Assessing participatory and multi-level characteristics of biodiversity and landscape protection legislation: the case of Poland

In this paper, we present a comprehensive framework for analysing formal rules regulating the involvement of various actors in protected areas decision-making over time and apply it to Poland. Based on the analysis of legal acts and policy documents, we suggest that since the democratic transition started in 1989, the governance of Polish protected areas has been increasingly multi-level and participatory. However, different designations indicate different levels of involvement by non-state actors, with Natura 2000 standing out from the traditional protected areas. Regarding governance issues, establishing and taking management decisions were characterised by the greatest changes in actors’ involvement. While participation of non-public actors is still limited mostly to information and consultation, the involvement of non-state public actors of various levels increased significantly. The paper highlights the importance of a systematic analysis of legal rules as a starting point for empirical investigation of the governance of protected areas.     

Treatment of high-ammonium anaerobic digester supernatant by aerobic granular sludge and ultrafiltration processes

Anaerobic sludge digester supernatant characterized by 569 mg TKN L^?1, high color and a COD/N ratio of 1.4 was treated in granular sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) followed by post-denitrification (P-D) and ultrafiltration (UF) steps. The use of granular sludge allowed for the oxidation of ammonium in anaerobic digester supernatant at all investigated GSBR cycle lengths of 6, 8 and 12 h. The highest ammonium removal rate (15 mg N g^?1 VSS h^?1) with removal efficiency of 99% was noted at 8 h.Since the GSBR effluent was characterized by a high concentration of nitrites, slowly-degradable substances and biomass, additional purification steps were applied. In P-D stage, the microbial activity of granular biomass in the GSBR effluent was implemented. The P-D was supported by external carbon source addition and the most advantageous variant comprised dosing of half of the theoretical acetate dose for nitrite reduction in the 3-h intervals. The use of the system consisting of the GSBR with 8 h, an optimal P-D variant and a UF for the treatment of anaerobic digester supernatant allowed for the 99%, 71% and 97% reductions of TKN, COD and color, respectively.     

In vitro effects of various xenobiotics on Fusarium spp. strains isolated from cereals

This study aimed to determine the susceptibility of Fusarium spp. strains isolated from cereals to selected heavy metals, fungicides and silver nanoparticles. The experiments were conducted using 50 Fusarium strains belonging to five species: F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. oxysporum, F. sporotrichioides and F. avenaceum. The strains were found to be highly resistant to Pb²⁺ and Zn²⁺. Medium resistance to Cu²⁺ and Mn²⁺ and low resistance to Cd²⁺ and Fe³⁺ was also observed. Among the tested fungicides, formulations containing azoxystrobin, prochloraz and tebuconazole proved to be the most effective in inhibiting the growth of fungi, as they affected fungal growth in each of the applied doses. Susceptibility of Fusarium spp. to nanosilver, demonstrated in this study, shows the legitimacy of using nanostructures as fungicidal agents. The results confirm high diversity of the analyzed fungal species in terms of susceptibility to the tested substances, and encourage to continue research on the resistance of Fusarium spp. to various fungicidal agents.     

Behavior of pyrimethanil,pyraclostrobin, boscalid,cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos residues on raspberry fruit and leaves of Laszka variety

The purpose of the research conducted was to investigate and evaluate the behavior of pyrimethanil, pyraclostrobin, boscalid, cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos, the active ingredients of selected fungicides and insecticides, on ripe fruit and in fully developed leaves of raspberry of the Laszka variety. The field trial was carried out in the period of one month starting from the first fruit picking. The results obtained indicated that residue levels on the day of the first crop picking did not even approximate the corresponding EU-MRLs (http://ec.europa.eu/sanco_pesticides). Individual substances in raspberry fruits and leaves disappeared at a similar rate. As a result of chlorpyrifos application to the soil, its residue in fruits and leaves occurred for the whole period of fruit bearing, though in fruit they dropped successively. To produce raspberries with residues below or equal to 0.01 μg g^?1, the application of pesticides should be stopped at least 2–3 weeks before the first crop picking, and on condition that an appropriate preparation (active in low doses) is applied to the last treatments.     

