Southwestern Poland Research Articles

Impact of North Atlantic Oscillation on water resources in South Western Poland

The paper presents the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the water resources, especially considering groundwater discharge (baseflow) in south-western Poland. The impact of long-term changes of meteorological conditions on the water resources of this area in the 1966-2015 was determined on the basis of changes in the baseflow and total stream flow. Statistical analysis of meteorological and hydrological data showed that the runoff from the Sudeten mountain range and its foreground depends on the circulating climate factors (like the NAO). The annual NAO index best describes the variability of the average annual (12-month) total stream flow and groundwater discharge calculated from February to January and March to February, while the winter NAO index best describes the variability of the average annual (12-month) total stream flow and groundwater discharge calculated from March to February and April to March. The winter NAO index also best describes the variability of the average six-month (6-month) stream flow and groundwater discharge calculated from April to September. In the above-mentioned cases, the values of the Pearson correlation coefficient are at a high level and reach the value of -0.65.

Aluminum in Bottom Sediments of the Lower Silesian Rivers Supplying Dam Reservoirs vs. Selected Chemical Parameters.

The study was carried out on sediments collected from three rivers: Nysa Szalona, Strzegomka and Bystrzyca flowing in southwestern Poland. The content of Al in sediments and in bottom water was determined in relation to chemical conditions. The study was carried out in a four-year cycle, during spring and autumn. The aim of the study was to determine the level and accumulation of aluminum in sediments of rivers supplying dam reservoirs storing water for consumption. The sediments studied were mineral in nature, with neutral pH and moderate sulfate content. The level of Al and heavy metals in the sediments was the highest in the Nysa Szalona River and the lowest in the Strzegomka River, which was also evident in the concentration factor (CF). In terms of season, higher Al contents were recorded in sediments in autumn than in spring, which was also reflected in the concentration factor (CF). Along the course of the river, a gradual decrease in Al levels was observed in successive tributaries in the Nysa Szalona and Strzegomka Rivers, while there was no apparent regularity for the Bystrzyca. Against this background, a comparison of extreme sites below the springs and at the reservoir outlet shows that values were higher in the Nysa Szalona below the springs, and lower in the Strzegomka and Bystrzyca below the reservoir outlet. The general picture of Al and heavy metal loading of the studied sediments shows the lowest loading for the Strzegomka, only the enrichment factor (EF) was the lowest for the Nysa Szalona: metal pollution index (MPI)—S < B < NS, contamination factor (Cf)—S < B < NS, degree of contamination (DC)—S < NS < B, EF—NS < B < S, geoaccumulation index (Igeo)—S < B < NS, CF—S < NS < B. There was no effect of catchment size and river length on Al levels in sediments.

Humic fractions as indicators of soil organic matter responses to clear‐cutting in mountain and lowland conditions of southwestern Poland

AbstractClear‐cutting means forest removal (stems only) and is the most common type of forest harvesting but undoubtedly has a negative impact on the C budget in soils. This work aimed to describe responses of soil organic matter (SOM) in the mixed coniferous forest following the removal of trees under temperate climate conditions in lowland and mountain regions in southwestern Poland. Investigated soils are described as Brunic Arenosols derived from sand with an average content of total organic carbon (TOC) in the Oa‐horizons of 244 g·kg−1 in the lowland and Dystric Cambisols derived from gneiss; the average content of TOC in the Oa‐horizons in the mountain regions was 309 g.kg‐1. Analyzed soils were very acidic in the both regions (pH 2.7–3.5 in the topsoil). In the experiment, two replicated soil profiles were located on each site, both taken after clear‐cutting and without any harvesting. Humic fraction was isolated from Oa‐ and A‐horizons; differences between investigated objects were checked with a significance p &lt; 0.05, (n = 16). Using the instrumental analysis, like electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy applied to isolated humic fractions, it has been found that clear‐cutting alters C cycling and accelerates decomposition in the forest floor, leading to loss of humic fractions in the investigated soils. In the mountain forests, the more labile, low‐molecular‐weight fulvic fraction decreased as the effect of harvesting practice by 30% in Oa‐horizon and by 54% in A‐horizon. The analysis of stable radicals by EPR showed a decrease in radical concentration observed for humic acids (HA) from mountain clear‐cut areas compared to the undisturbed forest. Results presented in this article have proved there is less aliphatic character of HA molecules from the lowlands, compared to the mountain forest as the effect of clear‐cutting. Changes in plant cover observed as a consequence of deforestation lead to the decrease in concentration of humic fractions with different solubility properties.

