Series:Geografia

Diversity of forest vegetation of the Silesian Foothills / Zróżnicowanie roślinności leśnej Pogórza Śląskiego

Author(s): Wojciech Zarzycki,Zbigniew Wilczek,Magdalena Zarzycka / Language(s): English,Polish

The Silesian Foothills are characterized by the presence of diversified forest vegetation, represented by 16 associations and 14 phytocoenoses in the rank of the community. They are internally diversified into subassociations and variants, reaching a total of 42 vegetation units. (fragment of the summary)

Geografia fizyczna Wyżyny Śląskiej

Author(s): Renata Dulias / Language(s): Polish

The Silesian Upland is located in southern Poland and it is the westernmost part of the Polish Upland belt. According to the physico-geographical division, this macroregion comprises 5 mesoregions. The central part is covered by the Katowice Upland, to which the Jaworzno Hills are adjacent from the south-east, and the Rybnik Plateau from the south-west. To the north of the Katowice Upland there is located Hummock of Tarnowskie Góry, whereas the mesoregion of Chełm is the westernmost part of the Silesian Upland. The macroregion covers an area of about 3930 km². The highest point of the Silesian Upland is Góra Stodólska located on Hummock of Tarnowskie Góry (435 m a.s.l.), while the lowest place is situated near the mouth of the Kłodnica River flowing into Dzierżno Duże reservoir (about 203 m a.s.l.). The Silesian Upland is located within the West European platform, in its part called the Upper Silesian Block. It constitutes the geological foundation of the region, and is built of Precambrian gneisses and shales, on which sequential tectonic units have formed. What is the most important of them is the Upper Silesian Foredeep, formed as a result of the tectonic movements of the Variscan orogeny and built of Carboniferous rocks. These are mainly sandstones, mudstones, shale and hard coal, rich deposits of the last-mentioned are exploited in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin. In the northern and north-eastern part of the Silesian Upland, there is the Silesian-Cracow Monocline built of Mesozoic rocks, i.e. Triassic limestones and dolomites and secondarily Jurassic limestones. On the foundation of rich deposits of zinc and lead ores in the Triassic ore-bearing dolomites, a mining and metallurgical district, which was of considerable importance in Europe, was in operation until recently. The southern and south-western part of the Silesian Upland is located within the area of the youngest tectonic unit, i.e. the Carpathian Foredeep. It is built of Miocene rocks, i.e. sands and clays with deposits of rock salt, sulphur and gypsum. In the Quaternary, the Silesian region was within the reach of the Pleistocene ice sheets, i.e. of the San and the Odra, with which post-glacial formations, such as fluvioglacial sands, boulder clays, erratic boulders are associated. Pleistocene sands were exploited on a large scale as stowing in hard coal mines. The relief of the Silesian Upland is of a structural nature and is characterized by a diversified morphology, even more prominent because of the neighbourhood of lowland areas. The Middle Triassic Cuesta, which is distinctive in the geomorphology of the northern and north-eastern part of the Upland, is one of the four cuestas of the Silesia-Cracow Upland. It was divided into smaller parts by river valleys, and thus numerous epigenetic water-gaps were created, e.g. of the Czarna Przemsza River in Będzin and of the Biała Przemsza River in Okradzionów. In the central part of the Silesian Upland, there are hills and plateaux of the nature of horsts separated by grabens and tectonic basins. What is a characteristic feature of the Silesian Upland is the occurrence of numerous anthropogenic landforms, i.e. spoil heaps, quarries, sand-pits, subsidence troughs, sinkholes, transport embankments, etc. The Silesian Upland lies in the temperate climate zone, between the oceanic and continental climate. Here, mainly polar-marine air masses from the Atlantic (60% of days) and the polar-continental air masses from Eurasia (30% of days) arrive. Predominant are winds from western directions, while the average annual precipitation ranges from 700 to 800 mm. In the greater part of the Silesian Upland, the average annual air temperature is 7—8 °C. Due to the strong urbanization of the central part of the region, a meteorological phenomenon known as ‘an urban heat island’ occurs there. In addition, for several dozen years this area was distinctive in Poland because of its very high air pollution due to the intensive development of mining and industry. Since the 1990s, the emission of dust and gas pollution has clearly decreased. The area of the Silesian Upland is characterized by considerable groundwater resources, in contrast to meagre resources of surface water. The Triassic aquifer in the limestones and dolomites and the Quaternary aquifer in Pleistocene sands and gravels are of the greatest importance for the fulfilment of communal and economic needs. The groundwaters have always been within the range of anthropopression, which is evident primarily in the drainage of the basement as a result of mining activity. The lack of water in comparison to the demand makes it necessary to supplement the resources from the neighbouring areas. The Silesian Upland is located in the Baltic Sea drainage area in the Vistula and the Odra basins. Within its boundaries, the main tributaries of the Vistula are the Przemsza, the Pszczynka and the Gostynia, while the Kłodnica, the Bierawka and the Ruda are the tributaries of the Odra. The quality of the river water is poor due to the contamination with industrial and municipal sewage and saline waters from mine drainage. What is an extremely characteristic feature for the Silesian Upland is the so-called ‘anthropogenic lakeland’ — several thousand water reservoirs developed in subsidence troughs, post-mining excavations, and formed as barrier or dyke reservoirs. Due to the great diversity of natural conditions, in the Silesian Upland there are various soil types, among which brown, lessives, podzol and rusty soils are predominant. A significant percentage of the soils is constituted by rendzina produced on carbonate parent rocks. The soils of the region are within the range of strong anthropopressure. The forms of their degradation manifest themselves in the phenomena of waterlogging in the area of mining subsidence, over-drying in cones of depression, and above all heavy metal pollution in the areas of zinc and lead ores mining and metallurgy. In the area of the Silesian Upland, there is the occurrence of many plant association that have been grouped in several plant communities. The majority of the forests are of secondary origin and their distribution is uneven. Larger forest complexes occur on the outskirts of the region, and these are the Pszczyna, Rudy and Lubliniec forests. Pine forests are the dominant forest community, however mixed forests and beech forests are also quite common. Among the non-forest natural communities, an endemic group of Cochlearia polonica is of the greatest value, whereas among anthropogenic communities they are xerothermic grasslands. Despite the large anthropogenic transformation of the natural environment, the Silesian Upland is characterized by a large biodiversity and diverse landscape. Many areas and objects of animate and inanimate nature that are of enormous value on the national and European scale occur there. They are protected in landscape parks (3), nature reserves (14), protected landscape areas (11), the Natura 2000 area (11), landscape-nature complexes (12), ecological areas (27), documentation sites (4), and most commonly as nature monuments.

