Silesia Region Research Articles

One Health education should be early, inclusive, and holistic

The 19th century pathologist Rudolf Virchow was distinctive in his emphasis on multifocal and transdisciplinary thinking about the determinants of health and disease. Most famously, he wrote a ground-breaking report for the Prussian Government on the 1847–48 typhus outbreak in the region of Upper Silesia, advocating free and unlimited democracy as the single most important principle in addressing the epidemic.1 As an advocate for system change to address health inequities, Virchow has been described as a pioneer of One Health: the idea that the health and wellbeing of human and animal populations and environmental systems are complex interconnected occurrences shaped by biosocial contexts.

TRENDS IN THE CATERING AND ACCOMMODATION BUSINESS IN THE MORAVIAN SILESIAN REGION

The development of tourism trends significantly influences the tourist attractiveness of the destination ad increases tourist attendance. The paper presents the results of the research Tourist Trends in the Moravian Silesian Region (MSR), which focused on examining trends in accommodation and catering facilities, as a significant part of tourism services. The research area included trends and innovations in the field of services and the reaction of the offer of these services due to the change in the preferences of customers and visitors to these facilities. The main goal of the paper was to identify new trends in the offer of accommodation and catering services and to determine factors affecting repeat visit or purchase. Quantitative research using a questionnaire survey and qualitative research using structured interviews with business representatives in 2017 and 2020 was used and the results were compared. The opinions of visitors and representatives of the business on service quality indicators were compared. The dependence of service quality indicators related to repeat visits or service purchases was examined using the chi-squared test of independence. Evaluations of some service quality indicators did not confirm their dependence on repeat visits/purchases. Representatives of accommodation and catering services have a common opinion on the importance of specific indicators of service quality for repeat guest visits. The survey showed changes in the offer and quality of services of accommodation and catering companies in the Moravian Silesian Region due to changing preferences of the customers. The formulation of new trends in this part of the offer of tourism can serve as an inspiration for local entrepreneurs in the region and lead them to develop new products and introduce new services, to increase their business success and also to increase tourist attendance in the region.

Analysis of Deaths among HIV-Infected Patients Hospitalized in 2009-2018 in Main Centre of Infectious Disease in Region of Lower Silesia in Poland, Detailing Lesions in the Central Nervous System.

Background and Objectives: Patients living with HIV (PLWH), especially those diagnosed too late or not receiving treatment with antiretroviral drugs in the stage of advanced immunodeficiency AIDS for various reasons, develop additional opportunistic infections or AIDS-defining diseases that may contribute directly to the death of these patients. Material and Methods: In this work, we focused on disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) by retrospectively analyzing the symptoms, clinical and autopsy diagnoses of patients diagnosed with HIV infection who died in the provincial specialist hospital in the Lower Silesia region in Poland. Results: The autopsy was performed in 27.4% cases. The cause of death was determined to be HIV-related/AIDS-associated in 78% patients. The most common AIDS-defining CNS diseases in our cohort were toxoplasmosis and cryptococcosis. Conslusions: The presented results of the most common causes of changes in the central nervous system among deceased HIV-infected patients are comparable to the results of studies by other scientists cited in the publication.

Metal Accumulation and Functional Traits of Maianthemumbifolium (L.) F. W. Schmidt in Acid Beech Forests Differing with Pollution Level

Maianthemumbifolium (L.) F. W. Schmidt is a clonal plant with a wide geographical range throughout Europe and Asia. It is also abundant as an understory plant of acid beech forests in southern Poland. The response strategies of this species to heavy metals and their effects on some functional traits (height, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific rhizome length (SRL) and rhizomes dry matter content (RDMC)) were tested. Selected heavy metal concentrations were measured in leaves, rhizomes and rooting soil of May lily in five beech forests of southern Poland, mainly including an industrialised region of Upper Silesia. The contamination level of these ecosystems was assessed with a single pollution index. The results show significant contamination with Pb even at control sites and moderate with Cd, Zn, Fe and Cu in Upper Silesian forests. May lily accumulated Pb, Zn and Fe mainly in rhizomes, but Ni, Cu and Cd were also translocated to aboveground organs in comparable quantities, which confirms the indicator value of this plant. May lily accumulated up to 21 and 30 mg g−1 Cd, 34 and 90 mg g−1 Pb and 250 and 553 mg g−1 Zn in leaves and rhizomes respectively. Moreover, the accumulation factors show that May lily accumulates Cd in above- and underground organs in higher amounts than found in soil. Although high concentrations of these toxic elements in tissues, no visible damages on plants were observed, also the measured functional traits show no apparent relationship with the pollution level.