Effect of condit soil improver on growth, yield and leaf mineral content of two summer pear cvs. with interstocks

The study involving 2 pear cultivars was conducted in 2006–2016. ‘Radana’ and ‘Clapp’s Favourite’ were planted in the spring 2006 in the Experimental Station next to Wrocław (south-western Poland) on Quince S1 and Caucasian pear seedlings with 2 interstocks – ‘Doyenne du Comice’ and ‘Pyrodwarf’. An annual dose of 3 tonnes per hectare of Condit Basic bio-fertilizer was applied onto the tree row soil surface at the beginning of March 2012, i.e., starting from the 7th year after the planting. The study objective was to evaluate effect of Condit preparation on summer pear tree cultivars which are not compatible with Quince, and to assess interstock suitability in their context. The yields obtained in the first eleven years following tree planting were the most abundant for ‘Radana’ on Caucasian pear and on Quince with ‘Doyenne du Comice’ interstock. When applied for 5 years, Condit increased the leaf surface area, however a significant difference was exhibited only by ‘Radana’ on the Caucasian pear. This soil improver did not affect tree growth and yielding; total chlorophyll content; foliar Mg, P, Ca, and K; and mean fruit mass across the investigated treatment combinations.

Assessing the efficiency of using passive hair traps as a method for non-invasive sampling from European beavers (Castor fiber L.)

Using passive hair traps to obtain genetic material from wild mammals is an effective form of testing the abundance of animal populations. Based on genetic analysis of collected hair, it is possible to estimate the number and sex of individuals present in a given area. The aim of this study was to confirm the success of the method of collecting hair from beavers in a non-invasive way, as well as to determine the effectiveness of using passive hair traps as sampling tools that can be applied in different regions. The study was carried out in the area of Stobrawa Landscape Park (southwestern Poland) between December 2017 and May 2018. For 17 control days, 12 samples were obtained, which gave the result of 0.7 samples per control day. This study shows that the proposed method, due to its simplicity and efficiency, could be a cost-effective way of collecting hair from free-ranging beavers without the need for capturing individuals.

Clay mineralogy fingerprinting of loess-mantled soils on different underlying substrates in the south-western Poland

Loess may be integrated into slope deposits at different soil depths and may influence related physical, chemical and mineralogical soil properties. Therefore, tracking the border between deposited loess and underlying materials and estimating the depth of loess penetration is a challenge. Five soils from the Lower Silesia province in south-western Poland having different types of geologic substrate and being covered by loess deposits of various thicknesses were chosen to: 1) trace the origin of phyllosilicates in these heterogeneous soils (loess vs. underlying bedrock); 2) determine the influence of the geologic substrate and the loess mantle on clay mineral transformation in the soil; and 3) relate clay mineralogical traits to soil morphology. The loess consisted of long-distance and local aeolian sources as shown by the Ti/Zr ratios and heavy mineral composition. Geochemical and mineralogical traces of loess were easily detected in the mixed zone and in part also in the basal layer. The loess deposits are characterised by mica, chlorite, kaolinite, interstratified mica-vermiculite or hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite, vermiculite and a minor amount of smectite. Aeolian silt admixture was an important source of chlorite at all sites. The vertical distribution of mica indicated two types of sources — loess input and substrate. Smectite, however, has mostly been inherited from the underlying bedrock (serpentinite, glacio-fluvial deposits and basalt slope sediment) or was formed in the soils from mica or chlorite. Where present in the loess, smectite was only found in small amounts. The presence of kaolinite, HIV and mixed layered mica-vermiculite could be derived either from aeolian input or neoformation and thus actively occurring mineral (trans)formation reactions. Similar to mica, vermiculite was derived from both aeolian input and the geological substrate. The widespread loess deposits in this region rejuvenated the soil formation process, as evidenced by their mineralogical and chemical composition.

