Flowering phenology and airborne pollen grains of chosen tree taxa in Rzeszów (SE Poland)

The aim of the study was to compare the courseof flowering and the occurrence of Alnus,Corylus and Betula pollen grains inthe air in 1999–2001. In 2000 and 2001 birchesflowered in a typical way – the floweringperiod was short and intense and that periodhad the highest concentration of pollen. Bothyears had no rainfall then and the temperaturewas high, which caused intense flowering ofbirches over a large area. In 1999 and 2000most of the Alnus and Coryluspollen was recorded at the end or after theirflowering period. At that time the weather wasunstable (as is usual in February and March).Pollen must have been transported fromelsewhere. Wind analysis showed that the mainsources of Corylus pollen must have beenin the south, and of Alnus in the southand west. In the southern margin of Poland thevegetative period begins later due to a colderclimate.     

Comparison of airborne herb pollen types in Córdoba (Southwestern Spain) and Poznan (Western Poland)

This study sought to compare airborne pollen counts for a number of common herbaceous species (Plantago, Chenopodiaceae–Amaranthaceae, Rumex, and Urticaceae) in two cities with differing weather conditions, Córdoba (Southwestern Spain) and Poznan (Western Poland). Pollen seasons for these species were studied from 1995 to 2005. Aerobiological sampling was performed using a Hirst type 7-day spore trap, in accordance with the procedure developed by the European Aerobiology Network. A Spearman correlation test was used to test for correlations between meteorological parameters and daily airborne pollen counts. The Spearman correlation test and the Wilcoxon signed ranks test were also used to compare mean daily pollen counts for the two study sites. In Córdoba, the pollen season generally started around two months earlier than in Poznan, and also lasted longer. These findings were attributed to the presence of a larger number of species in Córdoba, with overlapping pollen seasons, and also to more favorable weather conditions. Trends in pollen season start dates were fairly stable over the study period, with a slight tendency to delayed onset in Córdoba and a modest advance in start date in Poznan. The pollen season end date also remained reasonably stable over the study, with only a slight tendency for the season to end earlier in Córdoba and later in Poznan. A clear trend towards declining annual pollen counts was recorded over the study period for all pollen types in both cities.     

Variation in pollen concentration of the mostallergenic taxa in Poznań (Poland), 1995–1996

The airborne pollen concentration of the four mostfrequent and most allergenic taxa in Poland; Alnus, Betula, Poaceae, and Artemisia atPozna in the years 1995–1996 has been analyzed,using a Hirst-type volumetric spore trap. Theappearance of the earliest pollen producing taxa wasobserved as early as January and February, which isrelevant information for people subject to allergiesin the Pozna region, where Spring usually beginsin March. The periods of high and very high pollenconcentration of individual taxa have been comparedfor the two years.     

Pimenta officinalis Lindl. (pimento,myrtle pepper) from early modern latrines in Gdańsk (northern Poland)

Fruits, seeds and embryos of Pimenta officinalis Lindl. syn. Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. (Myrtaceae) have been found in Gdask (northern Poland) in latrines dated to the 18th century. This is one of the first few records of allspice from European archaeobotanical material. The paper presents morphological criteria used for the identification of allspice or myrtle pepper remains and briefly summarises the information on the introduction of this species to the Old World.     

Seasonal variations in the atmospheric Betula pollen count in Gdańsk (southern Baltic coast) in relation to meteorological parameters

Seven years of observations of thepatterns and fluctuations in atmosphericBetula pollen concentration with respect tometeorological variables enable the mostimportant factors shaping the pollen season ofbirches in the Gdask area (northernPoland) to be defined. The correlation factorsfor different aspects of the pollen season andparticular meteorological variables arepresented. A biennial cyclic rhythm is observedin the annual pollen sums. The starting date ofthe Betula pollen season is a ratherstable parameter for those years whichrepresent the average, most typical,meteorological conditions as recorded for thearea.     

