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Agriculture has been the major driver of deforestation in Europe in the last 1000 years. In the past, forests were also exploited for charcoal production; however, the spatial scale/extent of this activity and its impact are unknown. LIDAR data can be used as a noninvasive tool to investigate the small-scale diversity of the land relief, including forested areas. These data can reveal the extent anthropogenic modifications of topography present-day as well as in the past. One of the activities that can be analyzed based on LIDAR data is spatial distribution of charcoal production. A preliminary LIDAR data analysis indicated the intensity of this practice and its potential impact on the natural environment. This prompted us to analyze the environmental impact of charcoal hearths in northern Poland. As it turned out, this topic exceeded the scope of earth sciences and became a transdisciplinary one. In this work, we will use the research methods typical of biogeography, dendroecology, paleoecology, soil science, biology, botany, history, onomastics, as well as art history, in order to thoroughly understand not only the natural consequences but also the social and economic consequences of charcoal production. This paper presents the assumptions of our project, the research methodology, and the preliminary results. We have identified using LIDAR data more than 73 thousand relief forms which can be remnants of charcoal hearths. Our preliminary results confirmed large scale impact of past human activity related to charcoal production and suitability of the methods used for detecting and reconstructing charcoal hearths as well as determining the distribution and magnitude of past forest use for charcoal production in NW Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, afforestation with silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) instead of other species has become more popular, as it adapts easily to a wide spectrum of climatic and habitat conditions. We aimed to determine the impact of birch planting on earthworms, one of the most important soil quality and biodiversity bioindicators. Our study area included post-arable plots afforested with silver birch and corresponding arable fields, located in central Poland. Birch stands spanning in age from 20 to 80 years old were studied. To control for soil properties, approx. half of the plots were located on sandy soils, and the other half on loamy soils, and several soil parameters were measured at each site. Earthworms were collected in two seasons (spring and autumn) from 54 locations over two consecutive years. Our findings revealed a significant increase in earthworm biomass in the post-arable birch forest compared to adjacent arable land (from 3.1 to 13.7 g m−2), particularly evident on sandy soils (from 0.68 to 9.8 g m−2). Forest age emerged as an important predictor of earthworm biomass in recently established birch forests (F = 17.39; p < 0.001). Across all sites, we identified ten earthworm species: four endogeic, five epigeic, and one anecic. Epigeic species benefited the most from afforestation, being present on only 30% of arable field plots but 77% of forest plots. Anecic species were found on 7% and 53% of plots, while endogeic – on 63% and 83%, respectively. Among the ten identified species, four exhibited the largest biomass and predominantly influenced the investigated relationships. Our conclusion is that birch afforestation can be particularly beneficial for nutrient-poor sandy soils, as it fosters essential soil fauna communities and augments the ecosystem services reliant upon them. Utilizing birch for afforestation of less agriculturally suitable soils shows promise for improving their quality as the forest develops, given that earthworms, as soil engineers, exert a strong impact on the soil environment. [Display omitted] • Birch afforestation boosts earthworm biomass 3.1-fold, fostering soil biodiversity. • Afforestation affects earthworms more in sandy than loamy soils. • Epigeic species benefited the most from afforestation. • Earthworm biomass rises with birch forest age, particularly for endogeic species. • Birch planting increases the provision of earthworm-mediated ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Ecosystems are increasingly prone to climate extremes, such as drought, with long‐lasting effects on both plant and soil communities and, subsequently, on carbon (C) cycling. However, recent studies underlined the strong variability in ecosystem's response to droughts, raising the issue of nonlinear responses in plant and soil communities. The conundrum is what causes ecosystems to shift in response to drought. Here, we investigated the response of plant and soil fungi to drought of different intensities using a water table gradient in peatlands—a major C sink ecosystem. Using moving window structural equation models, we show that substantial changes in ecosystem respiration, plant and soil fungal communities occurred when the water level fell below a tipping point of −24 cm. As a corollary, ecosystem respiration was the greatest when graminoids and saprotrophic fungi became prevalent as a response to the extreme drought. Graminoids indirectly influenced fungal functional composition and soil enzyme activities through their direct effect on dissolved organic matter quality, while saprotrophic