Detrital zircon U–Pb age analysis of last glacial loess sources and proglacial sediment dynamics in the Northern European Plain

Loess deposits along the northern fringe of the European loess belt potentially record past changes in dust emission from areas proximal to former ice sheets. Recent chronologies from loess deposits across this region generally agree on greatly enhanced dust deposition rates when the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet reached its maximum extent during the late last glacial. However, uncertainties over the material's source and origin limit understanding of the causes of this enhanced dust activity. In particular, loess in southwestern Poland has been attributed to multiple origins, mainly involving glaciofluvial outwash plains along the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet margin and/or local sources in the mountainous areas of the Sudetes and Western Carpathians. Here we apply detrital zircon U–Pb age analyses for a large number of grains recovered from four loess samples taken from different stratigraphic units exposed at Biały Kościół in southwestern Poland, previously luminescence dated to MIS 4–2, to assess loess provenance as well as its temporal evolution during last glacial Fennoscandian Ice Sheet fluctuations. Furthermore, we analysed the detrital zircon U–Pb age spectra of five samples from potential source sediments to constrain the history of sediment recycling and mixing within the Northern European Plain prior to deflation and loess deposition. The broad range of zircon age components detected in the four loess samples suggests both Fennoscandian and closer Peri-Gondwanan proto-sources while a narrow, dominant Carboniferous age peak is consistent with sourcing from the local Strzelin Hills in the Sudetic foreland. However, the presence of both Fennoscandian and Peri-Gondwanan derived grains in samples from potential source sediments reveals that this mixture of sediment sources is widespread across the Northern European Plain, as a result of long-term glacial and fluvial reworking of cover sediments in the proglacial area throughout the Quaternary. Local rivers draining the Sudetic foreland transported this Fennoscandian-Peri-Gondwanan sediment mixture along with particles denuded from the Strzelin Hills, resulting in a nearby, temporally stable dust source for the Biały Kościół loess during MIS 4–2, while dust emission rates were substantially increased during the last glacial maximum. Given that our model for loess formation at Biały Kościół essentially involves sediment distribution via rivers prior to short distance aeolian transport, we infer that the proportion of northern ice sheet derived particles in European loess deposits is mainly controlled by the drainage pattern of major rivers in relation to Pleistocene ice margins where glaciofluvial sediment is abundant. Based on the presence of Fennoscandian derived zircon grains in European loess deposits, we constrain a southern limit of the influence of northern ice sheet dust sources along the central European highlands that currently divide drainage between the Northern European Plain and the Danube Basins.

Summer Drought in 2019 on Polish Territory—A Case Study

The summer 2019 drought in Poland, i.e., the warmest year in observation history, was characterized. Meteorological, agricultural, hydrological, and hydrogeological aspects were taken into account. Meteorological drought in the light of regionally differentiated days of low precipitation frequency lasted the longest, i.e., over 3 months in central-western Poland. In the period between June–August 2019, in the belt of South Baltic Lakes and Central Polish Lowlands, the lowest precipitation sums of 30–60% of the norm were recorded. The values of the climatic water balance (CWB) calculated by the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG) method for individual months of June–August for the Polish area were −129, −64, and −53 mm, respectively. The most threatened were fruit bushes, spring cereals, maize for grain and silage, and leguminous plants. In central-western and south-western Poland, the drought accelerated the date of the lowest flows by two months on average from the turn of September and October to the turn of July and August. In the lowland belt, where the drought was the most intensive, the average monthly groundwater level, both of free and tight groundwater table, was lower than the monthly averages for the whole hydrological year.

