Search

The implementation of the European Landscape Convention in Poland requires the identification and landscape assessment in the form of a landscape audit made for each region (voivodeship), as enshrined in the Act on Spatial Planning and Land Development. The Act assumes that as part of landscape audit within regional parks priority landscapes as well as zones of landscape protection will be indicated. There are methodical tools prepared by the Ministry of the Environment to realize both main landscape audit elements – the instruction and the recommendations. Currently (at the end of 2018) no region of the audit is yet to be found, and the newly adopted conservation plans for regional parks enforce, in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act reference to both priority landscapes and zones. This article presents testing of the methodology proposed by the Ministry of the Environment for determining priority landscapes (the instruction) and landscape protection zones (the recommendations). The reference field was the conservation plan for Brudzeń Landscape Park (BLP) located in the Masovian Voivodeship. An attempt to implement particularly the Instructions and identify priority landscapes in the BLP conservation plan proved to be not fully possible. The analyzes carried out in the BLP call for the opinion that apart from the current landscape, it is necessary to take into account other than land use features of the environment that determine the specificity of the landscape – mainly terrain, additionally the catalog of current types of landscapes should be open. Tools prepared by the Ministry of the Environment – still need to be refined.

This paper involves a comparative analysis of cross-sectional changes at selected reaches of a lowland river, flowing through the areas of mineral and organic soils. The comparisons were made at the background of design and execution assumptions from the period 1967–1971. Main processes, responsible for the observed changes of riverbeds in mineral soils (silting, conservation works) and organic soils (subsidence, disappearance of the peat deposit), were identified. In case of organic soils, the decrease of cross-sectional area by approximately from 30 to 60% was estimated in comparison to the original project assumptions, and the subsidence of river banks reached even 0.5 m in relation to the level determined in 1967. In the area of mineral soils, more considerable variability of cross-sectional area was noted along with minor changes of river banks elevation, that resulted most likely from the performed maintenance works.

Phytotoxicity and phytogenotoxicity of soils in the area of liquidated pesticide-burial ground. First efforts to reduce the environmental risks caused by existing pesticide burial grounds were undertaken in Poland at the beginning of the 1990s. Work on their liquidation was accelerated after the adoption of the fi rst National Waste Management Plan 2006 and National Waste Management Plan 2010. In 2011 The Supreme Audit Offi ce carried out an assessment of the realisation of the plans, which revealed the negligence in monitoring of the areas of liquidated pesticide burial grounds, whilst even after the land reclamation process, the remaining contamination could still pose environmental risk. In such areas, to evaluate the impact of the mixture of potentially present toxic and genotoxic substances, higher plant bioassays are very useful. On the example of liquidated pesticide burial ground in Grójec we concluded, that after several years from the liquidation and land reclamation processes, environmental impact of this type of facility could still be perceptible. Phytogenotoxicity of soil samples, collected from the liquidated burial site and the immediate vicinity, was detected with Vicia faba Root Tip Assay.

Landscape valuation for planning ecotourism trails - case study. Ecotourism is a type of tourism strictly connected with natural and cultural landscape values. This kind of idea of “green travel” is perfect option for people who want to relax and sightseeing rural municipalities. It is really important to design eco-tourism trails, which are very usefulness for tourists in this area. The paper is presented natural and cultural values of Piaseczno municipality. It was done landscape valorization, which are included natural and cultural elements of this area. The purpose was to distinguished the areas with the high natural and cultural landscape values for eco-tourism trail design. It was used bonitation points to assessment in scale from 1 point to 5 points. The results were presented on maps, including areas with high, medium, low and very low landscape values. It was distinguished areas with minimum 50% of the maximum number of points were considered attractive for design eco-tourism trails.

Assessment of water quality and nutrient balance of a small lake in urban landscape - case study of Rusałka lake in the Wielkopolskie Lakeland. In this work based on the results of laboratory analysis of water samples, the water status of lake and as well as water fl owing and out of the lake, during growing season of 2011-2012 and 2016-2017 were assessed. The water samples for physico-chemical analysis were collected once a month from three control points and following parameter were analyzed for: oxygen conditions and organic pollutants (oxygen, BOD5, COD), acidification (pH), salinity (EC) and nutrients concentration (N-NO3, N-NO2, N-NH4 i P-PO43-). The state of the waters of Rusałka lake and Bogdanka river upstream the lake and downstream the lake qualified for III-V grade of quality. This was mainly due to high value of COD and BOD5indices. The main sources of nutrients in the lake’s water were the non-point sources. Yearly introduction of fish, fishing and leisure activities around lake as well as real estate development in the catchment led to the degradation of the quality of the water in Rusałka lake.

Heating piles combine the function of the foundation and the heat source. They acquire heat from the ground through in built the installation. Inside the installation is non-freezing liquid at low temperature. In connection with the above, piles and the surrounding soil are exposed to significant temperature changes. As a result of these changes, the mechanical parameters of the soil and the behavior of the pile and soil contact surface were changed. This affects directly the load capacity of the heating piles. To describe this effect, laboratory tests were carried out to determine the thermal and mechanical parameters of the soil at low temperatures. The results from laboratory tests were applied as material parameters in the Z_Soil program. Based on the analysis using the finite element method, it was found that there is an negative effect on the friction on the surface of pile associated with the heat transfer between the soil and the pile.

