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For the palaeo-ecological development and interpretation of the macrofauna (Bivalvia and Gastropoda) of the Eemian Sea in the southwestern Baltic Sea region (NE Germany), up to date studies and summarising assessments are largely missing. With the main goal of revising the Eemian marine fauna, the authors have undertaken numerous new samplings in recent years. This study begins by focusing on the Warnow Bay in today's Warnow valley near Rostock. In addition to examining older data from the literature, the sandpit at Schwaan and drillings of the State Geological Survey from Boitin, Reez and Rostock were studied. Parallel to this, was also undertaken pollen analyses. Despite hundreds of drillings from the region of the former Warnow Bay, evidence of the marine Eemian was relatively rare. Apparently the sandy sediments were reworked and redistributed by glaciotectonic, glaciofluvial and fluvial processes during the Weichselian glaciation. There is as yet no definite proof of autochthonous marine sediments. They are predominantly shallow-marine sands several meters thick which are found mostly at a depth of about 30–20 m b.s.l. but more rarely also relatively close to the surface in opencast mining or cliff sections. The sands are rich in marine mollusc fauna of which 29 species have been identified so far and which also include Lusitanian specimens such as Acanthocardia paucicostata, Lucinella divaricata or Polititapes senescens. Account was also taken of accompanying marine fauna such as barnacles and echinoderms. In addition, the sediments contain fresh water molluscs also including the interglacial indicator species Belgrandia germanica.

Alkaline saline ponds and lakes are habitats with unique biodiversity. The green alga of the genus Botryococcus was accidentally discovered during a micro-algal survey of these habitats in Serbia. Species B. terribilis was found and identified for the first time in Serbia in the small sandpit lake of the Rusanda Nature Park. The first sampling was incomplete due to the unknown origin of the orange-red surface scum. After the identity of the species had been confirmed, three additional samplings were conducted aiming to collect phytoplankton and water samples for physical and chemical analyses. Major anions and cations were analysed in order to characterize the chemical type of sandpit lake, as well as nutrient content. Sandpit lake is an alkaline water body that belongs to sodium bicarbonate chemical type. Morphometric analysis of B. terribilis was performed using light and transmission electron microscopy. B. terribilis was found to be numerous in the phytoplankton community in late autumn and winter. Species from the genus Botryococcus are known as a rich source of different lipids and this discovery can be the first step in the further biotechnological application of this species in sustainable biofuel production.

Refugeeism is a very broad subject … We hear about refugees, we participate directly or indirectly in refugee processes. There are people with refugee experiences among our family members and neigh...

Skokovit vzpon gospodarstva v zadnjih desetletjih je privedel do znatnega povečanja količine proizvedenega in potrošenega blaga, pri katerem se izrablja različne naravne vire in povečuje onesnaževanje. Posledice ekstraktivizma občutijo predvsem gospodarsko in politično manj stabilne države. Prikazane bodo na primerih v kraju Gunjur v Gambiji, kjer je bila opravljena terenska raziskava, na kateri temelji vsebina diplomskega dela. Preučevani območji sta bili peskokop in tovarna za predelavo rib Golden Lead, ki se nahajata na obrobju Gunjurja in imata neposreden vpliv tako na okolje kakor na prebivalce. Na podlagi analize rezultatov anketnega vprašalnika, ki je bil izveden med terenskim delom, in opazovanja z udeležbo bodo predstavljeni odnos prebivalcev do tovarne, peskokopa in splošno do okolja njihovo razumevanje pojma »varstvo okolja« ter vloga okoljevarstvenih organizacij, delujočih v lokalni skupnosti, in njihova interakcija z lokalnim prebivalstvom, pri čemer bo ena organizacija podrobneje predstavljena. The rapid economic upturn in the last decades has led to a significant increase in the amount of goods produced and consumed, where different natural resources are exploited and pollution is increased. The consequences of extractivism are felt mainly in economically and politically less stable countries. These are presented on cases in Gunjur in The Gambia, where field research has been conducted, on which the content of the thesis is based. The studied areas were a sandpit and fishmeal plant Golden Lead, located on the outskirts of Gunjur and which influence the environment as well as the population directly. The attitude of local people towards the factory, sandpit and the environment in general, their understanding of the concept of “environmental preservation”, the role of environmental organisations that are active in the local community, with one organisation being presented in detail, and their interaction with the locals are presented. All the work is based on the analysis of the results of the survey questionnaire conducted during the field work, and participatory observation.