From wetland to commercial centre: the natural history of Wyspa Spichrzów (“Granary Island”) in medieval Gdańsk,northern Poland

This paper describes the analyses of pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, macroremains and geochemistry in sediments from archaeological excavations at Wyspa Spichrzów (“Granary Island”) in Gdańsk, northern Poland. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the environmental conditions in this part of the town in the period preceding its occupation and during its transformation with the establishment of a trade centre and an increasing number of granaries, warehouses and workshops. The results show that this area was originally covered by wetlands typical of river oxbows, with a landscape formed by alder woods, shallow pools of water, fens and patches of wet meadows. Around the 9th–10th centuries, a distinct lowering of the groundwater table reduced the pools, and the alder stands also reduced. These changes coincided with the Medieval Climatic Anomaly. Drying of the ground could have been an important factor enabling expansion of settlement in the Gdańsk area. Between the 10th and 13th–14th centuries, the area around the investigated sites was probably used as pasture, as shown by high frequencies of coprophilous fungal spores. A large representation of cereal pollen and pollen and macroremains of field weeds reflects crop transport and storage on the island from ca. the 13th/14th centuries in the northern part of the area and the 15th/16th centuries in its southern part. The increasing human impact caused development of a rich flora associated with human activities, habitat enrichment by nitrogen and phosphorus, and heavy metal pollution from the beginning of the 13th century.     

First record of the occurrence of "gill disease" in Mytilus edulis trossulus from the Gulf of Gdańsk (Baltic Sea, Poland)

We are presenting the first report of the occurrence of "gill disease" in Mytilus edulis trossulus from the southern Baltic Sea, Gulf of Gdańsk (Poland). The disease preliminary diagnosis was based on the presence of white and yellow "spots" causing deep indentations in the gills with degeneration, destruction and necrosis of gill filaments. Average prevalence of gill erosion in the blue mussels population was 15.8%. According to other authors, gill erosion may affect over 80% of the bivalve population resulting in mortality rates of up to 40%. The origin of the gill erosion remains unknown, but viruses are most likely involved in the etiology of these pathological conditions. The disease as such may indicate a decrease in the immunological resistance of organisms to infections and inflammations directly or indirectly caused by harmful factors in the ambient environment. Furthermore, the occurrence of numerous pathologies in bivalves is a particular problem in the Gulf of Gdańsk being a low biodiversity ecosystem. Pathologies reduce bilvalves' reproduction ability, worsen their physiological condition and increase their mortality rate. Those factors may also pose a significant ecological danger and lead to negative alterations of the ecosystem.     

The use of strontium and barium analyses for the reconstruction of the diet of the early medieval coastal population of Gdańsk (Poland): A preliminary study

Barium and strontium analyses yield an important perspective on temporal shifts in diet in relation to social and environmental circumstances. This research focuses on reconstructing dietary strategies of individuals in the early medieval (12-13th century) population of Gdańsk on the coast of the Baltic Sea. To describe these strategies where seafood rich in minerals was included in the diet, levels of strontium, barium, calcium and phosphorus were measured in first permanent molars of adult men and women whose remains were excavated from the churchyard in the city centre. Faunal remains from the excavation were analysed as an environmental background with respect to the content of the above-mentioned elements. The impact of diagenesis on the odontological material under study was also determined by an analysis of the soil derived from the grave and non-grave surroundings. For verification of diagenetic processes, the calcium/phosphorus index was used. Strontium, calcium, phosphorus and barium levels were determined with the spectrophotometric method using the latest generation plasma spectrophotometer Elan 6100 ICP-MS. From the results of the analysis of taphonomic parameters such as the soil pH, potential ion exchange in the grave surroundings and the Ca/P ratio, it can be inferred that diagenetic factors had little impact on the studied material. From this pilot study we can conclude that in the early Middle Ages in the Baltic Sea basin, seafood was included in the diet from early childhood and at the same time the diet contained calcium-rich milk products (also rich in minerals). The lack of sex differences may indicate the absence of a sex-specific nutritional strategy in childhood and early adolescence.     

Diurnal vertical distribution of rotifers (Rotifera) in the Chara zone of Budzyńskie Lake,Poland

Diurnal vertical distribution of rotifers was investigated in the Chara bed and the water immediately above it in the shallow region (ca. 1 m depth) of Budzyskie Lake (Wielkopolski National Park, Poland) in early September 1998. Eighty one rotifer species were identified – 71 among Chara and 59 in the open water. Significant differences in rotifer densities were observed in the Chara, with highest numbers during the day (2316 ind. l^–1) and lowest numbers early morning (521 ind. l^–1) and at dusk (610 ind. l^–1). Above the Chara, the numbers of rotifers did not change significantly (615–956 ind. l^–1). Littoral- or limnetic-forms differed in their diel vertical distribution between both zones. One group of littoral species was characterized by increased densities in the Chara in the daytime, while a second group increased in density during the night. The densities of limnetic species, which were much higher in open water, decreased in the morning or daytime in this zone. These differences in the diel behaviour of particular groups of rotifers may be dependent on microhabitat and may also be related to different kinds of predation, the exploitative competition for shared food resources between rotifers and crustaceans, as well as typical adaptation to littoral or limnetic life.     

