Plant assemblage from Opole,southern Poland: New data on Late Cretaceous vegetation of the northern part of the European Province

This paper presents the results of studies on plant macroremains found in the upper Turonian of the Folwark Quarry, Opole, Poland, associated with palynological studies of the host rocks. In addition to a few macrofossils (gymnosperm wood, conifer Geinitzia reichenbachii and fern ?Didymosorus) rich sporomorphs (bryophyte, lycopod and fern spores, conifer and angiosperm pollen grains) and marine palynomorphs (mainly dinoflagellate cysts) were recorded. The palynological analysis revealed that the vegetation on the neighbouring land (the East Sudetic Island) in the late Turonian was much more diverse than could be reconstructed based on only macrofossil remains. The latter are taxonomically restricted and dominated by one gymnosperm species (Geinitzia reichenbachii), which make them similar to most neighbouring, coeval Central European assemblages. Its over representation is, thus, a result of taphonomy.     

Characterization of fluid inclusions from mineralized pegmatites of the Damara Belt,Namibia: insight into late-stage fluid evolution and implications for mineralization

Mineralogy and Petrology - Mineralized NYF and LCT pegmatites occur throughout the northeast-trending Neoproterozoic Damara Belt, Namibia. Mineralization in the pegmatites varies geographically,...     

Mg-enriched erythrite from Bou Azzer,Anti-Atlas Mountains,Morocco: geochemical and spectroscopic characteristics

Mineralogy and Petrology - Supergene Mg-enriched erythrite, with an average composition (Co2.25Mg0.58Ni0.14Fe0.04Mn0.02 Zn0.02) (As1.97P<0.01O8)·8H2O, accompanied by skutterudite,...     

An introduction to the classification of the physiognomic landscape types: methodology and results of testing in the area of Kazimierz Landscape Park (Poland)

The publication of the European Landscape Convention (2000) had a stimulating effect on the development of both new systems of landscape classification and new methods of their evaluation and mapping. As an example, a new classification of physiognomic landscape types was developed in Poland in 2014. The objectives of the paper are to (1) popularize, on the international scale, the classification of physiognomic landscape types in a new, improved version, (2) present the original method of physiognomic landscape types mapping with the use of the system of basic landscape units, and (3) present the results of testing of the method in the area of the Kazimierz Landscape Park, Poland. In the area of the Kazimierz Landscape Park, 491 basic landscape units were delimited, within which, on the basis of the leading traits of land relief and cover forms, the physiognomic landscape types were identified. Maps of this type can be important tools in implementing the recommendations of the European Landscape Convention. The total number of physiognomic landscape types identified within a specific area can be one of the key indicators of landscape diversity.     

Reflected and transmitted waves in a channel with side porous mattresses

The problem of wave propagation and wave damping in a channel with side porous mattresses of arbitrary shape protruding from the walls is studied. The solution was achieved by applying 3-D boundary element method and was employed to study wave field in the channel and to analyze the effect of the geometry of the mattresses and physical and hydraulic properties of porous material on wave damping. The results show that wave damping in the channel strongly depends on wave parameters, especially, on the wave number. Wave reflection and transmission decrease with increasing the wave number. The results also show that the wave field in the channel strongly depends on the geometry of the mattresses as well as on physical and hydraulic properties of porous material used to build these wave dampers. The geometry of the mattresses and physical and hydraulic properties of porous material have a moderate effect on wave reflection and a significant effect on wave transmission. The results show that wave transmission down the channel decreases with increasing the length and thickness of the mattresses. Moreover, wave transmission decreases with increasing the porosity and damping properties of porous media used to build the mattresses. The analysis shows that porous mattresses protruding from the channel walls are very efficient in damping water waves propagating down the channel and may be built in channels to reduce high waves and achieve desired wave conditions. Theoretical results are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.     

The mycobiota of discoloured needles of the Swiss stone pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus cembra</Emphasis> L.) in the Tatra Mountains (Poland)

The Swiss stone Pine (Pinus cembra L.) is an alpine species, fairly commonly occurring in the Alps and the Carpathians, close to the timberline. Natural sites of the Swiss stone pine in Poland are found exclusively in the Tatra Mountains, within the area of the Tatra National Park (TNP). In 2017, the health status of the needles of P. cembra was determined and their mycological analysis was carried out. As a result, 11 species of fungi were isolated from the needles showing disease symptoms, manifested by various shades of discoloration. The most frequently observed species was Fusarium oxysporum. It probably does not bring on disease symptoms, but may affect the development of other frequently isolated species (such as Sydowia polyspora, Lophodermium sp. and Lophodermium conigenum) that are pathogenic to Pinus spp.     

The response of slope and channel systems to various types of extreme rainfall: A comparison between the temperate zone and humid tropics

The mountain slopes and river channels of the temperate zone and of the humid tropics are modelled by various types of extreme rainfall. In the Flysch Carpathians the leading role is played by continuous rains causing floods and landslides, rainy seasons (wet years) mobilizing deep landslides and, to a smaller degree by local downpours. In the Darjeeling Himalaya with young relief and uplift tendency, the main influence on modelling the mountain slopes and river channels have been the extreme continuous rains separated by several decades of normal rainy season, playing the preparatory or relaxation role with simultaneous transformation of slopes and river channels. In both cases human impact has caused the acceleration of runoff and mobilization of sediment. The higher extremes of precipitation and steep slopes in the humid tropics are balanced (to some extent) in temperate zones by the lower infiltration rates and lower thresholds of mass mobility on the gentle slopes originated in the periglacial environment.     

Fast-changing processes in a medium subject to loading as detected by resistivity measurements

Making measurements of electric resistivity at 16 s intervals, the authors noticed fast changes of this parameter prior to the occurrence of the main fracture. The changes are superposed on bay pulsations of increasing amplitude and decreasing period. This finding opens prospects for a wider use of an electric resistivity method and proves the high quality of automatic instruments, in particular their high resolution. It also gives evidence for the occurrence of short-period precursors in the fracture zone while the main fracture is being formed.     

Polish forest ecosystems: The influence of changes in the economic system on the carbon balance

In order to study the effects of a change in the economic system on carbon balance at a national scale, a balance of the carbon influx and effluxes was prepared for forest ecosystems in Poland for 1988, and was repeated for 1990. The year 1988 was the first year of drastic economic changes (and severe crises) in Poland. Two entirely different approaches were used to estimate the carbon influx into a forest ecosystem. The forest inventory approach was based on data from conventional measurements of merchantable timber in forests, whereas the carbon flux and allocation approach was based on the estimate of net photosynthetic productivity of forest ecosystems to calculate the carbon influx. Results from both approaches were within the range 1.17 to 5.77t C/ha/yr which most likely defined lower and upper limits for the carbon influx into forest ecosystems in Poland. On the national scale, the carbon influx into Polish forest ecosystems was estimated by the forest inventory approach to be about 12.8 Mt C/yr. This result was similar for both years. Efflux of carbon from Polish forest ecosystems resulted almost entirely from the decay of logging residues. The efflux in 1990 (3.82 Mt C/yr) was about 26% lower than that in 1988. Storage of the carbon in Polish forest ecosystems (including an estimate of the carbon pool in forest soils) was 1.8% greater in 1990 (2518 Mt C) than in 1988, when it equalled 2473 Mt C.