Based on 8 months of ethnographic research, this article focuses on the everyday spatial practices of young children living in collective accommodation for refugees in Berlin. We examine how physical spaces and social relationships are appropriated, affecting the relational agency of children in this restrictive context. Using case study material from three families with limited prospects of permanent residence, we discuss the children’s lived citizenship as enacted – not only symbolically – between the sandpit (as a space for children to act and play as a child) and deportation (as an extreme limit for enacting agency related to refugee status).

OBJECTIVE For many generations, most species of farm animals have been subjected to intense and strictly targeted selection for improvement of their performance traits. This has led to substantial changes in animal anatomy and physiology, which resulted in considerable differences between the current animal breeds and their wild ancestors. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is breed-specific variability in behaviour as well as differences in emotional reactivity and preferences of laying hens. METHODS The investigations involved 50 Green-legged Partridge, 50 Polbar, and 50 Leghorn hens. All birds were kept in the same conditions, and the behavioural tests were carried out at 30 weeks of age. We used the tonic immobility test and a modified open-field test including such objects as water, commercial feed, feed enriched with cereal grains, finely cut straw, and insect larvae, a sandpit, a mirror, and a shelter imitating a hen nest. RESULTS The research results demonstrate that the birds of the analysed breeds differ not only in the excitability and emotional reactivity but, importantly, also in the preferences for environment-enriching elements. Ensuring hens' well-being should therefore be based on environmental modifications that will facilitate acquisition of essential elements of chickens' behaviour. The greatest emotional reactivity was found in the Leghorn breed, which may be a result of correlated selection aimed at an increase in chicken productivity. CONCLUSION The differences in the behaviour of the birds from the analysed breeds indicate that laying hens cannot be regarded as one group of animals with the same environmental requirements.

Glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments were discovered in a small sandpit situated 800 m SE from Vindava (the Polský kopec Site). Sediments fill two channels located in superposition. Three facies associations (FA) were distinguished in this sedimentary section. The base of the lower channel is formed by gravel lag overlain by gravel-sandy sediments of 3-D dunes and a side bar (FA1). The upper channel infill begins also by basal lag and grades to a fining-upwards sequence from sand to silt (FA2). The sequence is formed from the base up by sediments of small 3-D dunes, A-type ripples, B-type ripples, C-type ripples, and horizontally laminated sediments. The sequence reveals a vertical transition from glaciofluvial (sand) to glaciolacustrine (silt) sedimentation. The sedimentary section is terminated by flat glaciofluvial bedforms (FA3) deposited under upper plane bed conditions. These bedforms arose after the restoration of glaciofluvial conditions. The base of the glaciolacustrine sequence is located at an altitude of ~ 275 m as well as the Old Kaolin Mine Site (850 m SW from the Polský kopec Site) where very similar sediments have been already described. The sediments of both localities represent a proglacial outwash plain in front of the retreating ice sheet (FA1 consists of ~ 23% of erratic rocks), where a relatively large lake, or a system of smaller lakes evolved at the same time.

The first fossil record of Duboisia (Boselaphini, Bovidae) from Thailand confirms that this genus is no longer endemic to Java, Indonesia. The new fossil material is a calvarium with horn cores (older than the Middle Pleistocene) collected from a sandpit at Tha Chang, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, north-eastern Thailand. The present specimen is provisionally allocated to a species of Duboisia aff. D. santeng, which has weaker precornual ridges and anterior keels on the horn cores than D. santeng from Early and Middle Pleistocene deposits of Java, but these species share basic characteristics of horn cores as follows: the lower half inclined backwards; the upper half curved upwards; cross section rounded triangular, antero-posteriorly compressed, and with medial and lateral keels. Morphological similarities between D. aff. santeng and D. santeng support a strong faunal interchange between continental South East Asia and Java before the Middle Pleistocene, and suggest that the genus Duboisia diverged from the other genera of Boselaphini in the “Siva-Malayan” region.