fungi directly influenced soil enzyme activities. In turn, increasing enzyme activities promoted ecosystem respiration. We show that functional transitions in ecosystem respiration critically depend on the degree of response of graminoids and saprotrophic fungi to drought. Our results represent a major advance in understanding the nonlinear nature of ecosystem properties to drought and pave the way towards a truly mechanistic understanding of the effects of drought on ecosystem processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated: a) the hydrology of a small Sphagnum mire located in a transitional climate in Eastern Europe, and b) the relationships between the local climate and hydrology of the mire. We hypothesized that temperature is the most important factor determining water table changes in this type of peatland in an exceptional biogeographic setting. Research on the Linje mire revealed that the groundwater table was predominantly influenced by air temperature, which determines the rate of evapotranspiration, particularly in summer. Another important physical factor that significantly influences the variation in groundwater table of the mire is the permeability of the surface deposits. Moreover, the vegetation (especially Sphagnum) also has a modifying influence. Our study is the first of this kind in the young glacial area of Poland as well as in Eastern Europe. There is a need to improve precision of the study by installing automatic data loggers, as well as to intensify monitoring of the mire and its surroundings in order to obtain a better picture of the relationships between the mire and forest management in its vicinity. Furthermore, in the future we plan to extend the monitoring to hydrochemistry and microbial indicators (e.g. testate amoebae and bacteria) to use the ecosystem approach in management of this valuable site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of ecosystems to predicted climate change can be empirically estimated by experimental research, as well as by long-term monitoring. Peatlands are an example of very valuable ecosystems which need special attention in the face of the climate change challenges. The position of the groundwater table plays a crucial role in peatland functioning, affecting rates of peat accumulation and organic matter decomposition, as well as biochemical processes that regulate greenhouse gases cycling. In the case of ombrogenic and topogenic peatlands, interannual and seasonal changes in precipitation and thermal conditions are reflected very accurately in the fluctuations of the groundwater table. Unfavourable meteorological conditions (prolonged drought, thin snow cover in high latitudes) within several years may cause tree encroachment, which in turn can affect the peatland ecosystem by further lowering the water table and by changes in microclimatic and surface conditions. Our ten-years study of the groundwater table fluctuations and local climate of poor fen (ca. 6.0 ha) in northern Poland, shows, that 2-3-year-old layout of unfavourable hydrometeorological conditions is sufficient to peatland started to overgrow. We have also examined the differences in microclimates and species composition of testate amoeba between open and shaded (by trees) plots. The results of the study from the growing season 2012 showed that open plots were characterized by higher air temperature, despite often lower values of minimum temperature and increased vapour pressure deficit, what caused more frequent drying of surface moss layer. The cumulative value of growing degree days (GDD) showed that the coldest places were the shaded ones, what is an important message in the context of climate change refugia. Also, we have observed differences in dewfall occurrence, what has a significant contribution to the formation of microhabitat conditions. Nowadays, basic monitoring of groundwater table position and local climate should be done along with other studies to fully understand the functioning of those ecosystems in a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present the complicated situation of a faunistically and floristically valuable ecosystem of the Rakutowskie Lake wetlands complex, which is part of the Special Protection Area for Birds of "Błota Rakutowskie" (PLB40001) and "Błota Kłócieńskie" Habitats Directive Sites (PLH040031) included in the Natura 2000 network. Numerous ornithological observations have drawn our attention to the problem of rapidly progressing overgrowth of the lake and significant fluctuations in its water surface area. These fluctuations, especially in the spring period, significantly limit safe reproduction possibilities of very rare species of water–marsh birds. A multidirectional and comprehensive spectrum of research works allowed us to determine the genesis of the ecosystem and show that the shallow lake is undergoing the final stage in its evolution. The economic aspect of human activity (changes in land use and land development works) has contributed to serious degradation of the ecosystem. Climate changes observed in recent years (increased air temperature and, consequently, higher evaporation) additionally deepen and accelerate this process. The research made it possible to determine how the ecosystem functions today, but it is also an attempt to determine our predictions about its future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]