This paper presents the results of observations on occurrence of Tetranychidae. During 1995-2001 investigations a total of 10 species, namely Bryobia praetiosa, Eotetranychus carpini, E. cary/i, E. pruni, E. tiliarum, Eurytetranychus buxi, Panonychus ulmi, Schizotetranychus schizopus, Tetranychus viennensis and T. urticae were collected in ornamental nurseries in Poland. The T. urticae was the most frequent species ofmites and it was found on 60 different species of plants belonging to 1 7 families. This species caused severe damage on Spiraea japonica (Rosaceae), Ulmus minor 'Jacqueline Hillier' (Ulmaceae), Magnolia spp. (Magnoliaceae), Buddleja davidii (Buddlejaceae), Sambucus nigra (Caprifoliaceae), Laburnum xwatererii (Fabaceae) and Daphne mezereum (Thymelaceae). Among ocher tetranychids, S. schizopus is also dangerous pest of grafted willows.

The aim of this project was to create a ranking of the nursery schools in Wrocław with regard to the quality of the acoustic environment on their premises, using a specially developed evaluation methodology. Each nursery school was rated according to an adopted grading scale on the basis of the noise level distribution on the playground and on the nursery school building facades. Using the grading scale one can classify nursery school premises into twelve categories characterized by different acoustic environment quality, from exceptionally good (< 45 dB) to exceptionally bad (> 70 dB).

The appropriately rescaled data from the acoustic map of Wrocław and the authors' own measurements and simulation analyses were used. The developed methodology was verified by comparing the ratings yielded by it with those determined on the basis of field measurements and simulation studies, carried out for several selected nursery schools. The paper presents the results of an acoustic environment quality assessment carried out, using the developed investigative methodology, for 118 nursery schools located in Wrocław.

A great number of non-functional child care facilities for children up to the age of three have been created in Poland to this day. This state of affairs may be the consequence of the low level of knowledge in this field, as well as few available studies on topics associated with nursery facilities, which may familiarise readers with the legal aspects, administrative procedures, or examples of good functional and material solutions of such units. What is more, there is also little information about the needs and preferences of people directly related to the topic. The aim of the article is to analyse the expectations and preferences of nursery facilities’ users in terms of the functional and material solutions. Based on a survey conducted among the nurseries’ employees and parents placing their children in the care of such institutions, a number of guidelines has been defined, allowing for the design of an optimal nursery facility that would meet the market’s expectations.

Phytophthora citricola was isolated from diseased seedlings of European beech and Silver fir taken from the most of surveyed nurseries. Fusarium species, Pythium ultimum and Rhizoctonia solani were also found in diseased plant tissues.Isoates of P. citricola fro mboth plants and additionally from heather and rhododendron colonised leaf blades, needles and stem parts of beech and fir. In greenhouse trials on inoculated 1-year-old seedlings necrosis spread about 2 mm/24 hr on beech stems whereas on fir about 1.5 mm/24 hr.

Phytophthora citricola Sawada was detected from 3 water pools situated in 2 container- grown nurseries. The highest number of spots on rhododendron leaves were observed in June whereas the lowest in October. The use of water for plant sprinkling caused browning, yellowing of shoots and root rot of Buxus sempervirens, and blight of shoot tips of Thuja occidentalis and Rhododendron sp. The disease symptoms were observed already in June and the disease developed till the first decade of October. Losses caused by the species varied from 9 to 56%.

Phytophthora citricola constituted about 70% of all Phytophthora isolates recovered from rhododendron leaves used as baits for detection of that group of organisms in water. The species was found in 4 rivers, 2 hardy nursery water reservoirs and nursery drainage canal from May to October, 2006. Analysis of spots’ number on rhododendron leaf baits as a measure of P. citricola density showed that place of holding baits had a significant influence on the species occurrence. Significantly more spots, especially in July survey, were observed on baits held in Skierniewka and Zwierzynka rivers swimming through agricultural and forest area than in Ner, the river of horticultural area. Significantly more spots/rhododendron leaves were observed when they were held in rivers downstream of nursery and in the middle of hardy nursery borders. In nursery water containers and drainage canal higher Phytophthora density was recorded in August than in other periods of surveying. Using water from reservoir for sprinkling of Picea omorika nursery trees caused the development of tip blight and from diseased twigs P. citricola was isolated.