The preconsolidation stress is an important phenomenon that determines the value of stress history exerted in the past on the subsoil in the geotechnical engineering. Overconsolidation ratio (OCR) is one of the main criteria conditioning soil behaviour and its characteristics. Here thought, the yield stress ratio (YSR) is used to determine the value of preconsolidation stress resulting from mechanical overburden than can be changed by many post depositional processes like secondary and tertiary compressibility, cementation, aging, temperature change and others. The yield stress ratio (YSR) is defined as the relationship between vertical yield stress (σ’vy) to the effective vertical stress (σ’v0). The eemian gyttja was used as a foundation in the engineering construction. In practical geotechnical engineering, evaluation of stress history is usually based on the overconsolidation ratio (OCR). The yield stress ratio (YSR) was used in the laboratory as one of the basic parameters for the geotechnical design of the structure. To know the relation between geological background, history and mechanical behaviour in long-time process of the soil aims a knowledge that can help engineers who often have to predict soil behaviour based upon the soil geological history and a few geotechnical data. In order to evaluate the yield stress ratio of eemian gyttja it is necessary to restore this soft, organic soil as much as possible to the in situ conditions. The laboratory tests were used to determinate the vertical yield stress and then the yield stress ratio. The laboratory tests were made in the automatic oedometer and the in situ tests were carried out on the dilatometer test (DMT). The comparison between the determination the yield stress ratio of eemian gyttja from the laboratory and the overconsolidation ratio from in situ test has been done. The studies have shown that the values of the overconsolidation ratio determinate from the laboratory tests are a little higher than determinate from the in situ tests.

In the work authors analysed possibility of obtaining static load tests curve for a pile in case of changed diameter, using load curve based on results of static load tests for given diameter. In calculation analysis authors used Meyer–Kowalów (M-K) method. A mathematical description was shown of determining new M-K curve for a pile with changed diameter, taking as a basis original M-K curve obtained from static load tests. Then an example of calculations is presented in which parameters of M-K model for a new curve were determined. Simulation calculations were carried out in the original computer program, the results of which includes load curves for piles with different diameters and relations between diameter changes, limit load capacity and settlement of a pile.

Long-term settlement induced by tunnelling in soft cohesive subsoil is rarely considered as a subject for research despite substantial evidence that it increases considerably after construction. The paper aims to investigate the time effects of tunnelling with an earth pressure balance (EPB) shield by means of analysing subsoil deformation with the most up-to-date numerical tool. A three-dimensional numerical model with a detailed description of the geometrical and mechanical characteristics of the tunnelling process and the various materials involved was built. The computational model validated on a real-case was then used to simulate tunnelling in different groundwater conditions prior to construction. That was followed by a simulation of groundwater drawdown conditions after tunnelling with impermeable and permeable tunnel linings. The calculations show the development of the settlement over time in different groundwater conditions together with the significant influence of the permeability of the tunnel.

One important aspect of soil dynamics is attenuation or energy loses. This inherent dynamic property is essential in the analysis of soil behavior subjected to a dynamic load. Energy absorption in soils leads to the definition of an equivalent viscous damping ratio (D). In resonant column testing there are commonly two different approaches in measuring material damping: during a steady-state vibration (SSV), when the specimen is vibrated at its first mode; and during free-vibration decay (FVD). The study reports results associated with the small to medium strain range material damping from FVD method, i.e. there is a cut off the constant vibration of the specimen at resonance and the specimen is allowed to free-vibration mode while the decay strain amplitude during free-vibration is calculated. The experiments were conducted on cohesive soils (sasiCl, Cl, clSa) from various test sites located in Warsaw, Poland. All the specimens were subjected to torsional mode of vibration at their first natural frequency, at different mean effective stress. The authors paid particular attention to the number of successive cycles after the free-vibration of the material is initiated. They examined various propositions from the literature and compare the received damping values using different number of cycles of vibration. The results showed that the most stable values of material damping ratio can be obtained by selecting each time a line of best fit on the authors’ choice of number of free-vibration cycles. However, the number of these cycles should not exceed 10.

The purpose of the work is to analyze compaction parameters of non-cohesive uniformly graded soil – optimum moisture content (wopt) and maximum dry density (ρdmax), obtained from Proctor tests and using vibrating table. The research was conducted on even-graded medium sand (Safgr), of uniformity coefficient CU = 3.10 and coefficient of curvature CC = 0.99. Compaction parameters were examined by using Proctor tests – standard Proctor tests (I and II) and modified Proctor tests (III and IV) in compliance with PN-B-04481:1988, and also standard (A+A and A+B) and modified (B+A and B+B) according to PN-EN 13286-2:2010, and by using a vibrating table in compliance with PN-EN 13286-5:2006 at four sample loading attempts. The moisture content of the samples increased by 1–2% in the range of about 0% to about 10%. On the basis of the analysis of data from soil studies with uniform grain size (poorly compactable soil), it can be concluded that the values of test results ρdmax of medium sand with standard (or modified) Proctor tests according to PN-B-04481:1988 and PN-EN 13286-2:2010 are close to each other. It can be concluded that in the case of ρdmax, the vibrating table method (with the assumed test conditions) allows to achieve results comparable to those of Proctor (mean relative difference 1.88%). Using the vibrating table the wopt values were lower than those obtained by Proctor tests (mean relative difference of 18.84%).

Mitigation of climate change and adaptation to its effects manifested in increasingly extreme meteorological phenomena are one of the most important contemporary global challenges. In the face of new hazards, numerous measures are taken to adapt environmental components and ventures to climate change, such as the reclamation of degraded areas – recognized as a key adaptation and mitigation action. The success and the property of selecting these measures, including reclamation, requires a detailed recognition of the risk of occurrence of various hazards and of the severity of their consequences in a given area. The study assessed the risk of the climate change impacts on the post-mining area and based on its results an optimal method of reclamation of the “Brzeziny” gravel pit was proposed, aimed at the maximum adaptation of the area to the occurrence of potential climate events. The risk analysis was based on elements of the common risk assessment methodology (CRAM) and enriched with elements of the analytic hierarchy process method (AHP). Moreover, the event tree analysis (ETA) logic technique was used to assess the proposed adaptation measures at the reclamation stage.