Górny Śląsk i Zagłębie Dąbrowskie. Szkice o dwudziestowiecznej kulturze literackiej regionów

Author(s): Paweł Majerski / Language(s): Polish

The monograph is comprised of four interrelated parts devoted to the literary culture of Upper Silesia and the Dąbrowa Basin, including poets, prose writers and publishing industry. In the first part, the author touches upon the oeuvre of Lech Piwowar, Stanisław Wygodzki and Wacław Stacherski. Both in these as well as the following essays, the author focuses first and foremost on the poetics of the poems and the question of how much the extent to which the writers in question resided in the region (their biographies testify to their roots in small communities or “temporary” residence) influences the manifestations of local patriotism as well as the manifestations of the need to step outside of the local framework. Thus, both specific and general overviews go beyond the strictly regional context. The second part, also devoted to poetry, lacks the “historical” dimension of pre-war and wartime presence of the writers. Stanisław Krawczyk, who existed and created on the border between Upper Silesia and the Dąbrowa Basin, Grzegorz Słobodnik, who was the co-founder of Reduta 56, as well as other poets of the “younger generations” (e.g. Bartłomiej Majzel, Paweł Lekszycki, Wojciech Brzoska) at the same time emphasized their place in the region and attempted to gain popularity beyond Upper Silesia and the Dąbrowa Basin. The third part of the monograph can be described as a Sosnowiec reconnaissance. Jan Pierzchała, the author of “Legenda Zagłębia” (“The Legend of the Dąbrowa Basin”) for years engaged with the general collective memory of local places. Edward Kudelski, writing his novel „Sosnowiec jest takim miastem jak Londyn, Paryż, Wiedeń…” (“Sosnowiec is a City Just Like London, Paris, Vienna…”), attempted to sketch out the local topography and painted the fates of the inhabitants of the Dąbrowa Basin. Moreover, in this part, the author recalls the figure of Włodzimerz Wójcik, the author of “Spotkania Zagłebiowskie” (“Meetings in the Dąbrowa Basin”) and “Zagłębiowskie impresje” (“Impressions of the Dąbrowa Basin”), which documented his life-long attachment to the place of his birth. Part four constitutes a “dynamic” overview from the perspective of sociology of literature. This part of the monographs includes also a summary essay, which contains information concerning two departments at the University of Silesia in Katowice which conduct research into the literary life of Upper Silesia and the Dąbrowa Basin. This conclusion, however, constitutes at the same time an introduction of sorts – an invitation to a debate concerning the prospects of regional studies, strategy of research, and institutional systematization of research plans.

