Nowe stanowisko Carex buekii (Cyperaceae) na Pogórzu Rzeszowskim

Carex buekii is a rare species in Poland. In 2020, the new locality of this species was found in the Rzeszów Foothills (SE Poland, ATPOL grid square FF78).

First record of Lithurgus cornutus (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae) from Poland

The paper presents the first record of Lithurgus cornutus (Fabricius, 1787) in Poland. Until recently, bees of the genus Lithurgus have not been recorded in Poland. Five females and one male of L. cornutus were caught in Lublin Region, SE Poland. The localities are beyond the range of this species, being the northernmost known records from Central Europe. The following information is provided: short diagnosis, ecology, distribution, recent records and threat status of L. cornutus in Central Europe.

First Successful Rescue of a Lost Person Using the Human Detection System: A Case Study from Beskid Niski (SE Poland)

Recent advances in search and rescue methods include the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to carry out aerial monitoring of terrains to spot lost individuals. To date, such searches have been conducted by human observers who view UAV-acquired videos or images. Alternatively, lost persons may be detected by automated algorithms. Although some algorithms are implemented in software to support search and rescue activities, no successful rescue case using automated human detectors has been reported on thus far in the scientific literature. This paper presents a report from a search and rescue mission carried out by Bieszczady Mountain Rescue Service near the village of Cergowa in SE Poland, where a 65-year-old man was rescued after being detected via use of SARUAV software. This software uses convolutional neural networks to automatically locate people in close-range nadir aerial images. The missing man, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease (as well as a stroke the previous day) spent more than 24 h in open terrain. SARUAV software was allocated to support the search, and its task was to process 782 nadir and near-nadir JPG images collected during four photogrammetric flights. After 4 h 31 min of the analysis, the system successfully detected the missing person and provided his coordinates (uploading 121 photos from a flight over a lost person; image processing and verification of hits lasted 5 min 48 s). The presented case study proves that the use of an UAV assisted by SARUAV software may quicken the search mission.

Urban Bees Benefit from a Native Forest Species Grown in a City Environment–A Case Study of Geranium Phaeum L.

This two-year study tested whether urban bees benefit from the forest perennial Geranium phaeum L. replanted from natural stands to an urban environment. The flowering abundance and phenology, spectrum of insect visitors, nectar and pollen production, and the energetic value of nectar were investigated in Lublin, SE Poland. The apiarian value of G. phaeum was studied for the first time. The species bloomed abundantly from late April to early June and can be regarded as a valuable spring food resource for urban bees, mainly bumblebees, which accounted for >50% of all visits in both years of study. Bees collected mainly nectar. The highest daily pollen and nectar sugar amount offered by a plant reached 73.7 mg and 36.5 mg, respectively, with the caloric value of nectar of 146 cal. The estimated mean sugar yield, caloric value of nectar and pollen yield · m−2 were 1.7 mg, 6.9 kcal, and 3.4 mg, respectively. The current study confirms the advantage of using native plants in urban landscaping and proves their positive role in strengthening both wild and managed bee populations in cities. The finding that wild plants translocated from the natural habitat can develop a self-sustaining population in the urban environment and establish beneficial relationships with urban bees is of interest in terms of the conservation of both native plants and pollinators.

Impact of mechanical stratification on the structural style of the Lublin Basin, SE Poland: results of seismic interpretation and implications for quantification of deformation within the frontal parts of thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belts

We demonstrate how lithological and mechanical stratification of Ediacaran–Carboniferous sedimentary package governs strain partitioning in the Lublin Basin (LB) which was incorporated in the marginal portion of the Variscan fold-and-thrust belt. Based on the geometry of seismic reflectors, the pre-Permian–Mesozoic sedimentary sequence was subdivided into two structural complexes differing in structural style. The lower one reveals forelandward-vergent imbrication, while the upper one comprises fold train, second-order deformations, and multiple local detachments. Lithological composition of the upper structural complex controlled geometry, kinematics, and position of compressional deformations in stratigraphic profile. System of foreland-vergent thrusts which links lower and upper detachment developed due to efficiency of simple shear operating in heterogeneous clastic-carbonate-evaporitic strata of the Lower–Upper Devonian age. Internal homogeneity promoted the formation of conjugate sets of thrusts in Silurian shales and Upper Devonian limestones. Structural seismic interpretation combined with sequential restoration revealed localised thickening of Devonian strata and up to 5% difference in length of Devonian horizons. This mismatch is interpreted as a manifestation of distributed shortening, including layer-parallel shortening (LPS), which operated before or synchronously to the initiation of folding. The amount of distributed strain is comparable with numbers obtained in external parts of other fold-and-thrust belts. The outcomes derived from this study may act as a benchmark for studying variability in a structural style of multilayered sequences which were incorporated in the external portion of other fold-and-thrust belts.