The paper contains analysis of ice phenomena occurrence in the light of recent observations conducted on middle Odra river from Krapkowice (ca. km 125+000) to Krosno Odrzańskie (ca. km 530+000). In detail the research embraced time of occurrence and intensity of individual ice phenomena in years 2006–2017 together with reference and comparison of data to previous data from period 1957–2005. In characteristic cross-sections there is a reference to occurrence of all observed forms of ice phenomena (frazil ice, border ice, ice cover, floe and ice-jam). In the study a reference data of Regional Water Management Authority in Wrocław were used together with results of previous research conducted at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The results legitimized, that the occurrence of ice phenomena on middle Odra river has time of its appearance, duration and intensity and is not stable in every year. Occurrence of ice phenomena on middle Odra river varies in time, being observed as manifold forms of icing – most frequently border ice and frazil ice. During the last 12 years greater than the average number of days with ice phenomena occurrence can be observed, but these phenomena have definitely “milder” character (border ice).

Increasing tourism development makes it an important factor in generating economic growth and employment in the European Union. Due to high environmental attractiveness of many regions, this sector of economy plays an important role in Poland as well. The essential principle of functioning of tourism is to provide adequate accommodation. It seems that less intensive and less aggressive accommodation, based on existing housing stock, would be most appropriate in areas with high natural values. The article presents research on agritourist accommodation in 23 areas located in the vicinity of national parks. Obtained results allowed to assess an extent to which agritourism is a popular form of additional activity for inhabitants of such areas, which is also a form of activation of local communities. The analysis was done using a multivariate method. Indicators of intensity of agritourist accommodation and agritourist accommodation places, as well as their surface density were calculated. Obtained results enabled the authors to divide the analysed areas into 4 types in terms of intensity of agritourist accommodation related to other sorts of accommodation and the density of agritourist accommodation. It is generally stated that the agritourist accommodation neither prevail nor develop on a level comparable to other forms of accommodation on the analyzed areas. In this respect, it can prove that location of the area in the vicinity of a national park is not a sufficient guarantee of intensive agritourism development.

In recent years many sophisticated models for discharge capacity of compound channels with vegetation have been developed. Despite the mature state of knowledge in this field, in a practice the simplest methods prevail and most of hydraulic models are based on the Manning formula. One of the reasons is that more complex methods require detailed characteristics on vegetation. The present study demonstrates that this issue can be solved by treating all such necessary variables as parameters to be identified in a sense of an inverse problem, using techniques of optimization. With a flume experiment as a case study, four models of a uniform flow were identified: Pasche, Mertens as complex methods, divided channel method (DCM) with Manning and Darcy–Weisbach equations as techniques used in a practice. Results showed that parameters for all methods can be found on the basis of minimization of model residuals, with the restriction that because of the larger number of parameters in complex methods, more observations are required. Methods of Pasche and Mertens with identified parameters provided a much better explanation of water depths than the Manning or Darcy–Weisbach based on the DCM. It is surprising that significant discrepancies between identified parameters and their real measured values were recorded. Even more, an almost perfect fit was obtained for different parameter sets.

This paper aims to analyze the variability of the levels of surface and ground water in the Ochożanka basin. The depth at which the ground water table occurred was studied with reference to the adopted land drainage standards. The studies were carried out in 2009/2010–2014/2015 for natural and regulated water outflows. The analysis of annual total precipitation in the analyzed period some years were very wet (2009/2010 and 2013/2014), some of them were wet (2010/2011, 2012/2013), one year was dry (2014/2015) and one year was normal (2011/2012). The six-year average seasonal precipitation amounted to 593 mm, which was 66 mm higher than average precipitation recorded in 30 years. Under regulated outflow conditions the level of water in the river ranged from 55 to 77 cm. The level of water under natural outflow ranged from 18 to 49 cm. In the area with regulated outflow the average ground water level was 47 cm. In the remaining area of drainage system ground water level was 67 cm. Also, the dynamics of variance in the water level under natural outflow conditions was clearly higher.

Some geomechanical properties of a biopolymer treated medium sand. This paper presents a laboratory assessment of geomechanical properties of sandy soil improved by biopolymer application. Additives (biosubstance) consist of polysaccharides and water. Biosubstance used in the project was xanthan gum, which comes from bacteria Xanthomonas campestris. Triaxial shear compression tests and unconfined compression tests were carried out for investigation purposes. Amount of the biopolymer used in the samples was 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%, on dry weight basis. It is thought that such application, which is a relatively new technique, could be used as a ground improvement and water seepage barrier, required to strengthen and protect some geotechnical works including foundation, underground structures and waste disposals. The results indicate that behavior of the soil changes rapidly based on the amount of biosubstance. Shear strength parameters have shown a significant increase, which gives a chance for further development and possible applications.

Assessment of sorption properties and kinetic reaction of phosphorus reactive material to limit diffuse pollution. Polonite® is an effective reactive material (manufactured from opoka rock) for removing phosphorus from aqueous solutions. In conducted experiments, Polonite® of grain size of 2–5 mm was used as a potential reactive material which can be used as a filter fulfillment to reduce phosphorus diffuse pollution from agriculture areas. Kinetic and equilibrium studies (performed as a batch experiment) were carried out as a function of time to evaluate the sorption properties of the material. The obtained results show that Polonite® effectively removes such contamination. All tested concentrations (0.998, 5.213, 10.965 mg P-PO4·L−1) are characterized by a better fit to pseudo-second kinetic order. The Langmuir isotherm the best reflects the mechanism of adsorption process in case of Polonite® and based on the isotherm, calculated maximum adsorption capacity equals 96.58 mg P-PO4·g−1.