Correlation Between Biomass Burning Tracers in Urban and Rural Particles in Silesia\u2014Case Study

The major biomass burning tracers are thermal degradation products from the biopolymer cellulose, namely the didehydromonosaccharide derivatives levoglucosan, galactosan, and mannosan and the resin acid derivative dehydroabietic acid, with a minor contribution from β-sitosterol. Levoglucosan, galactosan, and mannosan were measured at two sites in Silesia, a rural (Rokitno) and industry region (Zabrze), during the winter of 2017/2018. The results showed that mean concentrations of the total tracers determined were 737 ng/m3 for Zabrze and 465 ng/m3 for Rokitno. Levoglucosan was the most abundant tracer; it was 83.2% of the determined tracers in Zabrze and 78.1% in Rokitno. The relative proportions of levoglucosan to mannosan have been used for source reconstruction of combustion-derived byproducts in atmospheric aerosols. The levoglucosan to mannosan ratio for Zabrze was 8.9 and for Rokitno 5.3; the levoglucosan to sum of mannosan and galactosan ratio was 6.2 and 3.8 for Zabrze and Rokitno, respectively. The correlation between tracers is high (0.73 to 0.97) and shows linearity. In order to compare the fuel type (by the coefficient of divergence (CD)) between different sites, the results from a previous work in health resort Krynica were used. The CD between Krynica and Rokitno as well as Krynica and Zabrze was equal to 0.633 and 0.712, respectively. The CD between Rokitno and Zabrze was equal to 0.175. Despite the biomass burning tracer measurements are mostly local, they have a huge impact on air pollution and climate changes.

Preschool children health impacts from indoor exposure to PM2.5 and metals.

To better understand the relation between children health and indoor air quality, we measured the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 11 metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, and zinc) from air samples taken during both winter and spring, and focused on urban and rural area kindergartens of the Upper Silesia Region, Poland, typified by the use of fossil fuels for power and heat purposes. We combined related inhalation intake estimates for children and health effects using separate dose-response approaches for PM2.5 and metals. Results show that impacts on children from exposure to PM2.5 was 7.5min/yr, corresponding to 14 μDALY/yr (DALY: disability-adjusted life years) with 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3-164min/yr, which is approximately 10 times lower than cumulative impacts from exposure to the metal components in the PM2.5 fraction of indoor air (median 76min/yr; CI: 0.2-4.5×103 min/yr). Highest metal-related health impacts were caused by exposure to hexavalent chromium. The average combined cancer and non-cancer effects for hexavalent chromium were 55min/yr, corresponding to 104 μDALY/yr, with CI: 0.5 to 8.0×104 min/yr. Health impacts on children varied by season and across urban and rural sites, both as functions of varying PM2.5 metal compositions influenced by indoor and outdoor emission sources. Our study demonstrates the need to consider indoor environments for evaluating health impacts of children, and can assist decision makers to focus on relevant impact reduction and indoor air quality improvement.

Association of chemotactic cytokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene polymorphism (59029 A/G, rs1799987) with diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes from Poland.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) pathogenesis is multifactorial and is a combination of metabolic, genetic, and environmental factors. Due to a long period of asymptomatic course, it is often diagnosed late when advanced stages of the disease are present. Among patients with diabetes, the presence of chemotactic cytokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene polymorphism is suspected to be associated with the risk of DKD occurrence; however, the results of the research conducted so far are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CCR5 gene polymorphism (rs1799987, 59029 A/G) association with DKD among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who are residents of the Upper Silesia region of Poland. CCR5 gene polymorphism (rs1799987, 59029 A/G) was assessed among consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated in a single outpatient diabetology clinic in Upper Silesia, Poland. Its association with DKD was examined. Additionally, selected clinical and demographic data were included in the analysis. Among 467 eligible study patients, there was no association between examined CCR5 gene polymorphism and the presence of DKD in relation both to the American Diabetes Association definition (p = 0.6) and to the National Kidney Foundation definition (p = 0.3) of this complication. The presented study did not confirm the association between the examined gene polymorphism and the risk of DKD; further studies in this area are needed in order to establish or explicitly exclude this association.

