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The objectives of our research were: (1) to assess the influence of the frequency of mowing different types of seminatural meadows characteristic of Central Europe on their floristic diversity, (2) to indicate the optimal management method (3) to estimate changes in species richness of phytophagous beetles from the Chrysomelidae family under the influence of mowing, against the background of different types of meadows.Studies conducted in a single Natura 2000 site (The Middle Wieprz Valley PLH060005) in eastern Poland have shown that mowing frequency affects both the flora and fauna diversity of seminatural meadows typical of Central and Eastern Europe. The greatest alpha-diversity was found in double-mow meadows, while the least was found in the unmown ones. Therefore, double-mowing of meadows could be a recommendation for agri-environment-climate programs that support environmentally friendly farming methods in the European Union. The Renyi diversity profiles made it possible to observe differences resulting from the frequency of mowing, especially in relation to single-mow meadows. Wet meadows (Molinietalia) and mixed meadows (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea) had similar characteristics, both in the case of single and double mowing, with a more uniform coverage of species.The least floristic diversity, expressed in species richness, was characteristic of rush meadows, while the largest was of fresh meadows. The greatest decline in chrysomelid beetle species richness was observed in rush and wet meadows, while an increase was observed in fresh meadows. Higher-order indices are easier to interpret when expressed in Renyi series. The assessment could also apply to ecosystems other than grasslands. Due to the differences obtained in the values of individual orders, it is more advantageous to use Renyi indices, especially when it comes to interpreting the occurrence of dominant species in the community. Only in the case of fresh meadows, a simultaneous increase in the alpha and beta-diversity coincided with a higher frequency of mowing. In the case of the other meadow types, with an increase in mowing frequency, higher diversity but lower beta-diversity was found.

Taking into consideration its physico-chemical properties, digestate should be used primarily as a fertiliser. The possible ways of using digestate as a fertiliser in agriculture were identified, and digestate collected from an agricultural biogas plant was tested for its macroelement and heavy metal content. The research was conducted on Haplic LUVISOLS soil according FAO classification. The area of the land plots was 75 m2. All measurements were carried out in ten replicates. Seed yield was determined at 2.6 t ha−1. The thousand-seed weight was similar in the three growing seasons, and averaged 171.49 g to 184.44 g for the three years under analysis. For the control object, the average thousand-seed weight from the three years of the experiment was 168.56 g. This parameter was significantly influenced by the year of analysis. The highest protein content was obtained in 2022 (an average of 20.3%), which was significantly higher than in 2021 (20.13%) and 2020 (20.12%). The analysis showed an increase in the average value for the three harvest years regarding the fat content of the multiflora bean seeds depending on the post-harvest digestate dose, ranging from 0.47% to 0.61%. In the control object, the average fat content for the three harvest years under analysis was 0.41%. The year under analysis had no significant impact on fat content. A positive correlation was found between the digestate dose and protein, fat, and carbohydrate contents per 100 g of beans. Increasing the dose resulted in statistically significant differences from the lower dose. The obtained results show an increase in macroelement content depending on the digestate dose applied. The average carbohydrate content per 100 g of beans for the three years under analysis ranged from 49.78 g to 54.01 g, while the calcium content per 100 g of beans ranged from 109.23 mg to 124.00 mg. In contrast, the magnesium content in 100 g of bean ranged from 129.91 g to 137.01 mg, the phosphorus content in 100 g of bean from 366.99 mg to 387.00 mg, and the potassium content in 100 g of bean from 1341.20 mg to 1394.06 mg. Statistical analysis revealed statistically significant differences except for potassium, where no differences were found for the two highest doses. In addition, no differences were found in the average phosphorus and potassium content between the years under analysis. The study showed an increase in yield depending on the amount of digestate applied. The highest dose used in the experiment provided the most nitrogen and macronutrients, with a positive effect on yield velocity, protein and fat content, micronutrients, and macronutrients in beans.

