The aim of the research was to study the influence of different tree stands on topsoil magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal contamination in the soil. The study was performed in the old park in Pruhonice (near Prague) in the Czech Republic. On the relatively small area of Pruhonice Park, five different coniferous tree species (pine, spruce, blue spruce, fir, Douglas fir) and five deciduous species (beech, red oak, common oak, hornbeam, birch) were found, growing in small clusters on the same geological background. Also other natural and anthropogenic factors such as distance from industrial and urban sources of pollution, type of soil, climate, etc. were similar. The magnetic susceptibility was measured directly in the field. Twenty topsoil cores 0.3 m long (2 under each tree species) were collected and also soil samples from under each tree (litter horizon) were taken. The magnetic susceptibility values of the topsoil profiles and of litter layer samples were obtained. Heavy metal analyses of surface samples (litter horizon) were also carried out. The field magnetic susceptibility (K) data are more or less comparable to the laboratory data (x). High heavy metal contents corresponding to high magnetic susceptibility values are observed in the litter horizon. A positive correlation between magnetic susceptibility and some heavy metals was observed. The results suggest that the type of forest may also influence the values of magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal content. Generally higher magnetic susceptibility values were observed in the coniferous forest, except for the surface layer (litter horizon) where the K values are lower than in the deciduous forest.

Waste produced by deep coal mining is heaped up in the landscape, and remains there as foreign matter. Several attempts have been made to plant trees and shrubs on the soil substrate of post-industrial wastelands. But despite high financial expense reclamation often failed, because ecological principles were ignored. In European countries the optimum vegetation is represented by a forest (which is the final stage of natural succession) restoration was mainly done through forestation. Natural plant communities represent a finally balanced system and it would be reasonable to take this into account, especially when reclamation is concerned. Botanists, phytosociologists and ecologists are aware that natural development of a plant cover, particularly on row soils starts with pioneer species. They are characterized by their low demand with respect to site conditions, especially water and nutrient supply. The biotops, which are the natural source of these species, have largely disappeared, and the so-called technosoils do not own a seedbank.

Physical analysis of the 15-cm top layer of the Rzuno lake bottom sediments showed that their properties changed adequate by depth. They changed from granular structure, in the lakes shallow parts, to amorphic structure, in the lakes deeper parts, from light color to almost black and from loose to gelatinous consistence. Chemical investigation of this lake bottoms sediments showed that their main components is silica (more than 50% of dry matter of sediments), therefore these bottom sediments were classified as silicate sediments. Organic matter was another essential component of these sediments. The content of organic matter increased adequate by depth from 7% to 36%. The investigated sediments exhibited small contents of nitrogen (about 0.6%), with predominance of organic nitrogen. They make up are characterized by small phosphorus contents (about 0.06%), with similar amount of inorganic and organic phosphorus. The content of metals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, Mn) was also small in the investigated sediments. Correlation analysis showed that iron ions precipitate phosphate phosphorus from water and accumulate it in sediments. The material deposited in bottom sediments of Rzuno lake in mainly of an autochthonous origin. The chemical composition of bottom sediments of Rzuno lake, as well as its comparison with other lakes, show that this lake is moderately eutrophic.

The presented paper deals with the investigations on the content of chosen trace impurities in offal taken at various stages of technological process in felt production in hat industry, and its possible. The contents of lead, zinc, cadmium, iron, cobalt, copper, nickel and chromium in Bove hair washer wastes, in wastes from rinsing of washer, and in wastes from felting process were determined by spectrophotometric methods because of their simplicity and relative availability.

The preliminary results of" the research on the transformation dynamics of shrub communities in their initial developmental stage obtained from 15 permanent research plots are presented. Observations were carried out during the years 1997-99. They constitute the first phase of a long-term research aiming at the recognition or the shrub phytocoenoscs' structure. Iloristic composition, and local differentiation in various succcssi ve stages. The analysis showed that a significant increase in the volumes of shrubs was followed by a decrease in the richness or a vegetation patch. Furthermore, the role of both the taxa from the Artcmisietca class ancl, transitionally. of the meadow species becomes more visible. At the same time the plants or xcrothcrmic grasslands and thermophilous saum-communities disappear. Additionally. a significant inllucnce of the surroundings on the course of shrub colonisation was observed.