Relationships between Vertical Temperature Gradients and PM10 Concentrations during Selected Weather Conditions in Upper Silesia (Southern Poland)

This paper studies surface air temperature inversions and their impact on air pollution under the background of meteorological conditions in southern Poland. The relationship of temperature gradients and air quality classes with weather conditions in the most urbanized and polluted part of Poland as represented by the Upper Silesia region (USR) within the administrative boundaries of the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis (GZM) is presented. Based on probability analysis this study hierarchized the role of the selected weather elements in the development of surface-based temperature inversion (SBI) and air quality (AQ). The thresholds of weather elements for a rapid increase in the probability of oppressive air pollution episodes were distinguished. Although most SBI occurred in summer winter SBIs were of great importance. In that season a bad air quality occurred during >70% of strong inversions and >50% of moderate inversions. Air temperature more strongly triggered AQ than SBI development. Wind speed was critical for SBI and significant for AQ development. A low cloudiness favored SBI occurrence altered air quality in winter and spring during SBI and favored very bad AQ5 (>180 µg/m3) occurrence. The probability of high air pollution enhanced by SBI rapidly increased in winter when the air temperature dropped below −6 °C the wind speed decreased below 1.5 m/s and the sky was cloudless. Changes in the relative humidity did not induce rapid changes in the occurrence of bad AQ events during SBI

The role of critical conjunctures in regional path creation: a study of Industry 4.0 in the Silesia region

ABSTRACT Conceptualizations of path creation proposed in recent years neglect the role of time and temporal mechanisms. This paper argues that a more comprehensive understanding of inter-path relations that incorporates both agency and relationships among temporal sequences can be achieved using the concept of critical conjuncture, which is overlooked in the contemporary path-creation literature. This paper draws on a case study of the industrial region of Upper Silesia, Poland, where a new regional trajectory is emerging as the result of the unpredicted critical conjuncture of the endogenously driven path of the information technology services sector and the exogenous foreign direct investment-based path of the automotive industry.

Народная этимология наименований целебных трав в Тешинской Силизии: очерк современного состояния

Folk etymology is an interesting source of the information for understanding the world view by users of the language. It can be assumed that the conception of nomination, e.g. the names of medical plants would follow the changes in the society. The questionnaire survey conducted across three generations of contemporary users of the regional dialect in 13 villages all over the Těšín Silesia explored active and passive knowledge of dialectic names of the medical plants and their etymology. The survey has shown that contemporary speakers of the language are no longer aware of mythological justification in those names. They find motivation for naming mainly in the effect or use of the herb, or in its external resemblance to objects or animals, etc. Today's inhabitants of the whole Těšín Silesia region are already largely free from the traditional mythological perception of the world. If they know it, they perceive it with great reserve as part of an outdated tradition, but no longer as a valid part of reality they experience. We find that the active and passive knowledge of folk names of medicinal plants, as well as the mythological background associated with formerly commonly used names, was irretrievably lost in Těšín Silesia under the influence of education, lifestyle changes, industrialization, and urbanization of the environment during the 20th century.

Factors influencing death in COVID-19 patients treated in the ICU: a single-centre, cross-sectional study.