Tanacetum vulgare and Satureja montana essential oils (EOs) on Aronia melanocarpa before the flowering period were used against Acrobasis advenella. We hypothesised that the use of the aforementioned EOs (1.5%, 3% and 4.5%) would simultaneously improve yield and fruit quality. The profile of the EO constituents was determined by GC-MS analysis. Thujone (66.62%) was identified as the most abundant component in tansy EO, while thymol (40.04%) was dominant in savory EO. The mean weight of 100 berries ranged from 82.40 g to 88.00 g. A loss in fruit weight was recorded after the addition of 4.5% S. montana EO. A. melanocarpa shrubs treated with 4.5% tansy EO showed the highest content of phenols (848.03 mg per 100 g FW), along with high levels of anthocyanins (310.19 mg/100 g), tannins (1884 mg/100 g) and chlorogenic acid (187.38 mg/100 g) but exerted negative effects on the mineral fruit content (Mg, K). T. vulgare oil, particularly at higher concentrations, has shown promise for increasing the content of valuable compounds with strong antioxidant properties. The application of S. montana EOs positively affected minerals and chlorogenic acid content. However, their phytotoxic effects on A. melanocarpa preclude them from further use, even at low concentrations.

The aim of this study was to determine the quality of rainwater and the possibility of using it for various purposes in the Roztocze National Park (RNP), Poland. This study was carried out in 2021–2022. Samples of rainwater that drained from the roofs of farm buildings in the RNP were tested for their organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological qualities. The organoleptic tests were run to evaluate the water for a foreign odour and the threshold odour number. The physical and chemical tests included turbidity; colour; pH; conductivity; concentrations of ammonium ions, nitrates, nitrites, manganese, iron and chlorides; and general hardness. The microbiological tests included total microbial counts at 36 °C and 22 °C, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The rainwater quality results were compared with the quality parameters of surface water collected from the River Świerszcz, as well as with the Polish drinking water standards. The findings indicated that rainwater collected in the RNP had good organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological properties, which, in some cases, complied with the standards for potable water. Exceedances of the permissible limits, mainly for ammonium ions and microbiological indicators, were periodically observed in the tested rainwater. This was probably due to contamination of roof surfaces with bird droppings. However, these exceedances did not exclude the use of the rainwater for economic purposes, e.g., flushing toilets, washing vehicles or watering plants, which may significantly reduce the abstraction of high-quality groundwater. The rainwater that is planned to be used as drinking water for the Polish konik horses living in the park will have to be pre-treated via filtration and disinfection processes (e.g., with a UV lamp).

The studies were conducted in a forest settlement in Roztocze National Park (eastern Poland). The aim of the study was to evaluate the vegetation of two pastures depending on the type of use in the context of grassland protection, identify the trends of species composition changes, and analyse the yield and nutritional value of the biomass in the context of animal welfare. The studies were conducted on permanent grasslands varying in terms of fertility and location. Both sites were pastures where native breeds of livestock (Polish Lowland sheep of the Uhrusk and Polish Konik) were grazing. The fertile pasture was represented by the developing Lolio-Cynosuretum association, while the poor dry pasture – by a community with Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris L.) and a community with Mouse-Ear Hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella L.). The greatest changes over time were observed in the mowed site in the fertile pasture (increased share of tall grasses) and in the abandoned poor dry pasture (increased share of herbs and weeds). Livestock grazing conducted from 2010 influenced the stabilisation of the species composition. Tree and shrub seedlings were systematically eaten by livestock, which evidences a positive impact of grazing on the preservation of permanent grasslands in Roztocze National Park where forest ecosystems predominate. The assessment of the species composition and yielding indicated that the fertile pasture was characterised by good value while the poor pasture – low or sufficient value. In terms of nutrient yield and content, these pastures were poor or very poor, and their nutritive potential was largely dependent on the meteorological conditions. While the livestock density in the pastures, ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 LSU ha–1 in the years under study, was appropriate, grazing should be limited in the summer months, particularly in periods of drought, by reducing the number of animals or by additional feeding to ensure their welfare.