Challenges in the Application of Dendrochemistry in Research on Historical Environmental Pollution in an Old Copper Mining Area

This research investigates the long-term environmental impact and historical temporal pollution patterns caused by a former copper mine in Iwiny (south-western Poland) using a dendrochemical approach. An additional aspect of this research was considering the possibility of using the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) measurement technique as a cheaper alternative to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in dendrochemical analyses conducted in copper mining areas. In the study area, a tailings storage facility (TSF) dam failure (1967) took place and the alkaline flotation waste containing high concentration of Cu and Pb are stored. Tree cores from pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) were analysed for the content of 11 trace elements (TEs) (Cd, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, Pb, Cu, Fe, Al, Ag) using the ICP-OES technique, while tree rings’ widths (TRWs) were also measured. Samples that were most significant in the context of the research goals were verified with the ICP-MS method. The results revealed the strong long-term impact of the copper industry as reflected in a substantial increase in the mean contents of: (1) Mn, Ni, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu and Fe in industrial vs. control trees, (2) TRWs for control vs. industrial trees. However, the observed patterns of TEs and TRWs did not correspond to the known timing of pollution inputs (mining activity, tailings spill). Peak levels were observed for Zn and Fe after the mine was closed. The lack of new sources of pollution and the temporal relationship strongly suggests that the tree rings recorded the chemical signal of the TSF reclamation (the use of fertilizers and agrotechnical interventions). Patterns of 7 elements were detected in most of the samples by ICP-OES (Co and Cd were not detected, Al and Ag were partly detected), while ICP-MS detected all of the elements. Significant differences were obtained for Ag, Cd, and Co. Despite challenges with the application of dendrochemistry in research on old mining areas (e.g., lack of old trees), it has proved to be a useful tool for investigating the aggregate environmental impact.

Local bird densities and habitats are poor predictors of bird collision with glass bus shelters

Bird collisions with glass are a major source of avian mortality, killing billions of birds each year worldwide. Likely, the crucial step to prevent bird-glass collisions is understanding spatial and temporal bird-glass collision patterns. As more and more glass-made constructions appear in public spaces, it becomes essential to identify main drivers of bird collisions with these novel objects. In this study, we perform an attempt to identify local characteristics that may influence the risk of bird collisions with glass bus shelters. We monitored 58 bus shelters from March to July 2018 in urban and rural habitats of south-western Poland. We visited the shelters searching for bird carcasses and traces of collisions but also surveyed birds near shelters, considering the two scales (20 and 100 m of the shelter), and bird behavior (flying vs non-flying). We found 52 evidence of bird collisions and number of collisions per bus shelter ranged from 0 to 7 which substantially deviated from random distribution. Bird abundances recorded near bus shelters, recorded at both 20 m and 100 m scales, were poor predictors of bird-glass collisions and did not improve parsimony of models explaining collision risk. This refers to all recorded birds as well as to the subsets of flying individuals and species being collision victims. Similarly, habitat composition near bus shelters hardly predicted variation in bird-glass collision risk. As we did not manage to identify any important drivers explaining collision risk, we conclude that before we learn how to predict areas with high number of bird-glass collisions, we suggest that developers, urban planners and architects should be advised to design all public transportation shelters using nontransparent materials.

Socio-Demographic and General Health Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors from Southwestern Poland.