Fate of 14C‐lindane in a rice‐fish model ecosystem*

Abstract

A model ecosystem has been used to evaluate the impact of ¹⁴C‐lindane on rice‐fish agricultural system. The distribution of ¹⁴C‐residues among the constituents of the model ecosystem was studied over a period of 90 days. The insecticide was found to be readily absorbed by the roots and translocated to all parts of the rice plant. The peak level in the shoots (26 ppm) and roots (105 ppm) of plants was reached to within three weeks. Lindane was concentrated in fish and residues as high as 90 ppm could be detected after 30 days.

The major part of the residues present in the different constituents of the ecosystem could be extracted with hexane and proved to contain soley the parent compound. The data obtained show that lindane possesses a relatively low biodegradability in fish and in rice plant. The insecticide accumulates in fish and rice plant to considerable extent.     

In vitro effect of profenofos,fenvalerate and dimilin on protein and RNA biosynthesis by rabbit liver and muscle tissues

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Curacron (profenofos), Sumicidin (fenvalerate) and Dimilin (di‐fluobenzuron) on the in vitro rate of protein and RNA synthesis by rabbit liver and muscle tissues. The synthesis of protein and RNA were significantly stimulated in the liver and inhibited in the muscle by graded doses of these insecticides. Profenofos showed maximum effect on protein synthesis in both tissues at a dose of 0.2 μg/mL, while the maximum effect on RNA synthesis occurred at 0.2 μg/mL in the liver and at 2 μg/mL in the muscle. Fenvalerate caused maximum stimulation in both liver protein and RNA synthesis at a dose of 2 μg/mL, and maximum inhibition in the muscle at 10 and 0.2 μg/mL for protein and RNA synthesis respectively. The maximum effect of Dimilin on both tissues was reached at 5 μg/mL for protein synthesis and at 0.2 μg/mL for RNA synthesis. The effect of Dimilin on RNA synthesis was more pronounced in both tissues than its effect on protein synthesis, but this trend was reversed in the case of profenofos and fenvalerate. Present data also showed antagonism between these insecticides on the rate of protein and RNA synthesis.     

Removal possibilities of colloidal chromium (III) oxide from water using polyacrylic acid

The lack of water is the most serious threat to humanity that leads to more efficient water and sewage treatment. Currently, many scientists are looking for new coagulants, flocculants and physicochemical methods allowing for sufficient removal of pollutants from water. The presence of various types of pigments, including chromium (III) oxide, poses the major problem. Even small amounts of these substances inhibit life processes in water. In this paper, the stability of Cr₂O₃ suspension in the absence and the presence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) was determined. To explain the changes in the system stability, the adsorption and electrokinetic measurements were performed. The chromium (III) oxide suspension not containing PAA is the most stable at pH?=?3. Under these conditions, each positively charged solid particle is surrounded by a negatively charged diffusion layer which protects from particle collision and aggregates formation (electrostatic stabilization). In turn, the Cr₂O₃ suspension containing the PAA is most unstable also at pH?=?3. In this case, the polymer causes destabilization of the colloidal suspension, which results from charge neutralization of solid particles by adsorbed PAA.     

The spectroscopic studies of humic acid extracted from sediment collected at different seasons

Gocza?kowice Reservoir is the biggest water reservoir in the south of Poland. For our studies bottom sediments were collected from eight different places of the reservoir at various seasons of the year.EPR spectroscopy was applied to analyse both quantitatively and qualitatively the humic acids (HA) present in the samples. EPR spectra of the extracted HA exhibited broad lines from the paramagnetic metal ions and narrow lines from free radicals. The values of the free radical concentration obtained for HA amounted to 1.14-13.6 × 1016 spin g⁻¹ depending on the season and the place of sample collection. The values of the g factor obtained for HA were of the range 2.0027-2.0035.The EPR studies show that HA extracted from bottom sediment collected at various points of the Gocza?kowice Reservoir exhibit similar physical-chemical properties. It was also observed that the depth of the reservoir affects the content of the oxygen functional groups as well as the free radical concentration in HA.The identification of the functional groups was done by means of IR. UV/VIS spectroscopy was used to estimate the maturity of the HA.