Inwazyjne gatunki z rodzaju rdestowiec Reynoutria spp. w Polsce – biologia, ekologia i metody zwalczania

Author(s): Barbara Tokarska-Guzik,Barbara Fojcik,Katarzyna Bzdęga,Alina Urbisz,Teresa Nowak,Andrzej Pasierbiński,Zygmunt Dajdok / Language(s): Polish

A publication prepared based on the document “Guidelines on the eradication of knotweed species in Poland”, commissioned by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection. Prevention of invasion is considered to be the most effective method for reducing the environmental and economic consequences of the spread of alien species. In addition to raising awareness of the causes and consequences of biological invasions, an essential element of a preventive strategy is the development of effective organizational and legal solutions, including acts regulating the import of alien plant species and methods of handling plants that already exist in anthropogenic and other habitats. Poland, by ratifying in 1995 the Convention on biological diversity (CBD), committed itself, among other things, to preventing the introduction of, controlling, or eradicating those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats or species (as far as possible and as appropriate) (Article 8h). The groupof alien plants includes knotweed species Reynoutria spp. (= Fallopia spp.) (Tokarska-Guzik et al. 2012, 2015a). Because of the threats to the biodiversity of plants and animals in specific areas associated with the spread of knotweeds and the formation of communities in which they dominate, often in large areas, these species have been listed in many countries as among those requiring eradication (Child and Wade 2000; Lowe et al. 2000). Failure to adopt measures limiting their occurrence and/or eradicating these plants can promote further invasions and increase the scale of their establishment. Due to certain morphological and biological features of knotweed species and their ability to adapt to various environmental conditions they have also been regarded as plants which are particularly difficult to control (e.g. Bímová et al. 2001; Child et al. 2001; Cronk and Fuller 2001).Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) no. 1143/2014 of 22 October 2014 (EU Regulation) on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species states that “Member States shall have in place effective management measures for those invasive alien species of European Union concern which the Member States have found to be widely spread on their territory, so that their impact on biodiversity, the related ecosystem services, and, where applicable, on human health or the economy,are minimised” (ch. 4, Article 19). The issue of effective eradication of invasive species belonging to the genus Reynoutria has been addressed in many scientific reports and methodological guides (e.g. Child and Wade 2000; Bímová et al. 2001; Kabat et al. 2006; The knotweed code… 2006; Barták et al. 2010). Information about methods of eradication and prevention is also provided in the GISP database (Global Invasive Species Programme) (Mooney 1999). One frequently emphasized fact is that once well-established, populationsof knotweed species are very difficult to eradicate. This should be considered when planningactions on national, regional and local levels. The aim of this publication is to summarizecurrent knowledge about the occurrence of alien invasive knotweed Reynoutria spp. (= Fallopia spp.) species in Poland: Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis) and their hybrid – Bohemian knotweed (Reynoutria × bohemica), and to prepare guidelines allowing for effective measures to eliminate or minimize the risks associated with their spread. This document is meant to serve as a guideline for local authorities, academic institutions, nongovernmental organizations and citizens, providingthem with information on the identification of knotweed species, available legal measures enabling actions to control these species, and, above all, a description of the most effective methods for elimination and minimizing their further spread.