Background: Identification of factors associated with quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors can contribute to better functioning in this group of patients. The study aimed to assess the association between QOL and anthropometric, sociodemographic, and medical characteristics in postmastectomy women from southwestern Poland, 9.4 (±6.5) years after completed treatment. Materials and methods: QOL was estimated with the SF-36v2 questionnaire in 250 survivors aged 62.8 (±8.0) years with previously histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer. Results: Women in this study rated their overall QOL with an average of 60.7 (±17.9), Mental Component Summary of 62.8 (±19.8), and Physical Component Summary of 57.5 (±18.8) points. The use of multivariate regression analysis revealed that depression, chronic diseases, abdominal obesity, and pregnancy history have a statistically significant negative effect on the QOL of women after mastectomy, whereas participation in regular physical activity, living with a partner, the education level ≥ 12 years, and living in the city were associated with a higher QOL assessment. There were no significant relationships between QOL and the age, time since surgery, type of treatment, smoking, and occupational status of the patients. Conclusions: Health education, greater social support, specialist care in the treatment of comorbidities, and propagation of a physically active lifestyle can improve the physical and mental functioning of breast cancer survivors long after diagnosis and treatment.

Blood lead level and nutritional status indicators in preadolescent Polish schoolchildren

BackgroundEnvironmental pollutions with heavy metals may have toxic effects on human health and development. One of the most detrimental is lead exposure, which may disturb neurodevelopment and linear growth in children. However, data on the effect of lead exposure on nutritional and weight status in children are limited, thus this study aimed to assess the effect of blood lead (Pb) level on nutritional and weight status in preadolescent schoolchildren from the industrialized, mining region in southwestern Poland. MethodsOur study sample involved N = 709 schoolchildren (402 boys and 307 girls) in the preadolescent developmental period (7–11 years of age for boys and 7–10 years of age for girls). Anthropometric measurements were used to assess nutritional and weight status: body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and skinfolds thicknesses (triceps, subscapular, abdominal and the sum of skinfolds). Blood Pb level was evaluated and divided into two groups: above (>3.7 μg/dL) and below median value (≤3.7 μg/dL). ResultsAnalysis of covariance (with children’s age controlled as a covariate) revealed that children with blood Pb level above median value had significantly lower values of BMI, MUAC and all skinfolds (at least p < 0.01). However, this effect was significant only in boys, whereas in girls differences were non-significant (p > 0.05). The highest effect size of blood Pb level was noted for skinfolds thicknesses (partial η2: 0.015 for the sum of skinfolds). ConclusionsNutritional status in children with higher blood Pb level is significantly impaired in preadolescent boys, who appear to be more sensitive to this environmental factor. Our findings indicate a particular need for nutritional and environmental interventions among preadolescent children in regions with higher lead exposure.

Levels of 137Cs in game and soil in Opole Anomaly, Poland in 2012–2020

Once deposited, radiocesium remains in the environment for a long time, and constantly enters the food chain. Over time, game species tend to accumulate 137Cs by two orders of magnitude more than farm animals. This occurs especially in places heavily contaminated, thus meat products made out of local game should be treated with caution. One of such areas, known as the Opole Anomaly, is located in South-Western Poland and represents one of most 137Cs contaminated regions across Europe after the Chernobyl accident. The aim of the study was to find out the 137Cs activity in soil and local game, the value of the soil-to-game aggregated transfer factor and to assess the effective dose of the ionising radiation (Eeff) received by consumers of local game meat in years 2012–2019. We examined meat of three common game species: red deer, roe deer and wild boar for 137Cs activity. 137Cs activity in meat samples ranged from 0.14 to 592 Bq kg−1. The aggregated transfer factor (Tag) in game ranged from 0.006 to 0.01 m2 kg−1 f.w. for wild boar, 0.005–0.008 m2 kg−1 f.w. for roe deer, and 0.003–0.004 m2 kg−1 f.w. for red deer. The effective dose received by people who regularly consume local game meat ranged from less than 14.2 µSv y−1 to 134 µSv y−1, depending on the amount of differently contaminated game meat consumed annually. Even those for whom game is the only source of meat, consumption of wild boar along with local mushrooms and bilberries will, since 2012, not exceed the regulation limit of 137Cs at the level of 1 mSv y−1. By the best of our knowledge this is the first study regarding 137Cs activity in game and risk assessment from the most contaminated “post-Chernobyl” area in Poland.