This single-centre study investigated factors influencing death in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients treated in an intensive care unit (ICU). Data of 113 consecutive patients with a severe form of COVID-19 infection, who completed their ICU stay in a large COVID-19-dedicated hospital in the Silesian Region of Poland during one year of the pandemic (between 10 March, 2020 and 10 March, 2021), were reviewed. Comprehensive comparison of all available ICU pre-admission, admission and treatment variables was performed. Variables that independently influenced ICU death were identified. ICU mortality in the whole group was 64.6%. Mean age was higher in non-survivors (64.6 ± 9.5 vs. 60.0 ± 12.8 years, P = 0.036), but the distribution of sex and body mass index was similar in both groups. Non-survivors had a marginally higher mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (5.9 ± 3.6 vs. 4.5 ± 4.1 points, P = 0.063), and significantly higher mean Clinical Frailty Score (4.8 ± 1.5 vs. 3.9 ± 1.4 points, P = 0.004), admission APACHE II score (22.9 ± 7.9 vs. 19.1 ± 7.8 points, P = 0.017) and SAPS II score (62.1 ± 18.1 vs. 54.0 ± 16.7 points, P = 0.023). Factors that independently influenced ICU death were limited to: admission total protein 2.0 ng mL-1 (OR = 11.3, P = 0.026) and lactate level > 2.0 mmol L-1 (OR = 4.2, P = 0.003) as well as Clinical Frailty Score ≥ 5 points (OR = 3.1, P = 0.021). The presence of low total protein, frailty and increased procalcitonin and lactate levels at ICU admission are associated with ICU death in patients with severe COVID-19 infection.

Lost Norian fluvial tracks: Sedimentology and stratigraphy of the Upper Triassic coarse-grained deposits in Kamienica Śląska (Upper Silesia, southern Poland)

In the Triassic‒Jurassic boundary profiles of the Upper Silesian region, there are locally developed coarse clastic deposits, commonly known as the Połomia Gravels, Połomia Beds or “Połomia Formation’’ (informal name). Due to the lack of reliable stratigraphic tools, the chronostratigraphic position of these deposits remains one of the most controversial aspects of the Triassic‒Jurassic lithostratigraphy in the region. Sparse biostratigraphic data from the overlying and underlying deposits indicate a wide range of ages, from the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. This paper presents the results of sedimentological, petrographical and palynological analyses of the coarse-grained deposits from the Kamienica Śląska gravel pit, which is currently one of the biggest facilities of this type in Upper Silesia. The outcrop section, with a total thickness of up to 20 m, is dominated by friable, light grey to beige and locally dark grey, large-scale planar to trough cross-stratified conglomerates and coarse-grained sandstones with subordinate thin interbeds of grey and reddish brown mudstones. Three facies associations have been distinguished, representing a main channel belt, secondary channels and floodplains subenvironments. Facies analysis points to a braided river tract with localised floodplain sediments. The grain composition of the Kamienica Śląska gravel/conglomerate is less diversified than that of the polymictic typical Połomia Beds of the Myszków area and resembles oligomictic conglomerates known from the Grabowa Formation of the Norian age and/or conglomerates of the Gorzów Beds of Rhaetian age, which also occur on the studied region. Palynological analysis of mudstone interbeds within the conglomeratic deposits shows the presence of miospores guiding and characteristic for subzone c of the Corollina meyeriana zone of the late Norian‒early Rhaetian age. The appearance of the coarse-grained deposits in late Norian could be associated with the development of a long-reach braided fluvial tract, draining the S and SE part of the Sudetian-Malopolska-Lublin land (S-M-L land) in response to the tectonic rearrangement in the source area and gradual climatic change from semi-arid to humid in the Rhaetian.

RT-PCR Detection of SARS-CoV-2 among Individuals from the Upper Silesian Region-Analysis of 108,516 Tests.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has left a huge mark on everyday lives, introducing restrictions and plunging the global economy. This study aimed to analyze the available epidemiological data from the register of one of the largest laboratories testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the Silesian voivodship of Poland. Methods: This analysis is based upon the epidemiological records collected between 30 March 2020, and 30 April 2021, by the Silesian Park of Medical Technology Kardio-Med Silesia (Zabrze, Poland). In addition, we performed SARS-CoV-2 variant detection in samples from patients reinfected with SARS-CoV-2. Results: Our results confirm that SARS-CoV-2 infections are more common in urban areas. Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases represent 13.21% of all RT-PCR test results during the 13 months of our laboratory diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in samples of potentially reinfected patients showed discrepancies in the results. Conclusions: Due to the higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among the Upper Silesian population, the region is at greater risk of deteriorating economic situation and healthcare as compared to other areas of Poland. RT-PCR methods are inexpensive and suitable for large-scale screening, but they can be untrustworthy so detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in samples should be confirmed by sequencing.