Man-made freshwater habitats are an important part of the European landscape, especially in areas with mostly absent or degraded natural habitats. To assess the role of different man-made standing waters in anthropogenic landscapes, we surveyed adult odonate communities in a cluster of 20 water bodies including fishponds and sandpit ponds in early and ongoing successional stages. We found 35 odonate species (i.e., 47% of the fauna of the Czech Republic), but their presence differed significantly among the three habitat types. The highest species diversity, driven mainly by the presence of generalists, was found in fishponds. Sandpit ponds in an early successional stage hosted the least diverse communities dominated by pioneer and vagrant species. Specialist species occurred in both types of sandpit ponds, especially those in an ongoing successional stage, more than in fishponds. Although the dragonfly biotic index did not differ among the three types of localities, all four species from the national Red list recorded during the study occurred only in sandpit ponds. The main environmental drivers of local odonate communities included the coverage of shoreline by emergent vegetation, water depth and bottom substrate; the latter two characteristics largely corresponded to the distinction between sandpit ponds and fishponds. We conclude that both sandpit ponds and fishponds play an important role in maintaining freshwater biodiversity that requires a mosaic of habitats in different successional stages.

Sandpit Lake in Sukabumi area is a suitable site for developing aquaculture. However due to rapid eutrophication only sustainable aquaculture should be applied. We evaluated the ability of lettuce in reducing nutrients from fish culture. This phytoremediation study was carried out using mesocosm, where lettuce as the phytoremediation agent were grown on vegetable floating raft (VFR) together with 25 fish which were grown underneath it and fed by fish feed. We built three sizes of VFR which were 20, 40 and 60% covered the mesocosm surface. The three sizes VFR were the treatment and the 0% covering served as control. Water quality sampling was carried out two times at day zero and day seven of the experiment. We collected temperature, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphate data and analyzed them using ANOVA. Our result showed the nitrogen increased inside mesocosm meanwhile orthoposphat decreased. But the size of VFR did not give any effect to the water quality parameter change. However descriptively, we found that 40% of VFR was able to slowdown the nutrien TAN increasing and orthoposphat concentration found to be low. Moreover, it resulted in the highest lettuce survival. We recommend using 40% coverage in employing an aquaponic system in sandpit lake.

Nowadays, the Western world seems saturated with the myriad of enhancements for entrepreneurship development. Also, in Eastern European countries we observe a growing number of initiatives at different organizational levels, aiming at accompanying potential future entrepreneurs in their efforts. Meanwhile, there is one novelty, never before offered on the Polish market – the first co- -living space, launched in Gdansk. Therefore, this article aims at presenting the idea of 4COs (co-living, co-working, co-habitation, co-development) initiated by a group of young social entrepreneurs from the Tricity as “Clipster” at the end of 2015. For better understanding of the novelty of this venture on the Polish market, the author analyzes similar initiatives worldwide. This paper is also an attempt to assess the challenges and results of this initiative thanks to the qualitative research methods – structured interviews with its first participants and with its leaders. Additionally, the author suggests some improvements and possible future developments of this initiative.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of soil transmitted zoonotic helminth infections for families with young children, inhabitants of villages in the Mazowieckie Province of Central Poland. Epidemiological survey was conducted at 33 randomly selected households with 2–3 children present. Examination of soil samples from yards surrounding the houses for the presence of geohelminth eggs was conducted, the households were inspected, and family members interviewed using a designed questionnaire. Among 55 localities examined, i.e. 33 backyards, 10 vegetable gardens and 12 sandpits, contamination was found in 2 backyards (6.1%) and 1 sandpit (8.3%) at 3 households (9.1%). Of the total 550 examined soil samples, 4 (0.7%) were found to contain Trichuris and Toxocara eggs, with an average density of 1.5 and 2.0 eggs per sample. The study showed a low level of soil contamination, which was the result of inhabitants care about the sanitation of their domiciles. However, the results of the questionnaire survey demonstrated the need to warn rural residents about the risk factors for zoonotic helmints infections. In particular, parents should be advised how to minimize the threat of parasitic diseases for children in the rural environment. The presented study showed that promotional campaigns implemented in recent years on the prevention of parasitic zoonoses have had little effect to increase the awareness of the rural community. The present results confirmed that Toxocara is the most common zoonotic agent among geohelminths in the rural environment.

