Soil-plant conditions in selected valleys typical for Bellsund Region are varying from hardly favourable (Skilvika), to favourable (Calypsostranda) and medium (Lyellstranda). Plant growth and development of a soil cover are favoured by grain size composition (loamy sands and light loams), quick warming-up of a soil, relative stability of a ground, location and shape of valleys, etc. Unfavourable soil-plant conditions result from too light or too heavy grain size composition, considerable dynamics of ground mechanical features and high compactness of a soil. Varying contents of carbonates and alkaline reaction (except for almost neutral reaction in organic horizons) were typical for the studied soils. Thickness of humus horizons as well as contents of organic C vary at the three studied sites. Significant is high concentration of easily available Ca and Mg, sometimes also of Na.

Mountain soils derived from massive rocks were studied in the northwestern Wedel Jarlsberg Land. Main soil properties were examined for collected samples. Soils were classified as lithosols with common loamy and silty composition, and small amount of colloidal fraction. Soils were mostly alkaline due to high content of CaCO3. Much more organic substance occurred at westerly- than easterly-exposed hills and located close to a sea. Examined soils contained much soluble forms of Ca, Mg and occasionally Na, little of P and K. Density of plant cover corresponded to contents of organic substance.

Nematoda, Tardigrada, Rotifera and Crustacea composition in different freshwater habitats on Spitsbergen (Arctic) and King George Island (Antarctic) was presented. In all surveyed groups more genera and species were recorded from Spitsbergen than from King George Island. Habitats richest in taxa were moss banks and thaw ponds, whereas streams were poorest in species. In all groups in both regions cosmopolitan species dominated, but higher number of endemic species was recorded on King George Island. Regarding species composition in surveyed groups it can be suggested that freshwater habitats on Spitsbergen are more similar to each other than those on King George Island.

The highest infestation by phoronts (resting stages) of Apostoma ciliates forms 1, 2, is restricted to the 3-th and 4-th pairs of E. superba thoracic limbs. They occur mostly on meropodites of endopodite and plumose setae of exopodite. The trophonts (trophic stage) of those Apostoma are present in large numbers in krill's tissue. The life cycle of those histophagous Apostoma include also free-living stage - tomit. Swarm formed by krill seems to be a reason for the common and extensive infestation by protozoans.

A collection of 15 283 individuals of tanaidacean crustaceans was gathered by successive Polish Antarctic Expeditions in the years 1977-1993 in Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetland Islands). Twelve species belonging to three families are identified in this study. The material is clearly dominated by Nototanais antarcticus (Hodgson, 1902); other common species were Nototanais dimorphus (Beddard, 1886) and Peraeospinosus sp. A. The highest density of tanaids was over 140 000 specimens m-2 , occuring on a muddy bottom in Herve Cove lagoon.

Traps to catch microfauna transported by wind were installed on already colonised by plants area, in the vicinity of the glacier. After 6-week-exposition 859 individuals of microfauna were caught, of which Nematoda constituted 71%, Tardigrada 22% and Rotifcra 7%. Number of microfauna individuals caught depended on distance from the already colonised areas and presence of plant parts, together with which animals can be transported more easily. Microfauna connected with vegetation, which is transferred together with plant parts, was transported in higher numbers. Probably these taxa (i.e. Diphascon within tardigrades and Dorylaimidae within nematodes) colonise new habitats at first, but other species dominate later in freshwater bodies.

Luticola muticopsis is a characteristic species of polar and subpolar regions. Its morphological variability is not yet precisely described. In the investigated population the cells from capitate to shortened, flat rounded tips were observed. The range of dimensions of specimens was 8.8-40.6 μm x 5.5-17.6 μm, striae 11-22/10 μm; this range considerably exceeded that found in holotype diagnosis.

The Polish geological research on King George Island, South Shetland Islands (West Antarctica), during the two past decades (1977-1996) included: stratigraphy, radiometric dating, petrology and geochemistry, sedimentology and palaeoenvironmental studies, volcanology, tectonics, structural geology, Quaternary geology, paleobotany and palaeozoology. The major scientific achievements were: (1) the establishment of formal lithostratigraphic standards for radiometrically-dated Upper Cretaceous through Tertiary magmatic rock sequences and intercalated sediments; (2) the discovery of four Tertiary glaciations and three interglacials, spanning some 30 Ma from Early/Middle Eocene through Early Miocene; (3) the discovery and systematic elaboration of rich terrestrial and marine biota of Late Cretaceous through Early Miocene ages; (4) the reconstruction of changing Late Cretaceous and Tertiary terrestrial and marine palaeoenvironments in a mobile volcanic-arc setting; (5) the determination of age and structural evolution of the island's two Quaternary volcanoes; (6) the reconstruction of the Late Cretaceous through Recent evolution stages of the South Shetland magmatic arc and its backarc Bransfield Basin and Rift, based on tectonic and structural studies.

A lichenicolous fungus, Dactylospora dobrowolskii Olech et Alstrup, new to science is described. The paper reports on 9 species of lichens and lichenicolous fungi collected in the Bunger Oasis (East Antarctica).