The overconsolidation ratio of eemian gyttja determination. The overconsolidation ratio is an important parameter that determines the value of stress history exerted in the past on the subsoil in the geotechnical engineering. Overconsolidation ratio (OCR) is one of the main criteria conditioning soil behavior and characteristics. To know the relation between geological background, history and mechanical behavior of the soil, aims a knowledge that can help engineers who often have to predict soil behavior based upon the soil geological history and a geotechnical data. In order to evaluate the overconsolidation ratio of eemian gyttja, it is necessary to restore this soft soil as much as possible to the in situ conditions. The eemian gyttja is an organic soft soil from the “Zoliborz channel” located in Warsaw. These soils are used as a base construction in the foundation engineering. In practical geotechnical engineering, evaluation of stress history is based on the overconsolidation ratio. The overconsolidation ratio is one of the basic parameters for the geotechnical design of the structure. Determination of this parameter using for example dilatometer tests, is usually based on empirical formulas which were established in different countries. Therefore, regional geotechnical conditions could have substantially affected on the empirical relationships. The laboratory tests are used to determinate the preconsolidation pressure and then the overconsolidation ratio. The laboratory tests were made in the automatic oedometer and the in situ tests were carried out on the dilatometer test (DMT). The paper presents results of determination the overconsolidation ratio of eemian gyttja from the laboratory and in situ tests. The studies have shown that the values of the overconsolidation ratio determination from the laboratory tests are a little higher than determination from the in situ tests.

The paper presents examples of using low-altitude aerial images of a modern river channel, acquired from an ultralight aircraft. The images have been taken for two sections of the Vistula river: in the Małopolska Gorge and near Dęblin and Gołąb. Alongside with research flights, there were also terrestrial investigations, such as echo sounding of the riverbed and geological mapping, carried out in the river channel zone. A comparison of the results of aerial and terrestrial research revealed high clarity of the images, allowing for precise identification of the evidence that indicates the specific course of river channel processes. Aerial images taken from ultralight aircrafts can significantly increase the accuracy of geological surveys of river channel zones in the Polish Lowlands due to low logistic requirements.

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of halloysite and activated carbon mixtures on the biomass and distribution of macronutrients (Mg, K, Ca, Na, P) in ryegrass grown in Pb-contaminated soil. The soil was spiked with four different levels of lead contamination, i.e. 0 (control), 200, 400, 800 mg·kg−1 were applied in an analytical grade Pb(NO3)2 solution mixed thoroughly with the soil. Raw halloysite (3%) and activated carbon (1% relative to soil mass) mixtures were used to reduce the effect of soil lead contamination. Ryegrass of the Bokser variety was harvested after 42 days, and soil samples were collected for laboratory tests. The mixture of sorbents applied in the experiment which turned out to be most effective at doses of lead amounting to 400 and 800 mg·kg−1 of soil, with the increase in the yield of ryegrass being the highest. Increasing contamination of soil with lead in the series without the mixture of sorbents increased the contents of phosphorus, sodium, calcium and magnesium in ryegrass. The applied mixture of halloysite and activated carbon changed the macronutrient concentration in ryegrass, with the greatest changes found in that of potassium and sodium.

Areal variability of the mineral soil cover in a reclaimed soda waste dumping site. This paper provides an analysis of the areal variability of the thickness and selected physical and chemical properties of the mineral cover formed in the process of settling ponds reclamation at the former Krakow Soda Plant “Solvay”. The topsoil is intended to provide a substrate for plants, therefore, its quality is the main determinant of the development for herbaceous and woody vegetation. Areal variability of the topsoil parameters was determined by kriging. In the context of the envisaged direction of management of the settling ponds, the analysis showed that electrical conductivity, thickness of the soil cover and the sand fraction content have potentially the highest impact on the diversification of vegetation. Understanding the spatial variability of the soil cover parameters, that are essential for vegetation, may contribute to increasing the efficiency of biological reclamation and also to cost reduction. Precise selection of the areas unsuitable for plant growth makes it possible to improve soil parameters on limited areas similarly as in the precision agriculture.

The results on the selected biometric and mechanical properties of common reed Phragmites australis and reed sweet grass Glyceria maxima were presented. The experiments were conducted with the help of the universal testing machine Instron 5966. The underground biomasses, diameters, tensile forces, displacements and tensile strengths for summer and winter rhizomes of both species were assessed and compared. The final results indicate that rhizomes of common reed had higher values of the studied parameters of biometric and stretching than sweet reed grass rhizomes. Therefore, there are more opportunities to use them to protect the coastline.

The restoration of the species composition of the meadow habitats is often linked to the introduction of the typical species’ seeds. The effectiveness of that treatment requires getting the acquired detailed knowledge of the germination biology of peculiar species. Eight typical plant species of four non-forest habitats of the river valleys, representing the following types: Cnidion dubii (6440), Molinion (6410), Arrhenatherion (6510) and Festuco-Brometea (6210) were investigated. The diasporas were collected in the years 2014–2015 on the meadows of PLH 140016 protection area near Mniszew (Kozienice county, Mazovian voivodeship). The ability of seeds’ germination in the laboratory conditions was studied. It was stated that Cnidion and Molinion meadows’ species require pre-chilling to break the seeds’ dormancy, while the Arrhenatherion meadows and xerotermophilous swards do not require such treatment. The Allium angulosum, Plantago lanceolata, Achillea millefolium and Eryngium planum were characterized by high vigour and germination capability as well as the low share of dead seeds. The extremely drought in 2015 caused the decreasing in germination capability and increasing in the dead seeds’ share. The preliminary studies, presented in this paper, show that Cnidion and Molinion meadows may be most difficult to restore because of the necessity of breaking the seeds’ dormancy and higher sensitiveness for the unfavourable weather conditions during the seed ripening stage. The studies have practical significance for the works connected with the floristic diversity’ increasing of threatened communities and the restoration of the destroyed meadow habitats.