The surrounding habitats play an important role in the spontaneous vegetation succession in disturbed sites. They serve as donor sites for species colonizing various post-mining sites from the close surrounding. This diploma thesis deals with the species composition in post-mining sites and the surrounding habitats up to the 1 km distance from the locality. The results indicate, that basalt quarries share the largest amount of species with their surrounding habitats. The studied methods have got limited capability to predict the species composition of post-mining sites using only the knowledge about habitat types occurred in the surrounding. On the other hand, species composition of the surrounding habitats, defined by a selection of the representative relevés of the Czech National Phytosociological Database (CNFD), seems to be more promising approach. It could provide more precise results applied in ecological restoration of post-mining sites in the Czech Republic.

Most of the Ries tektites (moldavites) were deposited in sediments clearly postdating the Ries crater formation. This suggests secondary deposition for these ejected glasses. Only a few sedimentary formations known to contain these tektites are of Middle Miocene age and coeval with the Ries event. One is the Poznanska Formation, which is exposed across southwestern Poland. These mud deposits formed in the Middle Miocene (Langhian Stage). New moldavites, described in this report were found in the Poznanska Formation and weigh from 0.851 to 0.907 g. The North Stanislaw sandpit, where the tektite specimens were found, is located 490 km from the Ries structure. These finds agree with the numerical simulation modelling of the ejection of these moldavites up to 600 km away from the source crater.

For the rehabilitation and reclamation of abandoned sandpit in Drtija (Moravče), construction composites are used as rehabilitation materials. Construction composites are produced by mixing of recycled non-hazardous waste and natural materials. In the presented study, the chemical composition of the rehabilitation materials, which are already built-in on abandoned surfaces and impact analysis on recultivation of the upper layer, was evaluated. For this purpose, the rehabilitation materials were sampled at 3 locations with test pit excavations up to a depth of 3 m, surrounding topsoils (0-10 cm) at 2 locations and leachate at 1 location. The results show that the in-built rehabilitation materials are burdened with metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), which are, however, poorly soluble under the given conditions. The latter is also indicated by the concentrations of metals in the leachate, which are within the lower limit of quantification (LOQ) area. Regarding organic substances, the presence of phenol and formaldehyde was found in the leachate. In rehabilitation materials only phenol was found in two samples. Considering that the rehabilitation materials will be covered with a layer of clay and humus and will be tilled or afforested as part of the final rehabilitation step, the impact of rehabilitation materials on the reclaimed soil is not expected. According to results of this study recultivaton of the upper layer with planting of woods is recommended.

The paper will clarify the learning activities of eco-friendly fashion STEM education lesson plan. The activities were designed based on Sutaphan and [11] context based STEM education learning approach. This learning activities aim to foster student think profoundly in investigating the current new challenge (control the growth of the wasted clothes using an eco-friendly fashion system) in the society using STEM approach and the sandpit research or project as the model. The paper will discuss how to provide students chance to applying STEM knowledge through these activities.

Umetniški center Sōgetsu, ki je eden od pomembnejših avantgardnih središč 60. let 20. stoletja, bi lahko opredelili kot umetniški »eksperimentalni peskovnik«. Japonski umetniki, ki so na svojih področjih danes že mednarodno priznani, so se prav v tem »peskovniku« imeli možnost preizkusiti v krogu interdisciplinarnih umetnikov in najti svoj umetniški slog. Dober primer takšnih ustvarjalcev so: filmski režiser Hiroshi Teshigahara (1927–2001), novelist Kōbō Abe (1924–1993) in glasbenik Tōru Takemitsu (1930–1996).V članku bomo orisali natančen pregled vseh umetniških združenj in njihovih dogodkov, ki so jih oblikovali umetniki v času delovanja Centra, od septembra 1958 (13. septembra je potekalo odprtje Centra) do marca 1971, ko je Center prenehal delovati. V ospredje bodo postavljena glavna združenja oziroma aktivnosti, predvsem s področij jazzovske glasbe, sodobne glasbe, eksperimentalnih filmov in animacije. Poiskali bomo skupen imenovalec vseh aktivnosti v tem »peskovniku« ter poudarili novosti, ki so jih glavni akterji gibanja z deli, ki so nastala v Centru, vnesli na področji glasbe in filma.

Spatial heterogeneity is a factor generally considered to promote biodiversity of a given habitat. We studied a colonization of isolated, newly formed pools with different heterogeneity levels (with and without artificial vegetation) and permanence (temporary and permanent). Using mayflies (Ephemeroptera) as a model group, we estimated the effect of spatial heterogeneity on the mayfly community assembly. We found the vegetated pools to host higher species diversity and abundance. Only one species was more abundant in the pools without vegetation. Since the mayfly larvae could not migrate between treatments, differences must be caused either by preferences in female oviposition or different levels of mortality among the treatments. We recorded slightly faster and more synchronized larval development in the non-permanent pools, attributable to the temperature and hydrologic regime.