This paper is content of brief review of the problems of uptake, translocation and distribution of zinc in grass (Agros1is capillarisi. Grasses as well as other plant species growing on metal contaminated soil have been selected for metal resistance for a long time. An increase in heavy metals like Zn, Pb and Cd in soil caused changes in root morphology and physiology as well as the tolerance of different plant species. The uptake and transport of zinc in plants is higher in older plants parts, like old or dead leaves, than in younger parts. There were measured the zinc resistance of the grass and bioaccurnularion in different parts of grasses.

The objective of this research was to estimate bioavailable forms of choosen PAHs in sewage sludgeamended light soil. To estimate amount of bioavailable forms of PAHs the soil has been extracted with 25% tetrahydrofuran solution in water. Ultrasonic method and dichloromethane have been used to extract total content of PAHs. Influence of sludge dose on bioavailable PAHs content has been evaluated. Bioavailability of PAHs has been related to organic matter content in sewage sludge. High correlation between log Kow and level ofbioavailable forms of PAH's in soil has been noticed.

Phytosociological research was carried out in the town of Kłobuck, Silesian voivodeship. During the years 1998 and 1999 35 releves were taken using Braun-Blanquet method. In the study area 14 plant herb communities were distinguished, 10 of which were classified as associations. These are: community with Lenina minor, Nupharo-Nymphaeetum albae, Sparganietum erecti, Phragmitetum australis, Typhetum latifoliae, Glycerietum maximae, Phalaridetum arundinaceae, community with Jasione mon/ana, community with Deschampsia caespitosa, community with Holcus lana/us, Filipendulo-Geranietum, Scirpetum silvatici, Epilobio-Juncetum effusi, Arrhenatheretum eleatioris.

The area and object of the floral research was the town of Kłobuck with protection zone in Silesian voivodeship. Research has been earned out during the years 1988 and I 989. In the investigated area 388 species of vascular plants were identified. The results of the analysis are expressed in the following statements: The most of species belong to Asteraceae, Poaceae and Rosaceae families, Stable inhabited antropophytes constitute I 0% of flora, Among life forms in Raunkiaer' s classification hemicryptophytes are dominated species, Strong expansive species have a large shave, In terms of habitat conditions, the most common were species with full-light and temporary shade preferences, moderately warm conditions, humid condition typical for fresh soils, trophism typical for rich soils, pH of ground from moderately acidous to weakly acidous, dispersion of the ground related to loamy soils and ground content of organic matter as in mineral-humus soils, In the research area 6 strict protected species and 8 partial protected species, I species in danger of extinction and 13 rare on the Upper Silesia area were found, 7 species of mountain plants were identified.

The floristic investigations were conducted on three spoil heaps situated in the town of Ruda Śląska. The aim of the study was to determine similarities and differences among spoil heaps based on qualitative and quantitative analyses of the flora. There were 248 species of vascular plants observed on the investigated objects. The native species (apophytes) dominate in the spoil heaps flora (above 80%). The most numerous life forms are hernicryptophytes. The rudera) and meadow species are the most abundant among ecological groups. The analysis of the ecological indicators shows predominance of heliophilous species, which prefer temperate thermal and moisture conditions. The investigated flora demonstrates large tolerance spectrum of trophism and pH of soil.

Anthropogenic forms are important components of the Upper Silesian landscape. Among them, the slag and spoil dumps of coal, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, have an extraordinary aesthetic and document value - they provide evidence of the history of industrialization of this region. Waste rock accumulated in the dumping areas might be a source of utilizable material; thus the existence of most of the dumps is transitional phenomenon. However, a part of forms built from the rocks of low technical parameters have pretty big chance to remain. It happens in Western Europe that some of the dumps are left in the landscape as the evidence of history. They are usually spectacular objects treated as the natural monuments.

Chromium exists primarily in two oxidation states. The different toxicities and bioavailabilities of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) are public health concern and therefore require strict control. Some AAS/ICP methods work according to the so-called difference method and they do not allow the simultaneous determination of chromium(III) and (VI). The need of more accurate and rapid analysis of environmental samples has led to investigation of ion chromatography as an alternative to wet chemical chromium analyses. Conventional HPLC, photometric methods and atomic absorption spectroscopy analyse are less interference free than ion chromatography which has been used in a wide variety of chemical species. At present analytical chemists focus on alternative Cr(III)+Cr(Vl) methods which will be faster, more sensitive and cheaper than spectroscopic methods and which will allow to exclude many matrix interferences. This paper describes investigations of application of PDCA as a complexing agent of Cr (III) ions and its using in simultaneous determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in water by means of ion chromatography with UV detector.