Wetland ecosystems are highly productive and valued for numerous reasons including wildlife habitat, biodiversity, water quantity and quality, and human uses. Grazing livestock on wet grasslands can sometimes be controversial due the humidity of the habitat, but on the other hand, it plays an important role in grassland preservation. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of Polish white-backed cattle grazing on changes in the vegetation (13 phytosociological relevés taken in years 2016–2019) of wet meadows as well as forage quality based on the species composition. Biodiversity was estimated based on species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity and evenness indices, and Rényi diversity profiles. The peatland featured mostly high-sedge and wet meadows communities of the Magnocaricion and the Calthion alliances. The species and biodiversity indices demonstrated significant rising trends. Extensive grazing resulted in the decreased cover of the dominant species of rush meadows, e.g., the common reed, acute, and tufted sedge. The gaps that had emerged thanks to the reduced cover of the dominant species were filled by meadow plants, which led to increased biodiversity. During the four years of grazing, the cattle obtained satisfactory weight gains, particularly in 2019, which indicates that wet meadows are suitable for grazing and can provide sufficient feed for cattle.

Grasslands provide many ecosystem services. Apart from being a source of fodder for animals, grasslands regulate water and soil quality by reducing nitrogen emissions to the environment. The aim of the study was to determine the biophysical and monetary value of ecosystem services of grassland based on the “mineral nitrogen content in the soil layer 60–90 cm” indicator depending on the method of use and the type of soil, against the cultivation of maize for green fodder. The study area encompassed three provinces, different in terms of soil use, livestock population and intensity of grassland use. The investigation indicated that the value of ecosystem services provided by grasslands varied spatially and depended on the type of use and type of soil. In mineral soils, the lowest levels of this index were recorded from sites used for pasturing, while the highest levels were found under maize crops. In organic soils (without maize crops), the smallest losses of Nmin were observed in meadows while the highest losses were in pastures. Nmin losses in organic soils were higher than in mineral soils. The losses observed were highest in Opolskie Province, followed by Podlaskie Province, with the lowest losses in Lubelskie Province.

In the paper, the problem of determination of the number of observations necessary for the appropriate use of the non‑parametric Mann‑Whitney test in the case of Pareto distribution is presented. Using the method provided by Noether, the sample size is calculated which guarantees that the Mann‑Whitney U test at a given significance level α has the pre‑assumed power 1 –β. The presented method is examined by calculating empirical power in computer simulations. Moreover, different techniques of rounding the estimated sample size to an even integer number are studied. It is important when two equinumerous samples are to be compared.

Data for the years 2001–2020 on changes in the amount of rainwater in the Roztocze National Park (RNP) in the catchment area of the Świerszcz River (Poland) were investigated to evaluate the possibility of using rainwater in the park for various purposes in the context of ongoing climate variability. An analysis of data from the RNP’s Integrated Monitoring of the Natural Environment showed that the average annual air temperature increased by 2.1 °C over the 20-year period, while the amount of precipitation decreased, especially in the winter seasons. These changes periodically led to a negative hydrological balance. As an effect, the groundwater table was gradually lowering, the flow of the Świerszcz River was reduced, and there were periodic shortages of water feeding the Echo Ponds. Water shortages also negatively affected the flora and fauna of the RNP. In order to quantitatively protect the Park’s water resources, a proposition was made to build a rainwater management system at the Animal Breeding Centre in Florianka to provide water for watering Polish Konik horses, flushing toilets, washing cars and agricultural equipment, and fire-prevention purposes. The excess water would be discharged to a nearby pond, which is an amphibian breeding site. It was estimated that the system was capable of meeting 100% of the demand for lower-quality water in the summer period. Moreover, it was determined that 9109 m3 of rainwater could be obtained annually from the roofs of all public utility buildings located in the RNP.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the free approach to automatic milking system of primiparous (PP) Holstein-Friesian cows with varying locomotion score on the milking frequency, yield per milking and daily milk yield in the subsequent phases of lactation, and the consequent production and economical losses. The evaluation of cows’ locomotion was successively repeated in seven consecutive months, using a five-point scale of posture and movement assessment. It has been found that in the case of analysed PP cows with the locomotion score 4 led to reduction in the milk production by 11% in third stage of lactation compared to the healthy PP. PP cows with locomotion score 4 less frequent went to milking robot and was characterized by the lowest daily milk production.