Land degradation in the Iara hydrographic basin.

The hydrographic basin of the Iara River, a former mining area (territory imposed over the Iara Depression) presents numerous locations with degraded lands following the mining activity (in the former exploitation points at Făgetu Ierii, Mașca, Măgura Ierii, Băișoara), as well the development of massive deforestations in the upper sector of the Iara River (upstream of Valea Ierii commune). On medium and long term, these degraded lands are and will be included in ecological protection and conservation projects, so that, for example, the former mining points can be introduced in the tourist circuits. We mention that currently there is already a trend in this regard, in countries such as Poland, Slovakia, where former mining operations are included in tourist circuits, and tourist numbers are increasing in these locations (example - Silesia region). Thus, the transition must be made from the former Iara mining area, to a tourist area in which we hope that tourism will become the main economic activity. We add that, at present, there is only one exploitation point (of industrial dacite - in Băișoara locality), and tourism is relatively in an incipient phase (in Iara commune), while in Băișoara and Valea Ierii communes tourism is much more developed compared to Iara. On the other hand, there are many degraded lands following the geomorphological processes within the Iara Depression (landslides, ravines, gully erosion) in Iara, Făgetu Ierii, Agriș, Valea Agrișului, the low area of Băisoara (overlapping the Iara Depression). Thus, in the present study we aimed to classify degraded lands from the Iara river basin in two categories, namely: degraded lands caused by anthropogenic intervention, and degraded lands generated by geomorphological processes (practically based on a natural cause). For this GIS technology was used, to achieve the classification of degraded lands; also prior and after the use of GIS technology, numerous field trips were made to gather information, take pictures, take soil samples, as well as for confronting the reality in the field, following the creation of the cartographic material.

„GALERIA ARTYSTYCZNA” W KATOWICACH, JAKO LINEARNY POMNIK – MIEJSCE PAMIĘCI WYBITNYCH TWÓRCÓW KULTURY

Created since 2004 in the center of Katowice, the “Art Gallery” is a collection of sculptural portraits of outstanding creators of culture associated with the city and the upper Silesian region. it has the form of a linear monument supplemented every year with new sculptures of figures chosen by the inhabitants of the city and the region. it is a space of memory, but also a contemporary “didactic park”. it complements the nearby “culture zone”, also known as the Silesian Akropolis, created on the site of the former mine.

How do senior citizens cope with energy poverty? Evidence from a local case study in the Polish Silesia region

How do senior citizens cope with energy poverty? Evidence from a local case study in the Polish Silesia region

Efficiency of Air Purifiers at Removing Air Pollutants in Educational Facilities: A Preliminary Study

Infectious diseases caused by airborne bacteria and viruses are a major problem for both social and economic reasons. The significance of this phenomenon is particularly noticeable during the time of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the consequences is the increased interest in the air purifier (AP) market, which resulted in a significant increase in sales of these devices. In this study, we tested the efficiency of APs in removing bacterial air contamination in the educational context in the Upper Silesia region of Poland during the “cold season” of 2018/2019. During the 6 months of measuring microbiological air quality, an 18% decrease in the concentration of microbiological pollutants as a result of the action of the APs was recorded. Additionally, the results of the particle size distribution of the bacterial aerosols showed a reduction in the share of the respirable fraction (particles with an aerodynamic diameter below 3.3 µm) by an average of 20%. The dominance of gram-positive cocci in the indoor environment indicates that humans are the main source of most of the bacteria present in the building. We conclude that the use of APs may significantly decrease the level of concentration of microbiological air pollutants and reduce the negative health effects of indoor bioaerosols; however, further work that documents this phenomenon is needed.

Characteristic of FINDRISC Score and Association with Diabetes Development in 6-Year Follow-Up in PURE Poland Cohort Study.