A year-round (3 March 1994 - 28 February 1995) phytoplankton study in Admiralty Bay revealed nanoplankton flagellates (< 20 μm) to be the major algae of the plankton, both in terms of cell numbers and carbon biomass. Their quantities fluctuated widely thoroughly the year showing several peaks, in May, April, December and January. Summer maximum of the group in December was mainly due to Cryptophyceae (4.9 x 106 cells l-1; 98.0 μg C 1-1) and Prasinophyceae (7.3 x 105 cells -1; 33.5 μg C -1). Diatoms were usually scarce (max. 6.8 x 105 cells -1; 7.82 p:g C 1-1) and were dominated by small species of Thalassiosira and by Nitzschia spp. (Pseudonitzschia); the domination structure somewhat differed from that observed in Admiralty Bay in the summer of 1977/78. Algal peaks were related to the surface water (4 m depth) temperature rise from +0.16 to +1.71˚C. Summer phytoplankton maxima were about 5-fold greater than those recorded in the summer of 1977/78.

Comparison of T and S values in areas 1, 2, and 3 in the Bransfield Strait and Admiralty Bay (Fig. 1) shows that the warmest waters are found in area 1, while the coldest in area 3. Surface salinity is the lowest in area 2 as a result of water outflow from land. In area 3 vertical salinity variations are the lowest, with the maximum occurring at the surface. At 500 m depth the highest salinity is recorded in area 1. The most homogeneous distribution of temperature and salinity is observed in area 3. In Admiralty Bay, in the annual cycle of 1995 water temperatures at 4 m, 10 m and 100 m are similar to those in 1979 except in the winter, when they are lower.

Epifaunal organisms (bryozoans, foraminifera, serpulid polychaetes, cirripeds, octocorals), scratch marks and borings (brachiopod pedicle attachment traces and gastropod, phoronid, sponge and algal boreholes) were recognized on the brachiopod shells from the Eocene La Meseta Formation of Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. They are rare and occur only on about 10% of shells. It is probable that environmental conditions were not suitable for epibionts whose requirements were to be higher than those of brachiopods. The rarity of epifauna on the dead shells can be explained by their rapid burial.

Complex analysis ofgeomorphological glacial processes in forefields of retreating glaciers in the southern Bellsund region was undertaken. Field studies and archival cartographic materials indicate continued glacial retreat, at least since the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its average present rate of about 20 m/y is rather high and no moraine ridges are formed, except for the fluted moraines. Forefields of large glaciers are characterized by typical relief and sediments of frontal deglaciation only. Intensity and extent of glacial forefield remodelling depends mainly on activity ablation waters. At present glaciofluvial erosion predominates.

Temperature of superficial water in the Ezcurra Inlet was measured from March 1989 to February 1990, with a use of a mercurial thermometer with accuracy +0.1°C. Temperature was measured usually once a month at selected points. Influence of various factors on temperature of superficial water was preliminarily analysed. Basing on these results, temperature distribution in the mentioned area was determined. Mean yearly temperatures for each station, average space temperatures on measurement days and mean yearly temperatures for the whole area of the Ezcurra Inlet were calculated.

The ostracod fauna were examined from the Kapp Starostin Formation sequences (Upper Permian) from West Spitsbergen (Svalbard). The ostracod taxa are mainly confined to 3 superfamilies: Kirkbyacea, Healdiacea and Bairdiacea. 11 taxa are identified. One new species, Kindlella bellsundi is proposed. The ostracod assemblage dominated by kirkbyacean taxa is related to open shelf marine environment.

Thermoregulation is fully developed in 5 day old Wilson's storm petrels Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl). Resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body temperature (Tb) of unattended 1- and 3-day old chicks continuously decrease at ambient temperature (Ta) of 5°C. After being heated the chicks return to normothermia. Ability to survive temporal deep hypothermia seems to be an adaptation to absence of parents and low temperatures in the nest during first days of life. After snow storm, during two days of starvation, chick RMR decreases by 40% at Ta of 0°C, but chick Tb is stable. This suggest decrease of thermal conductance (Ct). Fall of Ct may suggest beginning of hypohermia.

Material for this paper was collected during the BIOMASS-SIBEX research programme, and consisted of 97 samples taken at 47 stations in Drake Passage and Bransfield Strait (Antarctica). The samples were taken by hauling Nansen nets vertically through the 0-100, 100 - 300 and 300 - 500 m layers at the end of December 1983 and the beginning of January 1984. Four Chaetognatha species were recorded in the study region: Eukrohnia hamata, Sagitta gazellae, Sagitta mari and Sagitta planctonis. The population structures of the dominant species E. hamata and also S. gazellae were analyzed in the context of the region's hydrology. Certain regularities are apparent in the distribution of the developmental stages of E. hamata in water column. Mature specimens of this species inhabit deeper waters than juveniles. The highest proportions of juveniles in the entire population of E. hamata were recorded in slightly warmer waters.

Lipolytic activity was assayed in samples of Antarctic krill frozen in different conditions and in its liquid digesta with synthetic (tributylglycerol, esters of 2-naphtol and fatty acids C3, C9 , C14 and C18 ) and natural (olive oil) substrates. It was testified that the lipolytic activity is several-fold higher in the crustaceans with high food intake than in those with an empty digestive tract. Krill lipases show higher activity against esters of unsaturated fatty acids that against analogous derivatives of saturated ones and 10-fold higher affinity tributylglycerol (Km = 1.12 mM). Their maximal activity is at pH 6.4 and 37°C. E. superba lipases preserve total activity up to 35°C for 45 minutes, and are completely inactivated at 55°C for 5 minutes. Prevailing part of lipolytic activity is present in krill cephalothorax, however, extracts from krill abdomen also display a marked activity. Krill lipases are probably resistant to an attack of crustacean's proteinases.