Ludzie księgi. Wokół wybranych zagadnień wydawnictwa Jakuba Mortkowicza

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

Reprezentacja nauki o geoinformacji w wybranych językach informacyjno-wyszukiwawczych

Author(s): Małgorzata Gajos-Gržetić / Language(s): Polish

Geoinformation science deals with problems related to acquisition, collection, storage, analysis, interpretation, processing, dissemination, transmission, practical application, and use of geoinformation, i.e. the information obtained by means of interpreting spatial data on spatial objects connected with the Earth’s surface.The aim of the dissertation is to propose an update on vocabulary representing the science of geoinformation in selected information retrieval languages applying an original authorial method for updating dictionaries. This method, embedded in the theoretical framework of the science of geoinformation, has been developed to update vocabulary used in different disciplines and areas of expertise because the dynamic development of science, which has been observed for many years now, contributes to coining many new terms which – after being accepted by the user community who employ them – begin to appear in scientific and professional publications. To improve the quality of descriptions in the aforementioned publications in catalogues and bibliographic databases, it is necessary to introduce an effective method for updating the vocabulary used in information retrieval languages and applied to indexing.An analysis of dictionaries of selected information retrieval languages has been carried out to determine whether the existing representation of the area of knowledge in question (the science of geoinformation) is sufficient in relation to the body of knowledge. The research covered selected languages of three types: languages of subject headings – KABA, the language of subject headings; languages of descriptor headings – the GEMET thesaurus; and languages of keywords – the language of SYNABA system.In the dissertation, the proposal of updating dictionaries of information retrieval language in the field of geoinformation has been implemented in three stages: an analysis of the terminology found in the subject literature from the area of knowledge in question in terms of the following: the names of data categories, names of information categories, names of information system categories, and names of the field of knowledge; an analysis of a document presenting both the scope of knowledge within the studied area of knowledge and periodicals published within the area of knowledge, according to the method for updating dictionaries proposed by the author, which constitutes the authorial original method of collecting vocabulary in order to update dictionaries of information retrieval languages; an analysis of interdisciplinary connections in the area of knowledge. (excerpt from the abstract)

Stan i współczesne zmiany systemów lodowcowych południowego Spitsbergenu w świetle badań metodami radarowymi

Author(s): Mariusz Grabiec / Language(s): Polish

The book presents the interactions that take place in the glacial systems and defines the mechanisms that control these processes. The purpose of this book is to investigate how glacial systems react to changing climate.The conducted analysis applied a set of field studies from 2007—2014 carried out in southern Spitsbergen between van Keulenfjorden fiords in the North and Hornsund in the South. The widely applied radar sounding is an effective research method in the glaciated areas thanks to its noninvasiveness, mobility, wide depth range of the survey area constituting the glacial system, as well as simplicity in distinguishing the structures within the glacier due to their contrastive dielectric properties. The analysis focused on the processes undergoing in particular components of the glacial system (i.e., snow cover, firn, the interior of the glacier in various hydrothermal states, water drainage system) that constitute a complex interacting with the natural surroundings and is thus conducive to the formation of a glaciosystem.The research shows the glacial systems of Svalbard as responding gradually to the relatively fast environmental changes. Hence the view of the glaciers as indicators of such changes needs to be regarded with caution and due consideration of their delayed response time under a given climate scenario and the potential process that might continue even after the factor that caused the changes has already ceased.The book is addressed to all the individuals who study glacial processes and the reaction of glacial complexes in the Arctic to the environmental changes, and to experts who use geophysical surveys, predominantly radar systems in the glaciated areas. It will also be of interest to aficionados of Earth’s frigid zones.

