The subject of investigations was the fragment of low peatland complex located close to Miękinia,
about 30 km from Wrocław. Within the range of the examined area of peat bog complex there can be distinguished three parts differing in their utilization and composition of species, namely: 1/ the area degraded by the
attempt to afforest it with alder trees Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertner, 2/ occasionally used bog hay meadow and
3/ typical peat forming phytocenosis. Total number of determined species, belonging to 11 phytosociological
classes, ranged 77, out of which more than a half constitute representatives of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class.
As far as a non-afforested area was concerned, there were determined 5 phytocenosis, including 4 classified as
peat forming ones and one typical for post-bog meadows (Alopecuretum pratensis). The afforested area featured
herbaceous plant composition which indicated that the area with Alopecuretum pratensis phytocenosis had been
degraded. Analysis of environmental requirements, done with the use of ecological numbers, proved that prevailing number of species characterize similar requirements. It was mainly afforested part to feature taxons of
broader ecological scale, e.g. Polygonum bistora L., Carex hirta L. and Plantago lanceolata L.
The afforested area was purchased by a private person, therefore it can be assumed that the reason for such
a way of peatlands utilization was obtaining EU subsidies at minimum work effort. A higher financial profit,
however, would have been made by the owner if he had maintained a bog area as an extensive meadow.
The aim of this study was to delimit lacustrine deposits underlaying present peatlands. On this basis, the location of water bodies in late Pleistocene and early Holocene was recognized. The lakes’ occurrence was presented on the background of geomorphological conditions. Lacustrine deposits occur mainly in depressions of the northern part of the Knyszyńska Forest. They are placed in upper parts of the Czapielówka River, Jałówka River, middle Sokołda River and upper Kumiałka River catchments. The thickness of gyttja varies between 0.4 and 2.5 m. These are detrital, calcareous and clay-calcareous gyttjas. Lacustrine sediments fill the bottoms of various meltout depressions. The origin of these depressions, as well as the whole glacial relief of the terrain, is often linked to deglaciation of the Warta ice sheet. However, kame deposits in the Janów village are younger than Warta glaciation. Moreover, the catchment relief of the upper Kumiałka River is similar to the relief which originates from Vistulian glaciation. Besides, there are boulder deposits directly under the lacustrine deposits. These three facts indicate a younger age of the melt-out depressions in the upper Kumiałka River catchment.
The aim of the study was to compare the physical-chemical quality parameters of shallow groundwater quality in peat bogs of the Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District in the context of the occurrence of selected boreal species of plant relics: dwarfbirch (Betula humilis Schrank), downy willow (Salix lapponum L. ) and swamp willow (Salix myrtylloides L. ). Analyzes of shallow groundwater quality parameters included physical-chemical parameters: reaction (pH), electrolytic conductivity(EC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4), nitrite nitrogen (NO2), nitrate nitrogen (NO3), total phosphorus (TP), phosphate (PO4), sulfate (SO2), sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and mag-nesium (Mg) by certified laboratory tests.
It was found that the natural hydrochemical specification of peat bogs is characterized by fluctuations associated with the dynamics of internal metabolism of peat ecosystems without the visible impact of anthropopressure. This is confirmed by the concentration of nutrients: TNat the study sites were within a broad range of mean values: 16.92–45.31 mg·dm–3; NH4 (0.55–0.76 mg·dm–3); NO2 (0.06–4.33 mg·dm–3); and NO3 did not exceed 0.2 mg·dm–3, and concentration of TP adopted mean values in a range of 0.22–0.42 mg·dm–3.