Spatial-Temporal Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Urban Areas Using Remote Sensing Images and GIS Analysis: The Case Study of Opole, Poland

Urban expansion is a dynamic and complex phenomenon, often involving adverse changes in land use and land cover (LULC). This paper uses satellite imagery from Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-8 OLI, Sentinel-2 MSI, and GIS technology to analyse LULC changes in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. The research was carried out in Opole, the capital of the Opole Agglomeration (south-western Poland). Maps produced from supervised spectral classification of remote sensing data revealed that in 20 years, built-up areas have increased about 40%, mainly at the expense of agricultural land. Detection of changes in the spatial pattern of LULC showed that the highest average rate of increase in built-up areas occurred in the zone 3–6 km (11.7%) and above 6 km (10.4%) from the centre of Opole. The analysis of the increase of built-up land in relation to the decreasing population (SDG 11.3.1) has confirmed the ongoing process of demographic suburbanisation. The paper shows that satellite imagery and GIS can be a valuable tool for local authorities and planners to monitor the scale of urbanisation processes for the purpose of adapting space management procedures to the changing environment.

Effect of Pod Sealant Application on the Quantitative and Qualitative Traits of Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Seed Yield

Field pea is used for human consumption or as livestock feed. The yield of pea seeds can be significantly decreased due to the genetically determined tendency of peas to pod shattering. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pod sealant application on the quantitative and qualitative traits of the seed yield of two pea cultivars: Arwena and Tarchalska grown in south-western Poland in the years 2018–2019. Pod sealant application showed higher values of analysed quantitative and qualitative traits: number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, seed weight per pod, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, dry matter of seeds, protein content in seeds, and total protein productivity, except the number of seeds per pod. For both years (2018–2019), the interaction of cultivar and pod sealant application showed a significant effect on the number of seeds per plant, total protein content, total protein productivity, and seed weight per pod in 2019. Therefore, the pod sealant application can be a relatively simple way to improve the yielding of field peas.

First Record of the Sinus Worm Skrjabingylus petrowi (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) in a Pine Marten Martes martes from Poland.

Skrjabingylus spp. are nematodes that parasitize in the frontal and nasal sinuses of small mustelids. In Europe, the two species S. nasicola and S. petrowi are known, although records of S. petrowi are extremely rare, except in the former part of the USSR. The aim of the present study was to screen pine martens (Martes martes) from Poland for the first time for the presence of S. petrowi. Three road-killed pine martens were collected in 2018 and 2020 in the province Lower Silesian in southwestern Poland. A complete necropsy was performed on the fresh pine marten heads and especially the frontal sinuses and paranasal sinuses were examined for the presence of Skrjabingylus spp. The species identity of the recovered nematodes was determined by morphological measurements and genetic barcoding. One of three pine martens examined showed infection with 12 Skrjabingylus spp. in the right frontal sinus. Measurements of the spicule length of the males revealed a range of 480-521 µm which is characteristic of S. petrowi. There was a close match between the COI sequence reported here and of S. petrowi sequences reported from Germany. This is the first report of infection of a pine marten with the sinus worm S. petrowi in Poland.

Szklary nickel deposit \u2014 a review and introduction to attempts in hydrometallurgical processing

Szklary Massif is situated about 60 km from Wrocław (southwestern Poland) and around 7 km from Ząbkowice Śląskie. The history of raw materials in this region started in the fifteenth century with the discovery of precious minerals like chrysoprase, chalcedony, and opal. The exploitation of nickel ore in this region started in the nineteenth century and was conducted with few stops until 1983. The remaining 17.21 mln mg of ore with 125,000 mg of nickel might be a chance to satisfy rising demand for raw materials used to develop electromobility. One of the crucial aspects regarding possible investment is the processing of ore. The pilot tests show the efficient use of heap leaching. The authors provide the future project in Szklary within the framework of circular economy.

