Jan Zarzycki

• University of Agriculture in Krakow

Traditional, extensive management systems in grasslands have played a fundamental role in the formation, maintenance and conservation of grassland of high natural value. Contemporary processes in the agricultural economy make this type of management unprofitable. Simplified management systems are implemented as part of agricultural and environmenta...

Semi-natural, extensively managed grassland communities are among the most species-rich plant communities. The species number and floristic composition depend on numerous factors, both natural and associated with human activity, both present and past. In European countries, a system of subsidies for farmers is used to preserve extensive, usually un...

The objective of this study is to present the approach to assess needs of land consolidation to prepare rural areas for proper water resource management. The study presented links of water management with land consolidation, which is a new approach in rural development planning in Central Europe. The results of this research are presented in the fo...

Peat extraction leads to the formation of areas with altered habitat conditions in comparison to natural peatlands. Restoration of the peat-formation process in these areas is very difficult and requires the creation of suitable conditions for the growth of peatland species. The aim of the study was to analyse the habitat requirements of bryophytes...

Peatlands are unique ecosystems inhabited by highly specialised biota. Due to extraction and drainage, these valuable ecosystems decline or represent only fragmented habitat patches. The aim of this study was to compare the carabid species composition, diversity, and life history traits between bog habitat types: 20 and 40 year post‐extraction site...

In recent decades, in the Polish Carpathians, agriculture has undergone major changes. Our goal was to investigate whether the former management (plowing or mowing and grazing) had an impact on the current species composition, diversity and conservation status of the vegetation of grazing areas. We carried out vegetation studies on 45 grazing sites...

The aim of the study was to assess hydrological and microclimatic parameters in areas at different stages of succession after the discontinuation of peat extraction relative to the conditions on a natural raised bog (Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin, Poland). Understanding these conditions is necessary for the effective reclamation of degraded peatlands. Thre...

The deposition of pollutants and agricultural fertilizers substantially increases nutrient supply to the environment. Nutrient addition may shift the nutrient limitation type of plants, e.g. from nitrogen (N)-limited to phosphorus (P)-limited. As the nutrient supply is expected to continue to grow, it is important to understand the patterns of nutr...

The soil biological activity of mountain meadows is a significant factor that determines the health and utility of these regions. The climax stage of this area is forest, but to maintain semi-natural grassland, which is characterised by high biodiversity, low-intensity land use (mowing or grazing) is necessarily required. To understand the effect o...

Areal variability of the mineral soil cover in a reclaimed soda waste dumping site. This paper provides an analysis of the areal variability of the thickness and selected physical and chemical properties of the mineral cover formed in the process of settling ponds reclamation at the former Krakow Soda Plant “Solvay”. The topsoil is intended to prov...

Development of woody plants in the course of succession on reclaimed soda waste dumps by use of mineral cover was analyzed. The spatial variation in the thickness and granulometric composition of the mineral cover was analysed by the Kriging method. The statistical measurements and geostatistical analysis were used to create maps showing areal vari...

The study area was located in the Pieniny National Park in the Carpathian Mountain (Southern Poland). About 30% of Park's area is covered by meadows. The climax stage of this area is forest. Therefore extensive use is indispensable action to keep semi-natural grassland such as termophilous Pieniny meadows, which are characterized by a very high bio...

The aim of this study was to determine possibilities for management of hard coal mine water sediments in geotechnical solutions and reclamation of lands degraded by mining and industrial activities. The mean sample of sediment collected at settling tank inlet was examined to assess geotechnical, physical and chemical properties of this material. Fu...

Gmina Trzebinia jest częścią ziemi chrzanowskiej, która wraz z ziemią olkuską należały do Krakowskiego Okręgu Przemysłowego. Na opisywanym obszarze początki eksploatacji rud metali można datować na schyłek epoki brązu. Udokumentowane, podziemne wydobycie rud ołowiu sięga początku XV wieku. Wielowiekowe procesy wydobycia, przerobu, wytopu rud metali...

In the paper the effect of thermal activity of colliery spoil heap on plant species diversity is presented. Basic physical and chemical properties of the spoil do not differ significantly from that type of objects. The spoil consists of coarse and acidic material. Thermal processes inside the colliery heap lead to rise in temperature of the surface...

The Carpathian Mts. represent an important center of diversity of meadow biocenoses at national and European level. High-value, species-rich, extensively managed meadows and pastures are connected with long-term pastoralism and are maintained by traditional forms of farming. Due to decrease of animal number since the second half of 20th century, as...

The Effect of Thermal Activity of Colliery Waste Heap on Vegetation Development Abstract In the paper the effect of thermal activity of colliery spoil heap on plant species diversity is presented. Basic physical and chemical properties of the spoil do not differ significantly from that type of objects. The spoil consists of coarse and acidic materi...

The paper presents the diversity of herbaceous vegetation developing in a complex of soda waste dumps in Krakow, which were reclaimed with a topsoil over 15 years ago (1995) and left without further treatment. A total of 132 plots were selected using the systematic method to determine some physical (texture composition, depth) and chemical paramete...

Semi-natural grasslands in the Carpathians are among the most diverse plant communities in Poland. However, changes in their management and abandonment of farming practices have caused rapid changes in their botanical composition. The grassland vegetation data from the past are no longer up to date. Therefore, the survey of the present meadow veg-e...