The studied physical-chemical factors of shallow groundwater were within the habitat preferences of the studied species, but in differentiated qualitative and quantitative ways determined optimal conditions for building the population of the studied species. Particularly values of TP lower than other obtained values in a range of: 0.08–0.32 mg·dm–3; PO4 = 0.1 mg·dm–3; TN = 2.2–21.2 mg·dm–3; NH4 = 0.1–0.46 mg·dm–3; DOC = 24.6–55.9 mg·dm–3, as well as higher than average pH values in a range of: 5.34–5.95 and concentration of Ca = 5.67–28.1 mg·dm–3 and Mg = 0.56–2.41 mg·dm–3, as well as EC = 72.1–142.3 μS·cm–1 can be treated as a condition favouring proper development of the population of dwarf birch. For Salix lapponum: a reduced level of values of nitrogen fractions (TN = 3.01–18.84 mg·dm–3; NH4 = 0.1–0.41 mg·dm–3), a reduced level of values of phosphorus fractions (TP = 0.09–0.44 mg·dm–3; PO4 = 0.1–0.44 mg·dm–3), part of ions (Ca = 4.39–19.63 mg·dm–3; Mg = 0.77–3.37 mg·dm–3), pH = 5.9–6.4, EC = 124–266 μS·cm–1 and DOC = 24.1–57.5 mg·dm–3. For the equally studied Salix myrtylloides, such conditions were met by: TP = 0.1–0.41 mg·dm–3; PO4 = 0.1–0.18 mg·dm–3, DOC = 27.5–50.9 mg·dm–3, pH = 5.3–5.94 andEC = 62.2–139.3 μS·cm–1.
We present the last millennium of history of a peatland located in northern Poland. Our results are based on two replicate monoliths taken from a Baltic raised bog. We applied a high-resolution approach and radio car bon dating to the peat material to obtain a de tailed palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. To reconstruct past peatland moisture, we used three prox ies: testate amoebae, plant macrofossils and pollen. Despite different peat accumulation and extensive hiatus in the formerly studied core, both monoliths show a similar pattern of changes. However, the core from this study provides us with more detailed data on S. fuscum disappear ance which correlates well with the data from the other Baltic bog, S³owiñskie B³oto. Our re search shows that pris tine Bal tic bogs can be dated to AD 1350. Słowiñskie Błoto palaeohydrology confirms AD 1300 as the beginning of the hydrological disturbance. In the case of the Stążki and Słowiñskie Błoto bogs, the Little Ice Age (LIA) is recorded between AD 1500 and AD 1800. However, this climatic change might have been blurred by human impact. In the case of the Baltic bogs, their reference virgin state can be dated to AD 1200. After this date, we observed in creasing human impact and climatic in stability connected with the LIA. However, between AD 1800 and 1900, bogs were wet, most possibly due to climatic forcing. This fact suggests that despite human impact, recent peat deposits can still reflect climate. Our research provided in formation related to the time of existence, location and characteristics of the natural/pristine state. High-resolution peatland palaeoecology is crucial for restoration activities, e.g., rewetting and environmental management. The palaeohydrological context (supported by other proxies) of the last 1000 years provides a reliable answer to the question: ‘To rewet or not to rewet?’
We investigated sediments of three Sphagnum peatland-lake ecosystems located in Tuchola forest, both in moraine (Małe Leniwe near Rekowo) and outwash plain (Dury and Rybie Oko) landscape. Geological cross-sections were studied for each basin. Characteristic feature of these ecosystems is the presence of floating mats encroaching the lakes and deposition of highly hydrated sediments below the floating mat. Principal conditions favouring the development of peatland-lake ecosystems are (1) location of the lake in a sandy, non-calcareous catchment overgrown by coniferous forest, (2) steep ness of the lake basin, what prevents emerged macrophytes succession and (3) the depth of the basin significantly exceeding 10 m to avoid complete in filling of the lake basin. The developmental pathway in the Dury I basin indicates a shift in lake environment from neutral to acid one. After initial development of Charophytes, Potamogeton and Najas expanded, which later on, were succeeded by Sphagnum due to acidification of the lake water. Initial stages of the development of the lakes were determined mainly by allogenic factors, whereas in later stages autogenic factors (development of floating mat and peat acidifying the lake water) played fundamental role.
Białowieża in Poland is a very famous region in Europe (because of its primeval forest and bison population), but its environmental history is poorly known. This article shows the results of palynological analysis, macrofossil analysis and geological settings of two mires in the Białowieża Forest. The pollen diagrams show changes of the vegetation cover from the younger part of the Late Glacial until the present time. The relative time scale is based on palynostratigraphy and comparison to published results of other sites from the adjacent regions. During the Late Glacial two stages of the vegetation succession were revealed: steppe and forest during the Alleröd period and tundra-like vegetation during the Younger Dryas. The Holocene history consists of five stages of plant cover development. The special features of the Białowieża Forest are conditioned by two main factors: low degree of anthropogenic impact and influences of continental climate and boreal zone, stronger than in the other regions of Poland.
en
pl