European Commision suggested the remedying biodiversity damage should be achieved through restoration of the environment as a whole to its baseline condition. Here we provide the evidence on non-market goods gained when spontaneous succession is allowed at sites subject to previous sand or gravel-sand quarrying, arguing for estimation of the value of natural resources formed during the quarrying process and for their reflection in the restoration plans. We analyzed the assemblages of beetles and orthopteroids formed at xerothermophilous microhabitats subject to spontaneous succession for 2–5, 6–15 and >15 years, or formed at reclaimed sites within sandpits and gravel-sandpits in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. We collected a total of 7259 individuals from 401 species of beetles, and 2785 individuals from 43 species of orthopteroids. We found 62 red-listed species, among them eight CR species, including abundant Psammodius asper and Zorochros meridionalis; Labidura riparia (EN) was eudominant orthopteroid of early successional stages. Xerothermes subject to spontaneous succession hosted 95% of red-listed species found, whereas reclaimed sites hosted mostly the generalists and only 24% of red-listed species found. We identified 13 species specialized for drift sand (all beetles); most were present at xerothermes subject to intermediate or long-term succession. We identified 53 beetle and five orthopteroid species specialized for gravel-sand river terraces and xerothermophilous steppes. Striking 97% of red-listed beetles and 80% of red-listed orthopteroids found in the sandpits were absent in other comparable postindustrial habitats with fine-grained substrates. Sandpit xerothermes thus serve as important secondary strongholds for psammophilous beetles and orthopteroids.

Decision-making on the directions of spatial development are particularly visible in post-mining areas in large cities. This issue is one of the key themes in a discourse that focuses on how to reconcile strategic urban planning and urban policy in post-mining towns, and is based on the concepts of brownfield regeneration and just transition. This paper approaches the issue by taking the redevelopment of the site of a large former stowing sand pit, operated for the needs of coal mining in Sosnowiec near Krakow (southern Poland), as an example. The dilemma concerns turning the former mining area into a new zone for industrial investment or transforming it into a leisure area around a new reservoir. An important part of the study involved obtaining, via a questionnaire survey, the opinions of residents as to their vision for how the former sandpit should be redeveloped. The paper underlines that due to limited social participation in this regard, this is a challenging issue for local urban policy. In post-mining towns, in which sustainable development is particularly important, the changeability of socio-economic phenomena on the one hand and residents' opinions on the other merit special attention.

The IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) Committee on Standards called for proposals for 2020 to provide seed funding for projects initiating innovative standards efforts. Prof. Alistair Duffy, Prof. Jun Fan, and Dr. Zhiping Yang from our IEEE EMC Society submitted a proposal on Power Integrity and Power Consumption a few weeks ago.

The way ants navigate their environment and forage for food is an intricate process. A common way ant species navigate is by using pheromone chemical trails leading to and from food sources. This paper summarizes an augmented reality sandpit project that aims to show the creation and evolution of these pheromone trails within a colony in an interactive way. A complex yet accessible simulation was built to allow users to move sand in a real sandpit while seeing virtually projected images on top of the sandpit change accordingly to showcase emergent ant colony behavior. A demo video of the project is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Kx_xVEZkk.