Contemporary socio-economic development requires a rational and sustainable land management. The pressure for urbanization and building development, existing infrastructural barriers and creation of the new ones, contribute to fragmentation of landscape and thus increase isolation of biologically active areas. Idea of ecological network as a tool for maintaining ecological connectivity is not new and has broad theoretical bases, but implementation of this concept in real-life scenarios is very challenging. The article presents existing formal and legal possibilities of implementing ecological networks, enacted as a part of municipal spatial policy. Differentiated approach to implementation of the idea of ecological connectivity is presented on the example of two suburban municipalities Piaseczno and Góra Kalwaria. Ecological network and especially ecological corridors in these areas have varied status of nature conservation and development of investments is implemented either in accordance with local spatial development plans or, in case of lack of the plans, in accordance with development conditions decision. Analysis of changes in spatial development of the municipalities was used to identify risk areas of losing the ecological connectivity.

In the study we evaluated spatial and quantitative changes in soil surface microtopography to describe water erosion process under simulated rain with use of a non-contact optical 3D scanner. The experiment was conducted in two variants: with and without drainage layer. Two clay soils collected from farmlands from the catchment of lake Zgorzała (Warsaw) were investigated. Six tests of simulated rain were applied, with 55 mm·h−1. The surface roughness and microrelief were determined immediately after every 10 min of rainfall simulation by 3D scanner. The volume of surface and underground runoff as well as soil moisture were measured. The surface points coordinates obtained while scanning were interpolated using natural neighbour method and GIS software to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEM) with a 0.5 mm resolution. Two DEM-derived surface roughness indices: Random Roughness (RR) and Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI) were used for microrelief description. Calculated values of both roughness factors have decreased with time under the influence of rainfall in all analyzed variants. During the sprinkling the moisture of all samples had been growing rapidly from air-dry state reaching values close to the maximum water capacity (37–48% vol.) in 20–30 min. Simultaneously the intensity of surface runoff was increasing and cumulative runoff value was: 17–35% for variants with drainage and 72–83% for the variants without drainage, relative to cumulative rainfall. The observed soil surface elevation changes were associated with aggregates decomposition, erosion and sedimentation, and above all, with a compaction of the soil, which was considered to be a dominant factor hindering the assessment of the erosion intensity of the of the scanned surface.

Underground mining exploitation causes, in general, irregular vertical and horizontal shifts in the superficial layer of the rock mass. In the case of construction objects seated on this layer, a deformation of the object’s foundation can be observed. This leads to additional loads and deformations. Identification of surface geometry changes in construction objects located within the premises of underground mining exploitation areas is an important task as far as safety of mining sites is concerned. Surveys targeting shifts and deformations in engineering objects preformed with the use of classic methods are of a selective nature and do not provide the full image of the phenomenon being the subject of the observation. This paper presents possibilities of terrestrial laser scanning technology application in the monitoring of engineering objects that allows for a complete spatial documentation of an object subjected to the influence of an active mining exploitation. This paper describes an observation of a 100 m section of a steel transport trestle bridge located on the premises of hard coal mine Lubelski Węgiel “Bogdanka” S.A. carried out in 2015. Measurements were carried out using a Z+F Imager 5010C scanner at an interval of 3.5 months. Changes in the structure’s geometry were determined by comparing the point clouds recorded during the two measurement periods. The results of the analyses showed shifts in the trestle bridge towards the exploited coal wall accompanied by object deformation. The obtained results indicate the possibility of of terrestrial laser scanning application in studying the aftereffects of underground mining exploitation on surface engineering objects.

The unit weight, as a basic physical feature of soil, is an elementary quantity, and knowledge of this parameter is necessary in each geotechnical and geo-engineering task. Estimation of this quantity can be made with both laboratory and field techniques. The paper comprises a multi-scale evaluation of unit weight of cohesive soil, based on several measurements made in nearby locations using the SCPTu static probe. The procedures used were based on the two classifications and two solutions from literature. The results were referenced to the actual values of unit weight determined with a direct procedure from undisturbed samples. The resulting solutions were the basis for proposing a new formula to determine the soil unit weight from SCPTu measurements, as well as comparative analysis using exemplary values taken from the national Polish standard.

The paper contains the analysis of the influence of overconsolidation effect on the values of constrained moduli, assumed by means of two most popular in situ advanced tests. The tested soils included two geological formations: normally consolidated tills of the Pomeranian phase and overconsolidated tills of the Posnanian phase. The overconsolidation ratio (OCR) was derived from CPTU, DMT and oedometric tests. The tests revealed that for the assessment of changes in constrained modulus in the subsoil with CPTU and DMT, the formulas determining the relationship between cone resistance, DMT results and constrained moduli requires empirical coefficient different for soils of varied genesis.

In this work, the small-strain and nonlinear dynamic properties of silty clay samples were studied by means of the low- and high-amplitude resonant column (RC) tests at various mean effective stresses (p’). The tested specimens were collected from the centre of Warsaw, district Śródmieście. Initially, the low-amplitude tests (below 0.001%) were conducted. Subsequently, the nonlinear testing was performed, at shearing strains greater than 0.001%. These tests were carried out in order to receive the dynamic properties of silty clay specimens in the nonlinear shear strain range. The small-strain material damping ratios (Dmin) of silty clay samples were also measured during the low-amplitude resonant column testing. The results show that increasing shear strain (γ) above the elastic threshold (γte) causes a decrease of the shear modulus (G) and normalized shear modulus (G/Gmax) of analyzed soil samples. Simultaneously, it is observed a increase of its damping ratio (D) and normalized damping (D/Dmin) with increasing shear strain (γ). Predictive equations for estimating normalized shear modulus and material damping of silty clay soils were presented here as well. The equations are based on a modified hyperbolic model and a statistical analysis of the RC tests results. The influence of unloading process on dynamic properties of the tested material was also discussed in the paper.

