogs while one positive sample was obtained from an adult worm from a human case from the Lublin area in SE Poland and one sample was obtained from Anopheles plumbeus mosquito from Austria. Genetic diversity in D. repens isolates was evaluated by PCR amplification and sequencing of three genetic markers, including two mitochondrial genes (mtDNA): the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and dehydrogenase subunit I (NADH). Additionally, the genomic marker, internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) was amplified and sequenced. Haplotypes were differentiated based on sequence alignments by identifying Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) using DnaSP and Mega X. PopArt was used to construct a haplotype network including all identified haplotypes. Both mtDNA sequences (COI and NADH) were combined together for phylogenetic and network analyses. Altogether 18 haplotypes (DR1-DR18) were identified in combined mtDNA markers among 95 analysed samples. Haplotype DR1 was the most common encompassing 66 isolates: 42 isolates from Poland (41 from dogs and one from a human), 13 from Lithuania, 4 from Latvia, 2 from Ukraine and 5 from Romania. All other haplotypes grouped around haplotype DR1 separated by 1–5 SNPs, forming a star-like shape. Haplotype DR2 was the second most common haplotype, formed by six isolates from Romania. Interestingly, haplotype DR3 was represented only by four isolates from Israel. The remaining 15 haplotypes were represented by 1–4 isolates of different origins. Our study showed that only minor genetic diversity was found in D. repens since all isolates appear to have clustered in or branched out from haplotype DR1 with 1–5 SNP differences. The genetic diversity appears to be governed by geographic origin since isolates from neighbouring populations (countries) appear to share unique haplotypes while other populations that are geographically distant from individual haplotypes.

Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland)

The geodiversity of loess areas is reflected in the characteristic dataset of loess landforms, with the dominance of several types of valley forms (mainly gullies). The availability of satellite elevation data and high-resolution aerial topography scanning data provides an opportunity for quantitative assessment of geomorphodiversity. This is done through the analysis of topographic texture, delimitation and statistical characterization of the topographic parameters of erosional landforms, such as volume and degree of dissection (density of valleys) or the degree of ‘coverage’ of the area by valley forms. An important factor affecting the accuracy of the estimation is the accuracy of the underlying digital terrain model (DTM). This study compares three digital terrain models, with cell sizes of 30, 10 and 1 m, generated from satellite altimetry data and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. The subregion of Szczebrzeszyn Roztocze (Western Roztocze Region, SE Poland), i.e., one of the most typical loess relief regions in Poland, was selected as the study area. Selected topographic texture analyses were carried out using the SLRM (Simple Local Relief Model) algorithm. Delimitation of valleys was performed by delineating the extent of slope change in two key steps: (1) detection of areas below the average topographic surface; (2) delimitation using supervised classification of DTMs. The results of the study show that the accuracy of delimitation of valleys increases inversely proportional to the DTMs resolution. Automated topographic texture analysis allows delimitation and extraction, as well as statistical analysis of parameters of valleys. Finally, two indicators have been proposed, Relative Valley Area (RVA) and Area-normalised Valley Cubature (AVC), which can be used in geomorphodiversity studies of a geologically homogeneous area. The dimensionless RVA index can also be expressed as a percentage (%) of the area of valley forms in a basic field of 1 km2. Furthermore, the AVC index shows the dynamic character of the main relief features of the analysed area.

Luminescence dating of ancient kilns and gothic to baroque bricks from SE Poland – a comparison with archaeomagnetic data

The TL and OSL ages obtained from two ancient kilns and gothic to baroque bricks in the SE of Poland, were compared to their presumed historical ages and discussed. The luminescence ages of ancient kilns were also matched with the results of archaeomagnetic dating. The OSL and archaeomagnetic data indicates that the ancient kilns were last used not later than ca. 280 AD. This age corresponds well to the lower limit of the postulated age of fragments of Roman type storage vessels found in the filling of kilns. The OSL data used alone can point even to the end of the phase B2 of Roman influence in Poland. The TL ages obtained from the kilns (5297 ± 256 BC, 7092 ± 423 BC) are significantly older. These bottom parts of kilns, from which samples were taken, most probably were heated to a relatively low temperature, insufficient to reset the TL signal. Most of TL ages obtained from gothic to baroque bricks do not correlate with their historical ages. Unknown and most probably varied brick moisture contents in sampled ground floor walls and cellars does not allow to precisely date these bricks using the TL signal.

Współczesna szata roślinna Zalewu Rzeszowskiego (południowo-wschodnia Polska)

This paper presents the results of current research on the vegetation and flora of the Rzeszów Reservoir (SE Poland). The research was carried out in 2016–2019. In the study, the relevés were performed using the Braun-Blaquet method. Based on 147 phytosociological relevés, 21 plant communities belonging to 5 classes (Lemnetea, Potametea, Phragmitetea, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, and Salicetea purpureae) were identified. Trapetum natantis, Typhetum latifoliae, Typhetum angustifoliae, Glycerietum maximae, Leersietum oryzoidis, Salicetum triandro- viminalis were the most common, whereas Spirodeletum polyrhizae, Utricularia vulgaris, Potametum natantis, Eleocharitetum palustris, and Caricetum gracilis were rare communities. Noteworthy is the association Trapetum natantis, a rare and endangered plant community whose population is developing dynamically in the reservoir. The vascular flora of the Rzeszów Reservoir is represented by 334 taxa belonging to 66 families, including two strictly protected species (Dianthus armeria, Trapa natans), one partially protected species (Epipactis helleborine), and four species from the Polish red list (Trapa natans – VU, Potamogeton obtusifolius, Utricularia vulgaris, Leersia oryzoides – NT).

Palynology of the deep structures of the Carpathian Foredeep (3,950– 5,467 m) at the front of Carpathian overthrust, the NS-1 Borehole, SE Poland

Palynology of the deep structures of the Carpathian Foredeep (3,950– 5,467 m) at the front of Carpathian overthrust, the NS-1 Borehole, SE Poland