Effect of Sowing Date on Soybean Development in South-Western Poland

Soybean is a thermophilic and photophilic plant very sensitive to weather course during the vegetation period. This trait limits soybean cultivation in higher latitude countries. This field study aimed to evaluate the effects of three sowing dates on the development, the duration of vegetative and generative stages, and the yield of two soybean cultivars (Lissabon and Merlin) under conditions in south-western Poland in the years 2016–2019. The sowing date determines the temperature and the day length available for soybean plants, influencing development and yield. Delaying the sowing date by 20 days in relation to the earliest (16–21.04) resulted in the shortening of the length of the vegetative development by 12 days and the shortening of the entire vegetation period by 14 days. The delayed sowing date (06–19.05) under the conditions of south-western Poland (Lower Silesia) contributed to a significant decrease in yield. Lissabon produced greater soybean yield than Merlin. Special attention should be paid to proper seed sowing dates in soybean agriculture practice. It is necessary to breed soybean genotypes adapted to day length and thermal conditions of the cultivation area to achieve the maximum seed yield.

Probabilistic Approach to Precipitation-Runoff Relation in a Mountain Catchment: A Case Study of the Kłodzka Valley in Poland

On the basis of daily precipitation and discharges recorded in 1974–2013 relations between precipitation and runoff in the Kłodzka Valley (KV) in south-western Poland were analyzed. The degree of synchronicity between them was determined using the bivariate Archimedean copulas. This study aims at identifying and then describe in a probabilistic way the precipitation and runoff relations in the area playing an important role in the formation of water resources, but also particularly exposed to flooding. It was found that isolines of the synchronous occurrence of precipitation and total runoff in the Nysa Kłodzka catchment controlled by gauge Kłodzko had a zonal distribution, with the synchronicity values decreasing from south-east to north-west of the study area. This proves that its eastern part is more hydrologically active, compared to the western part, and as such it determines the amount of water resources of the study area. The decrease in synchronicity is influenced by the type and spatial distribution of precipitation, the structure of water supply, and the geological structure of the study area. Moreover, probabilistic methods applied in this research differ from those used in previous research on the hydrology of KV, as we propose using the copula functions. The method presented can be used to evaluate the availability of water resources in areas playing a key role in their formation on different scales.

Provenance and paleoenvironmental context of the Late Pleistocene thin aeolian silt mantles in southwestern Poland – A widespread parent material for soils

Thin loess deposits are widespread soil parent materials and important archives for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. The origin of loess in SW Poland is attributed to the Great Odra Valley (GOV), following the general concept that large rivers play a major role in regional silt supply. Yet, the precise provenance (glacier sources and/or local rocks) of silts, possibly deflated from dry GOV braided riverbeds, is not clear. Our study of thin and thick loess mantles in SW Poland for the first time indicates the provenance of thin loess based on mineralogical (MLA-SEM) and isotopic analyses (143Nd/144Nd, 87Sr/86Sr). Luminescence ages of five localities point to thin loess mantle formation during and shortly (23.0 to 17.7 ka yr) after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Our isotopic data indicate that thin loess deposits in SW Poland are the mixtures of two main components – local Sudetic and Scandinavian, the latter delivered by the Fennoscandian ice sheet (FIS). Also, detailed analyses of heavy minerals show that a single mineral (e.g., hornblende) may come from both Sudetic and Scandinavian sources. This research highlights the role of the (Pleistocene) GOV in collecting and homogenizing materials, while supplying the region with fine particles to be deflated by paleowinds from open surfaces. Anomalies in mineralogy and isotopic composition are connected with influence of Sudetic mountain rivers and locally blowing silt material by katabatic winds. Regional grain size differentiation of thin loess mantles explains transport distance and altitude.