Effective microorganisms impact on photosynthetic activity of Arabidopsis plant grown under salinity stress conditions. Salinity is one of the main abiotic stressors which affects plant growth through various physiological processes such as photosynthesis. The aim of this work is to study the impact of salinity stress on Arabidopsis plants by evaluating plant growth rate and photosynthetic activity, while investigating the influence of effective microorganisms (EMs) with the objective to determine if EMs could alleviate the induced stress affiliated with salinity. Results showed that salinity negatively affects photosynthesis efficiency in Arabidopsis plants based on the data obtained from the measured chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Additionally, application of EMs enhanced plant tolerance to counteract the induced stress. Effective microorganisms concentration of 10 mL/L suggested to bring about the best results. This work advocates, that quantum efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) is a reliable indicator for tolerance in Arabidopsis plants to salinity stress, the impact of which may be softened by the EMs.

Potential effect of future climate changes on productivity of selected crops in Poland. Future projections of selected climate indices have been used to assess potential effects of climate changes on productivity of selected crops in Poland. CMIP5 global climate models’ results for the future period (2006-2035) and historical one (1981-2010) are used in the study. Models predict decrease in count of days with extreme low temperatures and increase in count of days with extreme high temperatures. An increase in the number of days with very heavy precipitation is also predicted. Not all climate change effects have negative impact on crop productivity in Poland but all of them confirm requirements to put into practice mitigation and adaptation strategies for Poland’s agriculture.

Hauled liquid waste as a pollutant of soils and waters in Poland. Improperly maintained holding tanks are often underestimated source of contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water. As a rule, wastewater stored in holding tanks, should be transported and treated in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). There are 2,257,000 holding tanks in Poland, located mainly in rural areas. The article presents the results of analysis of wastewater management in 20 rural and urban-rural communes, which were chosen at random from the total number of 2,174 communes in Poland. The only criterion of commune selection was total or partial lack of sewerage system. Analysis of the collected data showed that on average only 27% of liquid waste from holding tanks ended at the WWTPs. The median is even lower and amounts to 17.5%. More than 4,000 Mg of P and 26,000 Mg of N is dispersed in the environment in uncontrolled manner. Those diffuse point sources of pollution may be one of the reasons in the difficulty of achieving of good ecological status of rivers and affect the quality of the Baltic Sea.

The aim of the research was to evaluate the irrigation needs of urban green spaces in terms of automatic irrigation system. For this purpose, four research stations: two on the surface of shrubs and two on the lawn were founded. The analysis included two vegetation seasons in 2009 and 2010. To estimate the water requirements of the analyzed surfaces a method based on water balance was used. After comparison of simulation result with instrumental results, difference between soil water reserves was calculated. Normalized mean square error (NRMSE) for the post of ornamental shrubs during the vegetation season in 2009 was 0.80, and 2.76% for the lawn. However, in the same period in 2010, it was 0.21% for ornamental shrubs and 1.54% for the lawn. The assessment of the irrigation system for the whole operating period was based on indicators of effectiveness and efficiency of irrigation. The performance indicator of irrigation ranged from 83 to 100%, while the rate of irrigation efficiency from 87 to 100%. To assess the relationship between the components of the water balance multiple linear regression model was used. The analysis takes into account the impact of the many independent features on selected dependent feature. For this purpose the impact of temperature, humidity, initial retention in a balance layer, irrigation doses and natural precipitation on the water supply in the soil profiles was analyzed. As a result of the analyzes the size of a single dose of irrigation, in order to maintain a certain level of humidity for different surfaces of urban green areas, can be determined.

Prediction of free field heave using CW and CH indices. In order to predict free heave in expansive silty clays two methods were applied: CLOD test and double-swelling methods. In both methods CW and CH indices are required respectively to determine the soil heave. The CW index is determined as a slope of straight line of shrinkage curve obtained with a use of CLOD test. In case of double-swelling method two oedometer tests were carried out to determine CH index: constantvolume and consolidation-swell oedometer tests. Comparison between heave values calculated using CW and CH indexes indicated slight differences.

Landfill liners from dam reservoir sediments. Every municipal solid waste landfill has to be properly secured to protect the natural environment from possible leachate. Most often an artificial sealing is used, which is based on a soil liner from cohesive soils (clays, silts). Usability evaluation of bottom sediments from Rzeszowski Reservoir for building these liners was presented in the paper. Sediments from dam reservoirs, gathered as a result of the siltation process, can be a valuable material for earthworks purposes. Determination of their possible ways of usage is important, especially before the planned dredging, because thanks to that this material will not be put on a heap. Based on the analysis of the geotechnical parameters of these sediments it was stated that this material can be preliminary allowed for using in liners.

Analysis of the multistage cyclic loading test on resilient modulus value. Upon cyclic excitation of soil mass, two types of strain can be recognized, namely elastic and plastic one. Proper analysis of these two types of deformations can help engineers in designing more reliable structures. In this study, a multistage uniaxial cyclic loading in unconfined conditions was performed. Tests were performed in order to characterize strain response to repeated excitation. Soil sample under cyclic loading was recognized as exhibiting the symptoms of a plastic strain growth during the cyclic loading process with exponential manner, when compared to number of cycles. Soil in this study was reconstituted and compacted by using the Proctor method to simulate conditions similar to those affecting the road subbase. The soil was recognized as sandy clay. Results were analysed and a proposition of empirical formula for plastic strain calculation with the use of characteristic stress values was presented. The resilient modulus values were also calculated. The Mr value was within range from 45 to 105 MPa. The conclusions concerning the cyclically loaded soil in uniaxial conditions were presented.