PurposeThe aim of the study was to assess if FINDRISC score was associated with diabetes development after 6 years of observation.MethodsPolish cohort is a part of global PURE study. Hereby analysis presents data from baseline (2007–2010) and 6-year follow-up (2013–2016) and was conducted on 1090 participants (702 women) from urban and rural areas in Lower Silesia region (Poland) without diabetes at the baseline and with complete data throughout course of the study.ResultsAt the baseline, women had significantly higher FINDRISC score than men (10.43 vs 8.91; p=0.000) and participants from rural areas had higher score than from urban areas (10.97 vs 9.33; p=0.000). At the baseline, 25.87% of the participants had low risk of diabetes according to FINDRISC score, 38.90% had slightly elevated risk, 16.79% moderate risk, 16.42% high risk and 2.02% very high risk. Participants, who were healthy at baseline, but developed diabetes after 6 years of observation had significantly higher FINDRISC, than those who did not (13.39 vs 9.36; p=0.000). In 6-year follow-up, diabetes was diagnosed in 2.8% of participants, who were ascertained to “low risk” according to FINDRISC score in baseline; in 9.9% of participants of “slightly elevated risk”, 17.5% of participants of “moderate risk”, 26.8% in participants of “high risk” and 50.0% of participants of “very high risk”.ConclusionsResults of PURE Poland cohort study indicates that higher FINDRISC score at the baseline was associated with higher risk of diabetes development during 6 years of observation.

Children Health Risk Assessment of Metals in Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSP) and PM1 in Kindergartens during Winter and Spring Seasons

This study evaluates the health risks related to heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Zn, and metalloid As) in the indoor dust samples of total suspended particles (TSP) and particles with diameter <1 μm (PM1). The samples were collected during 5-day periods during the spring and winter seasons in the Upper Silesia region, Poland. The highest concentration among determined trace elements revealed Fe. The greatest concern expressed the concentration of carcinogenic Cd in PM1 (from 6.7 to 9.7 ng/m3), exceeding the permissible value 5 ng/m3 (for PM10). The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were assessed for three exposure pathways (inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact) for preschool children. None of the single trace elements obtained the Hazard Quotient Index (HQ > 1) or carcinogenic risks above the upper acceptable limit (1 × 10−4). However, the cumulative HQ values (ΣHQ) for three exposure pathways were greater than the safe level. The highest cumulative non-carcinogenic risk presented the TSP in rural kindergartens (2.0 × 10−4). In the same location as the TSP, the highest carcinogenic risk was also observed (9.1 × 10−4). High carcinogenic risks (>10−4) were found for the ingestion pathway of TSP inside urban and rural kindergartens and of PM1 in urban ones. A comparative evaluation shows that the health risks of trace elements in airborne particles in Polish kindergartens bring high risk.

Seasonal Dynamics of Dry Matter Accumulation and Nutrients in a Mature Miscanthus × giganteus Stand in the Lower Silesia Region of Poland

Biomass from M. × giganteus has great promise for use within the bioeconomy sectors, but to maximise environmental benefits, crops must produce high yields while minimising energetically costly inputs. Complex interactions between soil conditions, climatic variations, plant maturity and genotype influence yields and nutrient dynamics, which in turn impacts crop sustainability. To investigate the flux of growth and nutrients in response to a changing environment, M. × giganteus was grown in southwest Poland and sampled monthly (June–November) from 2010 to 2012. Measurements examined the interaction between plant growth and leaf development, and nutrient (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) concentrations of rhizomes, stems and leaves. The three growth years studied were markedly different for growth and meteorological conditions. Between 2010 and 2011, above ground biomass yield increased significantly from 16.5 ± 0.4 t ha−1 to 20.1 ± 0.5 t ha−1. The 2012 rhizome weights at the beginning of the growth season were halved due to extreme frost; however, resulting yield was similar (19.9 ± 0.6 5 t ha−1). Final yield from all three years were successfully predicted using MISCANFOR, and modelling indicated crop yield was water-limited. The seasonal flux of N and K from rhizome to stems and leaves then back to the rhizome at the onset of senescence was as expected in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, no such trend was evident especially for N suggesting different macronutrient sources from rhizome and soil improves the resilience of perennial crop yield across a range of diverse growth conditions.