The paper presents the toxicity changes of landfill leachate during landfill processes simulation as well as after Advanced Oxidation Processes implementation to the leachate. A bioluminescence toxicity test Toxalert®10 with the pure cultures of Vibrio fischeri was used. The significant difference in the leachate toxicity originating from acidogenic landfill phase in comparison to the methanogenic phase was noticed. The leachate ozonation led to the toxicity reductions. The hydrogen peroxide application caused the toxicity increase and slowed down the landfill processes.

In selected mining sinkhole ponds and sand-pits in the Upper-Silesian Industrial Region there were collected 346 sunbleak, in the age classes 1-5, with mean length and body weight 4.5 cm and 1.34 g, respectively. In the infected fish there were found: adult cestodes Caryophyllaeides Jennica, plerocercoids of Ligula intestinalis and Schistocephalus solidus, metacercariae of the trematode Posthodiplostomum cuticola, as well as two crustaceans Lernea cyprinacea and Argulusfoliaceus. In the case of the infection with plerocercoids of both cestodes distincly greater prevalence of the infection was observed in sand-pits, whereas maximal prevalence of the infection with the crustacean Argulus foliaceus - in examined sinkhole ponds. Authors discuss this phenomenon in the context of differences in temperature and oxygen conditions in both types of analyzed reservoirs.

The material was sampled in the dam reservoir ,,Przeczyce" (the Silesian Upland, rnesoregion of the Garb Tarnogórski) and in 9 fish-culture ponds in the Gatine Region (Department Deux-Sevres) in west-central France. The dam reservoir in Przeczyce is a drinking water reservoir for inhabitants of the northern part of the Upper-Silesian Industrial Region. The surveyed ponds were utilized for extensive fish culture. A total of 218 tench, at the age of 1-6 years, were sampled from the dam reservoir, while 247 fish of the same species, representing the same age groups, were caught from the fish ponds studied. Prevalence of Ergasilus sieboldi in examined tench populations was respectively 42.1 % in the dam reservoir, and 42.4% in the ponds. No significant differences in the body weight and standard length were found between infected and non-infected fish representing the dam reservoir and the ponds with complete array of fish species. In those ponds where predatory fish were eliminated, as a result of the interventional fishing, infected tench were significantly (p < 0.01) lighter and shorter in comparison to non-infected individuals. A significant (p < 0.01), although relatively weak, positive con-elation was observed between infection intensity of Ergasilus sieboldi and the body weight and the standard length of the fish infected (r = 0.5956 and r = 0.7398, respectively). No significant relationship was found between intensity of the infection and the condition factor (K= 100*W*L'', where: W - body weight, L- standard length) in fish examined.

Świętochłowice is a town located in a central part of Katowice conurbation (Silesian Voivodeship). The town has been industrially and anthropogenicaly changed, and a large area of it has been turned to postindustrial waste yard. A rich population of Epipactis palustris was discovered in 2001, in a north-westen part of the Świętochłowice district - Chropaczów, on a zinc and colliery heap. The population of Epipactis is numerous and of expanding tendencies.

The model of odour intensity analyzer in a form of two layers of neurons. was proposed. The first layer consists of specific receptors of odorants, which are randomly distributed. The odorant influence on odour intensity of mixtures is depends on the number of suitable receptors and number of their connections with the second layer neurons (the degree of divergence). The second layer neuron is stimulated with the same power after receiving the signal from any receptor or receptors. Il was assumed that the odour intensity is directly proportional to the number of stimulated neurons in the second layer. The investigated model contained 1000 neurons in the first layer and 1456 neurons in the second layer. The first layer contained receptors A and B (RA and RB) in quantities 15% RA, IS% RB and 30% RA, 10% RB. Receptors A characterized the divergence I :9, receptors B - 1 :25. The stimulus were mixtures containing 5-100 molecules A and B per hundred (x , = 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0). The general similarity of • the model reaction with that of the human smell reaction was found.