This paper deals with the problem of managing the surplus that arises during the seasonal production of pellets, which will be sold in the period of increased demand. Dijkstra’s algorithm is used in issues connected with finding a new storage place with a view of the optimisation of the transport costs of pellets produced by a company in 18 different towns in the Lubelskie Voivodeship in Poland. The most optimal location for the new pellet storage site has been determined, for which the total length of the traveled routes is the shortest, taking into account the actual shares of individual plants in the total production. The construction of the graph with the shortest paths was made on the basis of the existing network of available transport roads, and the nodes of the graph were their intersections. The most advantageous storage location of pellets was identified by the calculation the total transport cost using a minimum-cost tree of shortest paths. Based on the estimated transport assumptions, the lowest total cost of transport from all 18 plants was 3092.0 (km), which corresponds to an average distance to production plants of 89.7 km and 61.7 km to estimated selling distribution. The new storage point is suggested near the town of Piaski. Average cost of travel for all trees obtained for existing plant locations and subsequent distribution to points of sale was 4113.7 (km), while standard deviation 735.2 (km). Additionally, a relative increase in costs was estimated in the case of selecting other locations. Using spatial interpolation and geoprocessing tools, a map—showing the increase in pellet transport costs in relation to the most optimal solution—was developed. The constructed map allows for a better analysis of cost increases than a single point. It was stated that the increase in transport costs does not exceed 10% of lowest cost for 17.6% area of studied area. It was found that the most convenient area is shifted to the south of the voivodship and improperly adopted storage location can increase transport costs by up to 75%.

The natural form of feeding for all herbivorous species is grazing. Primarily local breeds should be grazed on natural grasslands, as they are resistant to adverse weather conditions, are likely to get nutritional requirements fulfilled on the grazing, and are highly resistant to disease. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the means and intensity of use of permanent grasslands on vegetation and its nutritional value in the context of animal welfare. We hypothesized that natural grazing of animals contributes to the preservation of high floristic diversity in areas of natural value. The research was conducted in 2016 in a mountainous region (500–600 m above sea level) directly adjacent to Magura National Park (Southern Poland, DMS: 49º31′47.944'' N 21º30′25.747'' E) and constituting its buffer zone. Extensive grazing of local livestock (sheep and cattle) was shown to have a positive impact on their welfare and on the biodiversity of grassland ecosystems by preventing secondary forest succession, and it can be used in areas of natural value for active nature conservation. Keywords: Vegetation changes, Grazing, Mowing, Local breeds

Geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) is a primary remote sensing tool utilized in land-cover mapping and change detection. Land-cover patches are the primary data source for landscape metrics and ecological indicator calculations; however, their application to visual landscape character (VLC) indicators was little investigated to date. To bridge the knowledge gap between GEOBIA and VLC, this paper puts forward the theoretical concept of using viewpoint as a landscape imageability indicator into the practice of a multi-temporal land-cover case study and explains how to interpret the indicator. The study extends the application of GEOBIA to visual landscape indicator calculations. In doing so, eight different remote sensing imageries are the object of GEOBIA, starting from a historical aerial photograph (1957) and CORONA declassified scene (1965) to contemporary (2018) UAV-delivered imagery. The multi-temporal GEOBIA-delivered land-cover patches are utilized to find the minimal isovist set of viewpoints and to calculate three imageability indicators: the number, density, and spacing of viewpoints. The calculated indicator values, viewpoint rank, and spatial arrangements allow us to describe the scale, direction, rate, and reasons for VLC changes over the analyzed 60 years of landscape evolution. We found that the case study nature reserve (“Kózki”, Poland) landscape imageability transformed from visually impressive openness to imageability due to the impression of several landscape rooms enclosed by forest walls. Our results provide proof that the number, rank, and spatial arrangement of viewpoints constitute landscape imageability measured with the proposed indicators. Discussing the method’s technical limitations, we believe that our findings contribute to a better understanding of land-cover change impact on visual landscape structure dynamics and further VLC indicator development.