Geoparks in SE Poland as Areas of Tourism Development: Current State and Future Prospects

Geoparks currently form the basis for the development of geotourism and, therefore, proposals of new geoparks are developed in many countries, including Poland, where over 20 locations for geoparks have been proposed so far. Two national geoparks have been established thus far, while another two have received the status of UNESCO Global Geoparks None of them are located in the Carpathian Mountains. Simultaneously south-eastern Poland—the Podkarpackie Province—boasts valuable geoheritage, biotic and cultural assets. In the past, having regard for the geological heritage, several research teams proposed the creation of three geoparks encompassing the existing landscape parks in that area. However, these were proposals based solely on scientific values. The objective of the study was to comprehensively assess their tourism potential, with a particular focus on geoheritage assets. The assessment has made it possible to determine to what extent these assets meet the conditions necessary for the functioning of this type of areas, i.e., the occurrence of diverse tourist assets, well-developed infrastructure and appropriate development potential. The assessment method used is based on 25 indices forming six groups. The analyses have been carried out for districts lying within the proposed geoparks. It has been found that the analysed area has a sufficiently high geoheritage potential that can be the basis for the functioning of two geoparks. The tourist infrastructure—particularly accommodation and catering facilities and geotourist trails—needs to be expanded and improved. It is particularly important to encourage local communities to become involved and engage in business activity within the geopark.

Interpretation of Mineralization in the Western Carpathians (Polish Segment)—A Tectonic Mélange Approach

Quartz, carbonates and other minerals as e.g., realgar are present in veins and caverns in sedimentary rocks in the Western Carpathians. In the Polish segment, they have been characterized from the mineralogical, petrologic, and geochemical points of view, as well as fluid inclusions. Their characters are discussed from perspective of a description of particular types of chaotic complexes—the tectonic mélange zones, distinguished in the Western Carpathian area over the last two decades. The mélange zones are considered to be geochemical systems open to fluid flow, a site for mineral crystallization and/or migration zones of hydrocarbons and mineralized waters. In this context the tectonic mélange in the Jabłonki/Rabe vicinity (SE Poland, the Bieszczady region) in comparison to that of the Mszana Dolna tectonic window area are proposed as the examples. The trapping conditions of fluids (brine and methane) in the minerals in the mélange zones appear to have been 180–205 °C and ~550–570 bars, and 220 °C and 500 bars for calcite and quartz, respectively. The general trend of the increase in temperatures and pressures from west towards east and south-east in the mélange zones points to an increase in the degree of exhumation of different parts of the Carpathians.

Between Pocket Forest Wilderness and Restored Rural Arcadia: Optimizing the Use of a Feral Woodland Enclave in Urban Environment

An eight-hectare forest reserve in the centre of the metropolitan area in SE Poland was investigated for the effects of its management in relation to its purpose—protection of old Quercus robur L. trees. This local issue corresponds to a wider debate on the role of urban forests in contemporary societies. The study embraced (1) oak stand history—stand mapping and dendrochronology, historical maps’ analysis; (2) vegetation trends—undergrowth and ground layer analysis; and (3) visitors’ opinions on the reserve’s use—interview. The dendroecological analysis corroborates the landscape’s history emerging from the 1700s–1900s maps. The reserve is a feral park established in the early 1900s on the abandoned agricultural, partly wooded landscape. Under the current regime, shade-tolerant trees continue gaining advantage over older oaks, preventing their regeneration, whilst the herb layer, due to the reserve’s isolation remains poor and polluted by alien species. The non-intervention approach does not allow the reserve’s objective to be met. We recommend the restoration of features of semi-open silvopastoral landscape. This would correspond with both local eco-history and the dominating preference of the interviewed visitors. Such “bio-cultural refugia” should become key knowledge centres of the natural, cultural, and economic importance of the “working rural landscape”, fostering urban care for the countryside.

Estimation of Shallow Sulphur Deposit Resources Based on Reflection Seismic Studies and Well Logging

In this article we present a novel method for the estimation of sulphur deposit resources based on high-resolution shallow reflection seismic survey and well logging. The study area was sited in the northern part of the Carpathian Foredeep (SE Poland), where sulphur ore occurs in carbonate rocks at a depth of about 120 m, with a thickness of approximately 25 m. The results of many years of seismic monitoring performed in the area of the sulphur deposit allowed us to determine the quantitative relationships between the amplitude of the seismic signal reflected from the top of the deposit and its petrophysical parameters such as porosity and sulphur content. The method of evaluating sulphur deposit is based on extensive statistics concerning the reservoir properties obtained from borehole data. We also discuss a methodology for conducting field acquisition and processing of seismic data in the aspect of mapping the actual amplitudes of the signal reflected from the top of a deposit. The results of estimating the abundance of carbonate sulphur deposits are presented based on the example of a seismic cross-section from the Osiek sulphur mine. Obtained results allow indicating the most prospective zones suitable for exploitation.