Uwarunkowania rozwoju lokalnego na obszarach przygranicznych

Author(s): Sławomir Sitek / Language(s): Polish

The paper looks at the course of the process of local development in changing systemic and economic conditions in specific zones, namely border regions. Local development is one of the aspects of territorial development that is implemented at the municipal and administrative district level. It is expressed through favourable changes, the source of which are, in particular, local natural and material resources and the characteristics of the local community that are conducive to the development. In the result of these changes the needs of the residents are more fully addressed, and their welfare improved. It includesa number of factors relating to the social, economic and spatial sphere. What is a new determinant of the local development in border regions is the integration process causing the „erosion“ of the borders. This applies to intra-EU borders, because of the fact that at the same time on the external border a noticeable sealing process takes place, and this necessitates verification of theoretical concepts explaining the mechanisms of the development in these areas. The paper is aimed at the identification of the determinants of the local development of Polish border regions, with a particular focus on the role and function of the border as a factor modelling this process. The research problem consists in the identification of factors and barriers to the local development in the border regions, with the emphasis on the elementspointing to the specificity resulting from the neighbourhood of the border. The methodology of the paper is based on a compilation of quantitative methods, which have been supplemented with a range of qualitative information. The specificity of the conditions of the local development in the border regions has been tested in the three types of neighbourhood:• the border region of A type – between the countries of the so-called ‘the old’ EU and Poland, in this case represented by the Germany-Poland border (PL-DE)• the border region of B type – between the countries of the so-called ‘the new’ EU, represented by the border regions of Poland-the Czech Republic (PL-CZ), Poland-Slovakia (PL-SK) and Poland-Lithuania (LT-PL)• the border region of C type – that constitutes an external border of the EU, represented by the border regions of Poland-Belarus (PL-BY), Poland-Ukraine (PL-UA) and Poland-Russia (PL-RU).Accordingly, the area of the research comprised the municipalities and administrative districts immediately adjacent to the state border. The total number of the territorial units included in the study is 164 municipalities and 56 districts.In accordance with the aspects of local development, a comprehensive inspection of the theories of social, economic and spatial development was carried out, and subsequently the concepts whose assumptions would be adequate to the conditions observed in the border regions were sought amongst them. The assessment of the determinants in the individual border regions allowed establishing where the conditions are the most favourable for the development. Moreover, it had been assumed that together with an increasing distancefrom the border its influence decreases, and also that a greater number of border crossings positively stimulates the process of local development. In addition, the influence of the local government, Euro-regions and the EU programmes on the condition in the border regions was verified.The paper presents the change in the character of the border and the circumstances surrounding its formation, with particular emphasis on the period after 1989. It also comprises a parametric evaluation of the stage of the development of the border regions in the system of the municipalities and administrative districts, and the correlation between its condition and the existence of the border crossing and the type of border region.The participation of the border regions in the demographic, financial and economic potential of the country was diagnosed, along with the dynamics of the changes in this field in the years 1995–2015. In addition, the issue of macro-economic differences between the countries was discussed. The impact on the local development was also investigated on the basis of the level of trade and exchange, differences in prices, differences in the condition of labour and real estate markets. In the social sphere, the attention was paid to the multiculturalism of the border regions and the issues of social activity. What was emphasised was the importance of tourism and the role of EU programmes designed for the border regions.It was found out that the conditions for the development of the local Polish border regions are diverse, which results from the very character of the border. The overall assessment of the determinants of the development is positive. The actions of the state and the EU aimed at integration are supported with numerous measures focused on the cross-border cooperation. In the border regions, there are still favourable economic differences that allow obtainingbenefits of the exchange. It has been confirmed by a growing level of expenditure in the border regions and a greater number of travellers. Further development requires developing a common identity of the border regions originating from the common ground of the cultures and nations. The community of goals and further understanding is the basis of trust, which constitutes the foundation of social capital. More and more plentiful is the evidence that the inhabitants of these regions are beginning to see the border as an opportunity for development, not as a barrier to it. The contact between the sides of the border is also easier, which is the result of the reduction in its formal rigor and the development of technical infrastructure. The border region of A type is the best developed, whereas the rate of changes indicates that its advantages over the other border regions are decreasing. The most favourable conditions for local development in terms of economy prevail in the regions adjacent to the borders with Germany and Ukraine, while as for the social sphere – in the regions bordering with Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and slightly less favourable at the border with Lithuania. The worst situation (in terms of both of the aforementioned fields) was observed at the border with Russia and Belarus.