The operation of an agricultural biogas plant is associated with the formation of a large amount of digestate. The basic trend in digestate management, after taking into account its physicochemical properties, should be its use as a fertilizer. The possibility of the agricultural use of digestate as a fertilizer was determined. Digestate obtained from the agricultural biogas plant was tested for the content of macronutrients and heavy metals. The content of macronutrients was also determined in soil for winter rape cultivation. The analysis showed an increase in the yield depending on the digestate dose applied. In addition, an increase in the fat and protein content was found in winter rape seeds. The best results of mean values were obtained during the application of the 50,000 L ha−1 dose. The average diameter of the stem base was 1.48 cm. The average height was 36.20 cm. The seed yield was 3.44 t ha−1. The thousand seed weight was—5.34 g. The fat and protein contents were 43.62% and 22.95%, respectively. By applying a digestate dose of 50,000 L ha−1, the highest content of macronutrients, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (31.17%), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (61.89%) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) (6.87%), was recorded.

Nitrogen, an indispensable component of living organisms can exert a negative impact on various elements of the environment. The study objective is to identify the correlation between certain environment and production factors and mineral nitrogen content in the 60–90 cm soil layer, recognised as a potential loss of this ingredient from the production and economic perspective and as a hazard to water quality. The study is based on the results obtained from 320 points (a total of 2560 samples from the 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm layers), located in mineral soils in the Lublin Province, as part of a Nmin monitoring project in the years 2008–2011. The soil material was collected in the spring and autumn, Nmin content was determined using (the spectrophotometric method) against the background of precipitation and air temperature and groups of crop plants, fertilisation and animal stock at farms where measurement points were located. Livestock and crop cultivation had the greatest impact on Nmin loss. There was no significant impact of the weather conditions and N doses in the mineral fertilizers in the spring measurement period. In contrast, the correlations with the analysed factors were stronger in the autumn.

Celem pracy jest analiza warunków hydrotermicznych w okresie wegetacyjnym ostatniego 50-lecia (lata 1966–2015) w środkowej części rejonu kanału Wieprz-Krzna (centralnej części Polesia Lubelskiego). Charakterystykę warunków hydrotermicznych okresu wegetacji opracowano, wykorzystując dane temperatury powietrza i sum opadów ze stacji meteorologicznej zlokalizowanej w Sosnowicy (wschodnia Polska). Stacja meteorologiczna znajduje się na obszarze odwodnionego i zagospodarowanego kompleksu torfowiska niskiego położonego pomiędzy kanałem Wieprz-Krzna a rzeką Piwonią. Warunki wilgotnościowe analizowanych okresów i podokresów oceniono na podstawie przedziałów zaproponowanych przez Skowerę i Pułę wg współczynnika hydrotermicznego Sielianinowa. W analizowanym 50-leciu (1966–2015) obserwowano systematyczny wzrost średnich temperatur powietrza w kolejnych dekadach. Roczne sumy opadów w tym rejonie kształtowały się w przedziale od 327,2 mm do 819,5 mm, co wskazuje na ich duże zróżnicowanie. Okres wegetacyjny (kwiecień–wrzesień) charakteryzował się większą sumą opadów niż okres pozawegetacyjny (październik–marzec). Dwa lata (2002 i 2003) odznaczały się skrajnie suchym okresem wegetacyjnym, a 21 lat – suchym lub dość suchym. Pozostałe lata cechowały się korzystnymi warunkami wilgotnościowymi w okresie wegetacji, jednak analizując krótsze (2-miesięczne) okresy, należy stwierdzić, że przeważały niekorzystne warunki, zwłaszcza w okresach letnim (czerwiec–lipiec) i letnio-jesiennym (sierpień–wrzesień).