Background Chironomids, a major invertebrate taxon in many standing freshwaters, rely on adult flight to reach new suitable sites, yet the impact of weather conditions on their flight activity is little understood. We investigated diel and seasonal flight activity patterns of aquatic and terrestrial chironomids in a reclaimed sandpit area and analysed how weather conditions and seasonality influenced their total abundance and species composition. Results Air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and air pressure significantly affected total flight activity of both groups, but not in the same way. We identified an intermediate temperature and humidity optimum for the flight activity of terrestrial chironomids, which contrasted with weaker, timescale-dependent relationships in aquatic species. Flight activity of both groups further declined with wind speed and increased with air pressure. Observed flight patterns also varied in time on both daily and seasonal scale. Flight activity of both groups peaked in the evenings after accounting for weather conditions but, surprisingly, aquatic and terrestrial chironomids used partly alternating time windows for dispersal during the season. This may be driven by different seasonal trends of key environmental variables in larval habitats and hence implies that species phenologies and conditions experienced by chironomid larvae (and probably other aquatic insects with short-lived adults) influence adult flight patterns more than weather conditions. Conclusions Our results provide detailed insights into the drivers of chironomid flight activity and highlight the methodological challenges arising from the inherent collinearity of weather characteristics and their diurnal and seasonal cycles. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12898-018-0175-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Sandpit lakes of Nebraska are residential developments frequently affected by excess phosphorus (P). The objectives of this study are to quantify P retention and release by sandpit lake soils and determine properties related to P retention and release. Soils were sampled at 0–15 and 15–30 cm deep from six developed and one undeveloped site. Adsorption was fit to the Langmuir isotherm and desorption was fit to the Elovich equation. Clay and organic matter contents identified some sites as amended with finer-textured soil. Iron, aluminum, and P fractions were low in all samples but greater in amended soil. Adsorption maximum was greater at 0–15 cm deep for all but the undeveloped site. Adsorption energy parameter was greater at 15–30 cm deep. Elovich slopes and intercepts were generally greater in the 0- to 15-cm samples. Slopes were positively related to soil P richness. Importing finer textured soil to lake sites increases P retention and should help preserve water quality.

Čelnice Tetanops myopina Fallén, 1820 (Diptera: Ulidiidae) je poprvé ohlášena z území České republiky a to na základě série exemplářů nalezených v činné pískovně Závada u Hlučína (kvadrát síťového mapování 6074). Protože T. myopina je v podstatě přímořským druhem, který normálně žije na pobřežních pískových dunách u Irského, Severního a Baltského moře a (částečně: Irsko, Wales) u pobřeží Atlantiku, je tento překvapivý nález uprostřed střední Evropy podrobně pojednán, včetně charakteristiky mikrobiotopu, na kterém se druh v pískovně vyskytoval, s diskusí jeho bionomie a biogeografie a prezentovány hypotézy o možném historickém původu této vnitrozemské populace. Zdá se, že populace druhu T. myopina přežívající na glaciálních píscích v České Republice (i na Ukrajině) jsou pravděpodobně reliktního původu z doby Saalského zalednění

This chapter examines how seven doctoral students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines came to understand the value and the process of self-study as a methodology for examining their professional practice. It also illuminates how a self-study researcher and teacher educator, Megan Madigan Peercy, gleaned insights from their learning for the teaching of self-study methodology.

Published version, licenced CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Source at https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-018-0105-9. There is an increasing recognition that there is a class of problems that society must solve urgently in the twenty-first century if humanity is to survive into the twentysecond century—the so-called ‘Grand Challenges’. Science policymakers have been active in recognising these challenges and the attendant need to develop new multidisciplinary ways of working. But embracing multidisciplinarity is not a straightforward choice for scientists, who individually are strongly steered by norms and values inculcated through their past scientific experiences. In this paper, therefore, we ask whether new funding approaches can contribute to creating new ways of working by scientists towards challenge-driven research, specifically by changing scientists’ expectations and beliefs. We address this research question with reference to a single new experimental method, the ‘research sandpit’, implemented experimentally in a single national science system, Norway. Our data are derived from interviews with scientists involved in the five research projects funded as a result of the first sandpit, called ‘Idélab’ (idea lab) and held in 2014, and with the Research Council of Norway. We conclude that the sandpit approach appeared to shift research perceptions of individual scientists, particularly around long-term belief structures. This implies that, when well managed, the sandpit model can indeed be useful to generate multidisciplinary research as part of a multifaceted approach to funding scientific research.

Vegetation sampling was carried out to determine processes of succession of aquatic and wetland plant species. Different stages of wetland and aquatic vegetation were analyzed in sand pits in the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area in the Czech Republic. Moreover different sizes of phytosociologial relevés of aquatic vegetation were analyzed to determine sufficient size for detection of successional changes.