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with high resistance to mupirocin in hospitals of the Gdańsk region

Occurrence of high-level mupirocin resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from 18 hospitals in Gdańsk area was determined. The study was carried out on 190 MRSA isolated in 1997-2000 from various clinical samples. The strains were tested for high-level mupirocin resistance by 200 micrograms mupirocin disc. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for methicillin were estimated by agar dilution. Sensitivity to other antibiotics was determined in disc-diffusion method and to vancomycin in agar dilution method additionally. The strains were typed by set of 10 experimental phages and compared by the method of PCR-RFLP analysis of coagulase gen restriction fragment length polymorphism. There were low frequency of high-level mupirocin resistance in MRSA strains (4.7%) that were found only in 3 hospitals, in 6 patients. All of them were high-resistant also to methicillin and resistant to doxycyclin, gentamycin, erytromycin, klindamycin, ciprofloksacin, rifampicin, resistant or intermediate sensitive to fusidic acid but sensitive to vancomycin, teikoplanin and bacitracin. The origin all of the MRSA strains high-resistant to mupirocin probably was the same, except one strain, because they were belonged to one genetic type and possessed the same phage pattern.     

Seasonal changes in condition and lipids composition of the bivalve Macoma balthica L. from the gulf of Gdańsk (Southern Baltic)

• 1.1. The total lipids content and composition of lipid classes, their per cent in dry wt of soft tissues and level in standard animal, as well as composition of fatty acids and sterols were studied in Macoma balthica collected from three sites in the Gulf of Gdańsk, in the years, 1983–1984.
• 2.2. The increase in the content of total lipids, triacylglycerols, oleopalmitic, 16:1 and eicosapentaenoic acids, 20:5, C27 sterols (mainly cholest-5en-3β-ol), in spring and early summer and their decrease in autumn and winter were observed.
• 3.3. Content of phospholipids, sterols and hydrocarbons in the tissue dry wt of Macoma balthica remained nearly constant.

     

The impact of meteorological conditions on the concentration of alder pollen in Sosnowiec (Poland) in the years 1997–2017

The aim of the work was to compare the alder pollen seasons in the years 1997–2017 in Sosnowiec. The measurements of pollen concentration were taken with the volumetric method using Burkard’s apparatus. The impact of atmospheric conditions on the daily alder pollen grain concentration, the annual totals, and the duration of pollen seasons were studied. The dependency between each meteorological condition and different features of the alder pollen season was determined by using Pearson’s correlation coefficients, variance analysis with multiple comparison tests, and the linear regression model using backward elimination. It was proven that the temperatures directly preceding the pollination, i.e. the January and February temperatures as well as those from the period from 210 to 180 days preceding the beginning of the season, have the greatest impact on the beginning of the alder pollen season. The value of the daily alder pollen concentration in Sosnowiec showed a positive statistically significant correlation with the air temperature and sunshine duration and a negative correlation with the thickness of the snow cover and air relative humidity. The daily concentration also depended on the type of the weather front, direction of air mass inflow, and the type of the inflowing air mass. The season temperatures and the thermal conditions which were present in the summer of the preceding year impacted the annual totals (SPI) of the alder pollen grains.     

The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in the Gulf of Gdańsk – a species introduction into the Baltic Sea

In recent years, information concerning the awareness of organisms accidentally introduced into the Baltic Sea has substantially improved. Non-indigenous Estuarine and Marine Organisms (NEMO's) are hazardous for the Baltic ecosystem. Currently, about one hundred species are identified as accidentally or intentionally introduced into the Baltic Sea. Ballast waters and escape from aquaculture are the most important invasion vectors. During the last decade, an invasion of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) – a Ponto-Caspian fish species has been observed in the Gulf of Gdańsk. The first record of this fish in the Baltic Sea is from 1990. Early detection of the invader enabled the study of population growth and changes in the area. The first years of invasion were characterized by low numbers of individuals and a limited distribution. Later, the round goby gradually colonized all shallow waters in the western part of the Gulf of Gdańsk. Initially the fish inhabited stony and rocky habitats, but later it also occupied sandy bottoms. The round goby is now the dominating fish species in most of the shallow waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk. Two main factors account for the successful invasion of this fish in the region: the state of ecosystem at the time of the invasion and the biological features of N. melanostomus. In the late 1980s, the shallow waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk were almost devoid of piscivorous fishes. Concurrently, bivalves (a preferred prey of the round goby) have increased. Important is also parental care of laid eggs and reproductive strategy. Population growth potential enables the colonization of nearby regions. The first round gobies in the Vistula Lagoon were collected in 1999 and colonization of other Baltic Sea areas is anticipated.     

