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The aim of the study was to conduct a preliminary hydrological and hydrochemical investigation of spring waters near Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą. The monitoring covered nine descending springs located within the Pilica erosion scarp on the section from Łęgonice to Wola Pobiedzińska, where water flows out of Quaternary porous formations. Once a month, from November 2022 to October 2023, the discharge, temperature, conductivity, pH and nitrate concentrations were measured, while the chemical composition in terms of macroelements was determined in February and August. Additionally, the concentrations of selected microelements were measured in August. The obtained results indicated that the discharge of the identified outflows placed them in classes VI and VII according to Meinzer classification and was relatively stable over time. In terms of water mineralisation, the springs can be classified as freshwater and acratopegic, with the hydrochemical types being HCO3-Ca and HCO3-SO4-Ca. Significant differences in the physical characteristics and chemical composition of the spring waters were documented (visible in the concentrations of SO42-, Cl-, Na+ and K+), resulting from human impact and good isolation of water-bearing horizons. It was also found that the spring waters were heavily contaminated with nitrates, which reflects the intensive agricultural activity in the Rawska Upland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Birds may avoid recapture for some time after they have been captured. • Period between capture-recapture of Great Tits was depended from their sex and age. • Size of the human settlements did not affect time to recapture of tits. Abstract Urban and rural habitats provide different conditions to wintering birds mainly due to different access to bird feeders. Returning to the food sources, even under the stress related to trapping, could play an important role in the energetic budget of wintering birds. We studied the duration of period between the first and the second capture of the Great Tits (Parus major) caught and ringed at bird feeders. We expected that recapturing of birds, which could be connected with their experience, would depend on their sex, age and on the size of human settlements (urban vs. rural areas), which could modify the behavior of wintering birds. We found that the length of the period was the shortest for immature females and the longest for adult males (the difference being 3.8 days in average). In contrast to more experienced adults, more frequent visits in case of immature tits, which increased probability of being trapped, could be affected by their weaker condition and smaller size, which resulted in feeding whenever it was possible. At the same time we did not find any differences between urban (duration of 29.5 days in average) and rural (28.5 days) areas. Differentiation in bird densities, access to feeders and various environmental factors seems to be the reason why this issue awaits further, more detailed studies including influence of weather on the behavior of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among Arctic-breeding waterfowl species, spring stopovers are critical to individuals as a means to accumulate fat and nutrient stores to invest in both migration and their breeding attempt in the tundra zone. We studied the influence of possible factors (age, sex, progress of migration season) on the stopover duration of one such species, the Eurasian Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons albifrons), by analysing records of 1,115 neck-banded birds spotted at their Biebrza Basin stopover site on spring migration in Po-land. As expected, because most mature birds are paired, there were no differences between the sexes in stopover duration. Generally, adults stayed for shorter periods than immatures and stopover duration was shorter later in the season. Data from individuals of known age showed that the rate of decrease in stopover duration with season was faster among older than younger geese. Immature birds, still not ready to breed, do not face the pressure to attain breeding condition and therefore may stay longer in the stopover areas. We think these patterns may reflect the greater experience of older birds, as well as the stronger pressure on them to reach the breeding grounds as early as possible. As the breeding season approaches and foraging opportunities at migration sites further up the fly-way become more accessible and of higher quality, geese stay for shorter periods later in the season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen and nectar produced by flowers of species from the genus Salix are an important source of food for various insect groups in early spring. Most willows are entomophilous species; however, substantial amounts of airborne Salix pollen can be noted. The aim of the study was to evaluate the content of pollen of this taxon in the air of Lublin (central-east Poland) in 2001-2016 and to identify the period of its greatest availability to insects. In 2015, we compared the course of the Salix pollen season in Lublin (51°14'37" N; 22°32'25" E) and in the Roztoczański National Park (50°34'57" N; 23°04'24" E), Poland. We found that the date of the pollen season onset fluctuated greatly between March 16 and April 17. The greatest availability of Salix pollen to insects was noted from the end of the first 10-day-period of April to the first 10-day-period of May. The mean annual sum of airborne Salix pollen grains was 833. In Lublin, Salix pollen accounted for ca. 1.25% of the total airborne pollen content of different plant taxa. The investigations