Introduction and objective Fungi belonging to various physiological and morphological groups present in the environment are potential human pathogens. Some of them are considered as emerging pathogens. Therefore, their presence in children’s playgrounds should be regarded as health risk factor. Material and Methods Sixty-eight samples of sand collected from 17 sandpits of different localities in Łódź, Poland, in autumn 2010 and 2011, and in spring 2011 and 2012 were evaluated. The fungi were isolated with classical mycological methods and identified on the basis of morphological and biochemical features. Results The prevalence of fungi in spring was 94.1% of sandpits in both layers of sand (depth 0–3 cm and 10–15 cm) and in one kindergarten sandpit, but only in a deeper layer. In autumn, fungi occurred in both layers in all sandpits (100%). The fungal concentration (CFU/g of sand) varied considerably (range 0 – uncountable) in both layers. A total of 352 isolates belonging to 80 species were found. There were 69 yeasts and yeast-like fungi isolates from 12 species (9 species in each season), and 283 filamentous fungi from 68 species: 35 species in spring and 55 in autumn, with 4 keratinolytic species. There were important causes of allergies, among them Cladosporium herbarum and Alternaria alternata , as well as of opportunistic mycoses: Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus and new and ‘emerging’ fungal pathogens e.g., Trichosporon, Rhodotorula, Fusarium and Scedosporium species. Conclusions Potentially pathogenic fungi are present in the sand taken from sandpits in Łódź. This fact poses a significant threat to child health and therefore proper maintenance and periodic checking of sandpits are of great importance.

The study of the Oualidia lagoon aims to establish the state of knowledge of the environment of this ecosystem after the construction of an inner dam in 2011 and the ecological functioning of the lagoon. For that, several campaigns were carried out between February 2011 and October 2012 and were the subject of a seasonal monitoring for the collection of the main biotic and abiotic parameters of the environment of this ecosystem. During the construction of the inner dam on 2011, a hydrological variability was marked in summer by low oxygen levels and maximum temperature variation between the two tides. Since the completion of the construction of the inner dam, there has been a significant increase in nutrients, mainly nitrogenous elements, and an increase in turbidity caused by an improvement in hydrodynamics, which has particularly increased of the sandpit modified the morphology and moved on south, creating a new main channel structure in 2011. This hydrodynamic was manifested on the upstream area by a decrease of the sedimentary organic matter due to the trapping of fine sediments in the inner dam. At the immediate level of the upstream area (Slikkes and Schorres), the hydrodynamic is relatively low, which has reduced the sedimentation rate on the upstream of the lagoon. The Oualidia lagoon is situated in a littoral zone influenced by the enrichment in deep cold waters loaded with nutritive salts, which invade it during the high tide, and would be, consequently after construction of the inner dam, protected from any confinement of the ecosystem.

Sand is classified among the low value development minerals, even though it is massively used in the world. The exploitation of that construction mineral at Nkol’Ossananga, around Yaounde, is done by craftsmen in unsafe conditions, such as: the exposure to a wide range of diseases and the destruction of the environment. We carried out a study on occupational health and safety and environmental impacts on the Nkol’ossananga site. Our method consisted firstly of the bibliographic review, sandpit quarry investigations afterwards, and lastly the data analysis. Tabulation of results showed that the population in the site is essentially threatened by diseases such as dysentery (15%), fibromyalgia (25%), typhoid fever (55%), otalgia (10%), ocular pains (15%), and malaria (45%). Craftmen work without any personal protective equipment (PPE) and are often victims of drowning and bacterial infections. The high demand of sand in Yaoundé involves the development of the activity in other sites and, in consequence, there is a deforestation and disappearance of many animals and vegetables species. The soil and water pollution is also noticeable due to pouring of engines waste oil in the site.

The theoretical part contains summary of the literature on the topic of succession, mining, human impacts on biodiversity, land reclamation and ecological requirements of reptiles and amphibians. The practical part contains the observations of these two model groups of animals and subsequent evaluation of their abundance and diversity. During the three years I made total 37 herpetological observation, during which I observed the occurrence of eight species of reptiles and amphibians on five locations. When observing reptiles and amphibians I used non-invasive methods of observation. The found species were Zootoca vivipara (507 individuals), Lacerta agilis (583 individuals), Pelophylax esculentus (976 individuals), Pelophylax ridibundus (710 individuals), Pelophylax lessonae (1,401 individuals), Lissotriton vulgaris (203 individuals), Natrix natrix (32 individuals) and Anguis fragilis (7 individuals). The values in the brackets represent the total number of individuals found during 3 seasons. Generically the richest site was "Jezírka" (8 species), species habitat poorest contrary, "Přesyp" (2 species). In all the years the abundance of two model groups (frogs and lizards) were significantly different (abundance of Pelophylax: Chí Square = 2764; d. f. = 4, p