The occurrence of hot weather in the Lublin-Felin and Czesławice in relation to atmospheric circulation (1966−2010). The paper describes the occurrence of hot (tmax 25.1−30.0°C) and very hot days (tmax >30°C) in Lublin-Felin and Czesławice in the years 1966−2010. The analysis covers the long-term variability of such days, and duration of heat waves. Their circulation conditions were also determined, with indication of circulation types during which the probability of occurrence of hot and very hot days was the highest. In the study area, hot days occurred from April to September, and very hot days from May to August, with the highest frequency in July in both cases. In the period from 1991 to 2010, a considerably higher number of cases of very hot days were recorded than in the 1970s and 1980s. Moreover, they occurred in increasingly long sequences, contributing to more frequent occurrence of unfavourable thermal and humid conditions during the growing season of plants. The highest probability of occurrence of hot and very hot days was determined for circulation types with airflow from the southern sector, and the lowest from the northern sector. Should the upward trend in the frequency of very hot days continue, the risk of the effect of such unfavourable thermal conditions on the health and well-being of tourists and patients of the health resort in Nałęczów will also increase

The effect of a hydrological model structure and rainfall data on the accuracy of flood description in an upland catchment. The aim of this paper was to determine the influence of a hydrological model structure and rainfall- -related data on flood parameters obtained from a simulation. The study included an upland river Stobnica, right tributary of the Wisłok. The following assumptions were investigated: (i) the greater number of rainfall stations, the more accurate a flood description, i.e. the resulting hydrograph much better describes the actual flood, (ii) a distributed parameter model provides a more precise description of a catchment response to rainfall than a lumped parameter model. All calculations were performed using HEC-HMS 3.4 software. The analyses showed that increasing the number of rainfall stations slightly improved the model performance (by on average 4.1%). Furthermore, it was showed that in the catchment characterized by low topographical variability and stable land use, more reliable flood simulation results were obtained in the lumped parameter model than in the distributed parameter model. Considering the calibration process slightly improved the model performance, irrespective of its structure and the number of rainfall stations. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that the resulting differences in the model efficiency for individual variants were not significant. Considering limited empirical evidence on rainfall-runoff episodes, uncertainty of these results is probably high and thus they should be treated as a starting point for further studies.

The macroinvertebrate fauna of the Młynne stream (Polish Carpathians) in the aspect of the bed load transport and water quality. The qualitative composition of the bottom sediments and the bed load and suspended load transport along the mountain stream were presented. The studies were carried on the Młynne stream in Gorce (Polish Carpathians). The streams flows partially in the natural river-bed and partially in the regulated with rapids. The stream bed load is accumulated in the reservoir up to the check dam and is qualitatively different from the load deposited at the bars. The taxonomic richness of the Młynne stream is a little bigger compared with the other investigated mountain and sub-mountain streams, but lesser compared with bigger rivers. The number of taxa on the natural reaches is more than double than on the regulated ones, with more taxa of high environmental demands and high values of the BMWP-PL index. The paper brings up the question of the environmental friendly technical solutions in different human activities in the sub-mountain and mountain river valleys, advantageous for humans and the river biological diversity (or resistance for negative environmental factors) as well.

Structure and utilisation possibilities of channel digital model in example of Vistula river in Warsaw. During the analysis of channel processes, high dynamicity of fluvial environments in the area of Polish Lowland imposes the necessity to use spatial channel models, always defined for specific flow conditions. In this paper, a procedure to construct a digital model of the Vistula channel zone morphology in a GIS environment has been proposed, based on: results of the bathymetric examinations conducted by means of an assembly consisting of an echosounder coupled with a DGPS receiver; GNSS RTK measurements; analysis of remote sensing materials and digital terrain model. Examples regarding the use of so created models to characterise the environment of the Warsaw Vistula channel have been presented. The Vistula channel within the examined segment is a form with diverse morphodynamics. It consists of a quasi-natural zone, characterised by a relative ease of erosion and deposition processes, and an engineered channel zone. Apart from the hydrotechnical structures, a factor which conditions the character of contemporary channel processes along the engineered segment is its geological structure, mainly morphology and lithology of the contemporary Vistula alluvia substratum.

Effect of irrigation on some growth parameters of cup plant and dehydrogenase activity in soil. A field experiment carried out in two vegetation seasons in the years 2012 and 2013 on very light soil at Kruszyn Krajeński, in the vicinity of Bydgoszcz (Poland). Investigation of the influence of drip irrigation on some growth parameters of three- and four-year-old cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) and on the activity of dehydrogenase participating at cycling in soil was examined. The cup plants were cultivated from the micropropagation seedlings. Experiments were performed as one factorial in four replications. The factor of the experiment was the following variants: O - without irrigation (control plots), D - with drip irrigation. Drip irrigation was scheduled according to tensiometers indications. Irrigation significantly increase the height of the plants, the length of internode, the thickness of the stalk, the fresh weight of the shoots, and the number of the leaves and flowers. Irrigation also increased the transpiration leaf area and the dry matter content. In the soil sampled under cup plant in 2012 there was found a greater activity of dehydrogenases in soil derived from non-irrigated objects.

Struktura bilansu promieniowania w warunkach urozmaiconej rzeźby terenu. Artykuł prezentuje wyniki badań struktury bilansu promieniowania w pełnym zakresie widma w warunkach urozmaiconej rzeźby terenu. Badania składowych bilansu promieniowania przeprowadzono na Wyżynie Krakowsko-Częstochowskiej. Urzeźbienie terenu, urozmaicenie form, ekspozycji i spadków, znaczne deniwelacje, a także różnorodność pokrycia i użytkowania sprawiają, że na stosunkowo małej przestrzeni występuje duże zróżnicowanie stosunków radiacyjnych. Na podstawie pomiarów aktynometrycznych określono strukturę bilansu promieniowania na dwóch odmiennych formach morfologicznych terenu, wierzchowinie i dnie doliny. Wykazano, że całkowite promieniowanie słoneczne (K↓) docierające do dna doliny w ciągu roku było średnio o 15% mniejsze od energii słonecznej, jaką otrzymywała wierzchowina. Bilans promieniowania w pełnym zakresie widma (Q*) osiągał na dnie doliny wartości mniejsze o 16% niż na wierzchowinie. Odzwierciedleniem złożonych stosunków radiacyjnych w warunkach urozmaiconej rzeźby terenu jest występowanie mozaiki zespołów roślinnych, o często zupełnie odmiennych wymogach siedliskowych.

