This malacological analysis was conducted at a site with peat and calcareous tufas in Łapsze Niżne, Podhale

(southern Poland). The study was carried out in 6 main and several complementary sections, in which 37 mollusc

species were recognized represented by almost 11 000 specimens. The study enabled the reconstruction of

environmental changes during the accumulation of the Holocene deposits (from the Boreal Phase till present).

Conclusions drawn from these reconstructions were compared with results of malacological and palynological

studies from other sites in Podhale. As a result, regional environmental reconstructions for the Holocene of the

area were made. The specific composition, ecological structure and succession of molluscan assemblages from

Łapsze Niżne indicate a significant role for local factors, thus demonstrating the variability of environmental

conditions within a geographic region.

Subfossil trunks of oak (Quercus robur L. and Q. petraea Lieb.) are fundamental for construction of long dendrochronological standards for southern Poland. In the last three years over 400 new oak trunks from alluvial deposits from the basins of the rivers Vistula and Odra were analysed. Most trunks came from the last 2500 years and the produced local chronologies permitted for improvement of the standard chronology POLAND2, covering the period 474 BC-I 555 AD. Subfossil oak trunks from several sites in the river Vistula basin (Grabie, Wolica, Podolsze and others) and from alluvia of the river Odra in Wrocław enabled construction of a new long chronology C_3000E, spanning the years 1795- 612 BC. This chronology was absolutely dated through teleconnection with standards for southern Germany. A row of floating chronologies, dated with the radiocarbon method, was established for the older periods of Holocene. They cover the following intervals: ca. 670-400 BC, ca. 2200-1900 BC, ca. 3400-3100 BC, ca. 3800-3600 BC and ca. 6650-6150 BC. Subfossil oak chronologies constructed by the author, together with standards based on living trees, monuments of wooden architecture, and archaeological timbers from Wielkopolska (449- I 994 AD), Lower Silesia (780-1994 AD) and Małopolska (910-1997 AD) practically allow for absolute dating of oak timbers from the area of southern Poland coming from the last 4000 years.

In 1995- 1997 and 1998-1999 floristical investigations were carried out within the projected ,,Dolina Sztoły" Landscape Protected Area, located in the Olkusz district (north-eastern part of the Silesian Upland). The occurrence of 413 taxa of vascular plants was reported. Out of 23 legally protected species, 16 are strictly and 7 are partly protected. Among vascular plants there are 28 regionally rare and endangered taxa, Medicinal materials used in Polish oflicinal medicine can be derived from 46 species. Eleven species (2,6% of vascular flora) represent mountain element. The richest group are hemicryptophytes (49,4%), while woody chamaephytes are represented by 3,4% of species.

In the years 1988 and 1998-1999 botanical investigations were carried out within the projected "Diabla Góra" nature reserve, located near Bukowno town in the north-eastern part of the Silesian Upland. The occurrence of 57 taxa of bryophytes (5 liverworts and 52 mosses) as well as 248 taxa of vascular plants were reported. Among bryophytes there are 11 taxa regionally rare and endangered, for example Barbilophozia barbata and Pterigynandrum filiforme. Ten species (17.5% of brioflora) represent mountain element. Among vascular plants there are 20 protected species (8.1% of vascular flora) and 22 regionally rare and endangered taxa, for example Allium montanum, Botrychium lunaria, Orobanche caryophyllacea, Scorzonera humilis and Thalie/rum minus. Six taxa (2.4% of vascular flora) are mountain species. Eight associations (4 forest and 4 non-forest) were distinguished. The most interesting are thermophilous beech forest Carici-Fagetum and xerothermic grasslands from class Festuco-Brometea.