The prevalence of tetracycline resistance genes in clinical and commensal strains of Enterococcus faecalis isolated in Gdańsk

The common use of antibiotics is responsible for selecting of drug resistance not only in pathogenic, clinical bacteria but also in commensal, not pathogenic strains which could cause the rapid dissemination of the resistance to these antibacterial agents. However, information regarding the antibiotic resistance of commensal bacteria is very scarce, and the data is based mostly on phenotypical research. Therefore the use of genotyping methods for detection of tetracycline resistance genes, in commensal and medical isolates of bacteria, is essential, for understanding the spread of antibiotic resistance. In this study 24 commensal and 27 clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis has been screened by PCR methods for tet(M), tet(S) genes and Tn916 and Tn5397 transpozons. Subsequently, the tet(M) gene amplicones were sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was performed. We have found that the prevalence of tet(S) gene varied significantly between commensal and clinical strains. Moreover, the frequency of transpozons in clinical isolates was much higher comparing to strains isolated from healthy individuals. The phylogenetic analysis did not show significant differences between clinical and commensal strains but it could suggest that the genetic similarity between these two groups could be favourable factor for broad range spread of tet(M) gene.     

Stand-scale reconstruction of late Holocene forest succession on the Gdańsk Upland (N. Poland) based on integrated palynological and macrofossil data from paired sites

This study concerns the stand-scale palaeoecological reconstruction of the subsequent stages of late Holocene vegetation development on habitats recently covered by beech-dominated woodland in the southern Baltic region. The data, based on pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, macrofossil and charcoal analyses from two close-lying sites, demonstrated that each of the subsequent late Holocene shifts in dominating forest communities took place because of human impact coupled with climatic events or episodic human-made disturbances. Shifts from the Tilia dominated forest to the Quercus-Corylus plant community at around 3300 bc was most probably driven by the coupled effect of climate change and human activity. Human impact was the primary driver of the final Corylus decline and concurrent major Carpinus expansion at c. 460 bc, and the Carpinus decline followed by Fagus expansion at c. ad 900. Carpinus had been lingering on the edge of a major expansion in the local forest for at least 2,500 years while Fagus had persisted in a small admixture for no fewer than 1,500 years before becoming important forest constituents. Our data illustrate the role of episodic disturbances as turning points that initiate long-term vegetation changes.     

At the north-eastern extremity: variation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cepaea nemoralis</Emphasis> around Gdańsk,northern Poland

Variation in the shell colour and banding polymorphism in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis was studied in 260 populations in the region of Gdańsk, northern Poland. Unlike in other regions of Poland, many populations contain brown shells. Populations from shaded habitats have higher frequencies of brown than those from open and intermediate habitats, largely at the expense of yellow shells. Nearly all brown shells are also unbanded. Apart from this disequilibrium, banding morphs among yellow and pink shells show no relationship to habitat. There are no broad geographical trends in morph-frequencies, but there are very strong correlations among populations very close together, revealed both by pairwise analysis and Moran’s I. Principal Component Analyses show that these correlations relate to overall genetic similarity at the loci involved. The populations are at the north-eastern limits of the species’ range; habitats are mostly anthropogenic, and comparisons with studies in two urban areas (Wrocław, SW Poland, and Sheffield, central England) suggest that the patterns of variation seen are a product of human transport of propagules followed by local dispersal. The effect of habitat here is much less marked than in regions much further west, but it indicates that natural selection has occurred.     

Bacteriophage types of methicillin--resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in 2005-2006 in the Gdańsk area and their resistance to other antibiotics

The phage type of 38 methicillin--resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from clinical samples in 5 hospitals in the Gdańsk area in 2005-2007 was determined and antibiotic resistance of obtained phage types was analysed. Phage typing was performed using set of 10 phages as following: MR8, MR12, MR25, 30, 33, 38, M3, M5, 622, 56B. Drug resistance was determined by the disc--diffusion method. There were 12 phage types observed. The most frequent (28.9%) was 56B type which was present in 3 hospitals and in one hospital was found to be predominated. The studied strains were most frequent (23.7%) resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and gentamicin. This resistance pattern predominated in strains belonging to 56B type.