have demonstrated a 2-year cycle of Salix pollen abundance. The comparison of the pollen seasons in Lublin and in the Roztoczański National Park indicates that considerably greater amounts of pollen occur in the urban area than in the air of the Roztoczański National Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter is one of the crucial periods of the bird's year-round life cycle. Fat reserves in bird species are prone to a wide range of factors, with weather conditions and a bird's social status being two major ones. In our study we analysed the variation in fat reserves in birds with stable, constant access to food resources in three of the most common wintering species: the great tit Parus major, the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus and the greenfinch Chloris chloris. The highest mean value of fat score was found in the greenfinch, whereas in both species of tits these values were equally lower. For all three species the amount of fat reserve was correlated with the same factors. It increased together with the decrease of mean average temperature, and with the course of daytime as well as the season-site index (calculated as data collected at a given site in a particular year). Contrary to many previous surveys we did not find dependence of the fat score level on individual dominance status, which is probably linked to the abundance of food in catching sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2011 a study was initiated, financed from resources of the Polish National Science Centre, entitled: 'Rainstorm prediction and mathematic modelling of their environmental and social-economical effects' (No. NN/306571640). The study, implemented by a Polish-American team, covers meteorological research, including: (1) monitoring of single cell storms developing in various synoptic situations, (2) detection of their movement courses, and (3) estimation of parameters of their rain field. Empirical studies, including hydrological and geomorphological measurements, are conducted in objects researched thoroughly in physiographic terms (experimental catchments) in the Lublin region (SE Poland), distinguished by high frequency of occurrence of the events described. For comparative purposes, studies are also carried out on selected model areas in the lower course of the Mississippi River valley (USA), in a region with high frequency of summer rainstorms. For detailed studies on sediment transport processes during rainstorm events, catchments of low hydrological rank and their sub-catchments in a cascade system were selected. For the basic, relatively uniform geomorpho logical units distinguished this way, erosion and deposition balance of material transported was determined. The aim of work was to determine influence of weather condition on fluvial transport rate in small catchment with low hydrological order W 2011 roku uruchomiono na Wyżnie Lubelskiej i Roztoczu monitoring hydro-meteorologiczny i geomorfologiczny w 7 zlewniach niskiej rangi hydrologicznej (ryc. 1), w ramach projektu NCN, pt.: 'Predykcja gwałtownych ulew i modelowanie matematyczne ich skutków środowiskowych i społeczno-ekonomicznych' (nr NN/306571640). Pomiary transportu fluwialnego wykonuje się w 12 reprezentatywnych przekrojach poprzecznych rzek i potoków okresowych (ryc. 1). W pracy przedstawiono wstępne wyniki otrzymane dla okresu maj-październik 2011 roku dla dwóch zlewni (Świerszcza i Kryniczanki) położonych na Roztoczu. W analizowanym dość ciepłym i suchym okresie zarejestrowano 87 dni z opadem > 0,1 mm, a maksymalny opad dobowy nie przekroczył 40 mm (ryc. 2). Odpływ całkowity ze zlewni Świerszcza wahał się od 6,4 mm do 104,5 mm, co stanowiło 1,8 % całkowitej sumy opadów. Średni odpływ ze zlewni Kryniczanki osiągnął 10,4 mm (ok. 2,2% całkowitej sumy opadów). Skrajne wielkości dobowe przepływu w Świerszczu zmieniały się od 0,135 m3·s-1 do 0,498 m3·s-1 (ryc. 3). Najwyższe przepływy miesięczne przypadały na sierpień (0,235 m3·s-1), najniższe na wrzesień (0,153 m3·s-1). W Kryniczance skrajne wielkości dobowe przepływu zmieniały się od 0,013 do 1,52 m3·s-1, natomiast najwyższe przepływy zanotowano w lipcu, a najniższe w czerwcu i październiku (ryc. 3). Średnie miesięczne wielkości mineralizacji całkowitej były mało zmienne, zarówno dla Kryniczanki (231-287 mg∙dm-3), jak i Świerszcza (137-177 mg∙dm-3). Najmniej roztworów odprowadzanych było w czerwcu (Kryniczanka - 38,7 t, Świerszcz - 70,1 t), najwięcej w lipcu (Kryniczanka - 236 t) lub październiku (Świerszcz - 99 t), a całkowity odpływ materiału ze zlewni osiągnął 591 t (Kryniczanka) i 470 t (Świerszcz). Udział materiału rozpuszczonego w całkowitym transporcie rzecznym był bardzo wysoki (do 99.7%), a materiału dennego niewielki (< 1%). Wskaźniki denudacji jednostkowej w okresie maj-październik 2011 roku wahały się od 0,6 do 3,5 t·km-2 dla zlewni Kryniczanki oraz od 1,7 do 2,2 t·km-2 dla zlewni Świerszcza. Średnie wskaźniki denudacji chemicznej osiągnęły 1,5 t·km-2 dla Kryniczanki i 0,19 t·km-2 dla Świerszcza. Średnie wskaźniki denudacji mechanicznej dochodziły do 0,019 t·km-2 dla Kryniczanki i 0,072 t·km-2 dla Świerszcza. Otrzymane wskaźniki denudacji nie odbiegają od średnich z wielolecia. Zróżnicowanie transportu fluwialnego w analizowanych zlewniach było uzależnione od wielkości i rozkładu odpływu oraz pokrycia terenu. Otrzymane zaś wskaźniki denudacji są niższe od przeciętnych dla Wyżyn Polskich i porównywalnie z obszarami Niżu Środkowoeuropejskiego. Wpływa na to stosunkowo mała rozpuszczalność większości skał w podłożu, znaczny udział lasów i łąk w dnach dolin oraz małe nasilenie antropopresji (duży udział obszarów chronionych) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]