Wpływ zrzutów wód kopalnianych na odpływ rzek Górnośląskiego Zagłębia Węglowego

Author(s): Magdalena Matysik / Language(s): Polish

Mining activity is an important fact or that modifies the outflow of surface water in the area of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. At the peak period of coal mining in the USCB, there were 83 points of discharging mine water from hard coal mines to the surface hydrographic network. Currently, in this area there are 64 discharge points: 23 in the Polish and 8 in the Czech part of the Odra basin, and 33 in the Vistula basin. The following rivers are the major ‘receivers’ of the discharged mine water: the Odra, the Ruda with the Nacyna, the Bierawka, the Kłodnica with the Bytomka, the Czarna Przemsza, the Pogoria, the Brynica, the Biała Przemsza with the Bobrek, the Przemsza, the Mleczna, the Gostynia and the Vistula. In the period of 1967–2013, on average 10.39 m3∙s–1 of the mine water coming from the drainage of the hard coal mines in the USCB was discharged to the rivers; 2.46 m3∙s–1 of which was discharged to the Odra, whereas 7.94 m3∙s–1 to the Vistula. The volume of the discharged mine water reached its maximum in the years of 1985–1988. The average volume of the discharged mine water at that time was 14.19 m3∙s–1; 11.03 m3∙s–1 of which was discharged to the Vistula basin, and – 3.16 m3∙s–1 to the Odra basin. The process of restructuring the mining industry initiated in 1989 resulted in a systematic reduction of the volume of the discharged mine water. The quantity of the discharged mine water decreased by 26% in relation to the peak period of the discharge in the years of 1977–1989. The catchment of the Bytomka is an exception, since there was an increase in the volume of the discharged mine water. The largest volume of the mine water was discharged into the Przemsza basin (6.66 m3∙s–1 on average). In the Odra basin, the greatest amount of the mine water was discharged to the Kłodnica. Its mean volume amounted to 1.05 m3∙s–1. The greatest portion of mine water in the flow was characteristic of the Brynica in Czeladź, where the average portion of mine water in SNQ was 61%, whereas in SSQ – 43%. Periodically, as much as 100% portion of mine water in the average annual low flow was recorded, i.e. in dry periods and during the maximum intake of water from ‘Kozłowa Góra’ reservoir, which is located above this section. The river flow consisted merely of mine water. A big portion of mine water is also characteristic of the Biała Przemsza, wherein mine water amounts to more than 50% of the average annual low flow, and accounts for 46% of the average annual flow. In the case of the Mleczna, the Gostynia, the Przemsza, the Pogoria, the Brynica (Szabelnia), the Bytomki and the Vistula (Pustynia), the volume of mine water in the average annual low and medium flows amounts to over 20%. The lowest portion of mine water, i.e. not exceeding 10% in SNQR and SQR, is characteristic of: the Vistula in Jawiszowice and Nowy Bieruń, the Czarna Przemsza in the cross section of the Radocha, and the Odra in the cross-sections of Krzyżanowice and Miedonia. The research into the impact of mine water on the runoff of the rivers carried out in the 1980s by, among others, A.T. Jankowski (1986, 1988), S. Czaja (1988, 1999), S. Czaja and A.T. Jankowski (1986, 1991b, 1992, 1993), J. Włodarczyk and L. Ośródka (1988), I. Hołda and L. Ośródka (1989), I. Hołda and M. Wojtylak (1991) revealed that the river flows increased as a result of the discharge of mine water into the local water system. In the flows of, among others, the Brynica, the Przemsza, the Gostynia, the Mleczna, the Bytomka, the Kłodnica and the Szotkówka generally growing trends were observed, especially in the 1970s. The process of stabilization took place in the next decade. The researchers observed that the impact of hydrometeorological factors on the runoff regime of these rivers was constantly decreasing while the portion of other waters in the outflow was increasing. What can illustrate the situation is the example of the Szotkówka, which was the largest receiver of other waters at that time – their portion in the runoff amounted to 66% (Włodarczyk, Ośródka, 1988; Hołda, Ośródka, 1989). The prognosis by A.T. Jankowski (1986) for an increase in the volume of mine water discharged to the Szotkówka turned out to be wrong, since as the result of the restructuring of the gas industry the volume of mine water decreased, and thus the flows of the Szotkówka ‘returned’ to the values from the period before their increase in the early 1970s. (fragment summary)