Hydromorphological and landscape valorization of the Poprad river valley. The paper presents the results of hydromorphological and landscape valorization. The research was carried out in the Valley of the Poprad River, in the section from Piwniczna-Zdrój to Rytro (Małopolska voivodship). The hydromorphological valorization was made using the method of the evaluation of hydromorphological quality of the river. ECOVAST method was used for landscape valorization. On the basis of the research, Authors concluded that the research area is characterized by considerable hydromorphological variability, in particular in relation to the floodplains terraces and their connectivity with the main channel of the river. At the same time the valley of the Poprad river is characterized by the landscape of regional significance, with a very large tourist potential.

Indicator-based monitoring and forecasting water deficit and surplus in agriculture in Poland. Since 2012, the Institute of Technology and Life Sciences has been conducting national agrometeorological monitoring in rural areas of Poland. Current and forecasted information on the status and impact of water deficit and surplus in selected, representative agricultural ecosystems and potential reduction of crop yield are being provided annually in the period from April to October. The required meteorological data are provided by a network of automatic stations located in 13 regions on the Polish territory. Weather forecasts, necessary to develop predictions of water shortages or surplus in the next 10 and 20 days, come from the meteorological service of Meteo- Group Poland. Results of the monitoring and forecasts are presented as maps, graphs and tables on the website.

Evaluation of methods of comparative analysis of sums of atmospheric precipitation measured with the classical method and with a contact-less laser rain gauge. The paper concerns on the evaluation of a preliminary method of comparing data on diurnal sums of atmospheric precipitation acquired with the classic method and by means of Thies Clima laser precipitation monitor - disdrometer. The objective of the study was realized with the use of results of measurements of diurnal sum of precipitation conducted from 1 July to 31 August 2012, in the area of the Faculty Agro and Hydrometeorology Observatory of the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Information about precipitation measured by means of disdrometer and processed by the authors’ software DisPre led to the development of three variants of precipitation totals counting (1 - data processed by means of the program supplied as standard by the manufacturer of the disdrometer, 2 - totals calculated from the volume of particular hydrometeors - 11 classes, and 3 - totals calculated basing on droplets’ diameters - 22 classes). The tests showed that the totals processed by the program supplied by the manufacturer proved to be the closest to the measurements taken with the Hellmann rain gauge as the method of precipitation calculation during a 24-hour period. The reason for the divergences of the observed values should be certainly sought in the method of measurement itself. Due to the high sensitivity of disdrometer on the external factors, it is absolutely necessary to conduct daily checks of cleanliness of the instrument - especially in the summer period.

The problem of sluice gate flow is analyzed using two models: a simplified one, derived according to the concept of the Potential Field (PF), and a more complex form, based on the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The numerical solution is compared with experimental data, including measurements performed by authors and results acquired from literature. Despite its simplicity, the PF model provides a satisfactory agreement with the measurements. The slightly worse performance of the RANS model comes from an overestimation of energy losses.

The loading of natural and anthropogenic soils can be determined in the field by using dynamic probing tests. This method is based on the measurement of the resistance, which the studied soil poses on the probe tip when it penetrates the soil. The most typical probe tips are cylindrical, conical and rarely cross-shaped. The penetrometer penetrates the soil by a hammer with a given mass freely falling from the height required in the test. The penetration resistance is defined by the numbers of blows required to drive the penetrometer over the defined distance (Nk), where k = 10, 15(20) or 30 cm. The paper presents the results of heavy dynamic probing tests DPH with a hammer mass of 50 kg and penetration depth up to 30 m, carried out in an anthropogenic made ground in order to determine the soil loading for the foundation of the designed building.

The work presents results of maximum and residual strength tests of six clayey soils from the landslide areas near Gorlice and Ciężkowice. The tests were carried out in a direct shear apparatus on samples of dimensions 60 × 60 mm that were sheared at least three times. A shearing strain rate was equal 0.1 mm·min–1, and the range of horizontal deformation of the samples was equal 20%. The results of the tests revealed that multiple shearing of the soil caused a significant decrease of its shear strength, resulting in significant changes in cohesion, and the smaller changes in the angle of internal friction. It was shown that the three-time shearing reduced the initial shear strength of about 50%, and further three series of shearing decreased it approximately 15% more. The study also showed that by using a Coulomb-Mohr shear strength linear equation, the analyzed soils had a little residual cohesion. Therefore, to describe the characteristics of the residual strength, there were used two non-linear equations proposed by Mesri and Shanien (2003) and Lade (2010), which led to the same results. It was also shown that the use of non-linear characteristics of the residual strength at low values of the normal stresses gave more unfavourable results of stability calculations in relation to the method based on the linear strength characteristic taking into consideration the presence of the residual cohesion.

Development of the human civilization leads to the pollution of environment. One of the contamination which are a real threat to soil and groundwater are leachates from landfills. In this paper the solute transport through soil was considered. For this purpose, the laboratory column tests of chlorides tracer and leachates transport on two soil samples have been carried out. Furthermore, the electrical resistivity method was applied as auxiliary tool to follow the movements of solute through the soil column what allowed to compare between the results obtained with column test method and electrical resistivity measurements. Breakthrough curves obtained by conductivity and resistivity methods represents similar trends which leads to the conclusion about the suitability of electrical resistivity methods for contamination transport monitoring in soil-water systems.