bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SPACES AS AN INSTRUMENT PROMOTING YOUTH INTEGRATION AND PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL COMMUNITY
Authors: Jaszczak Agnieszka , Vaznonienė Gintarė , Vaznonis Bernardas
Published: March 2018

Insufficient analysis of green infrastructure spaces benefit to youth activity promotion in Lithuanian social sciences discourse enabled to formulate scientific problem – what can be possibilities of using green infrastructure spaces while strengthening youth integration and participation in local community? The aim of the article – after analyzing social benefit of green infrastructure spaces to youth, to determine their usage possibilities for strengthening youth integration and participation in local community. Research methods: scientific literature, document analysis and synthesis, abstraction and comparison methods. Šiauliai district Kuršėnai town environmentally directed school’s projects were analysed for the case study. For youth, green infrastructure spaces are the areas for environmental education, health improvement, strengthening of their integration and participation in local community through various activities. Youth gradually become involved into social activity where their status of a passive participant changes into the status of an active participant. Case study can be used by various local actors (other schools, community, teachers, parents etc.) strengthening integration and participation of youth in local community by using GI spaces.
ASSESSMENT OF HISTORICAL BIO-INDEX CHANGES IN RURAL AREAS IN SOUTHERN POLAND – CASE STUDY
Authors: PRUS Barbara , BACIOR Stanisław , DUDZIŃSKA Małgorzata
Published: March 2018

Intensity of land use could be considered as an indicator of rate of anthropogenic impact on landscape (CAI) and the coefficient of ecological stability (CES). These two bio-indexes are based on the land use categories. The CAI coefficient is the ratio of the sum of percentile areas of land characterized by considerable human impact in relation to the sum of percentile areas of lands with low or none anthropogenic pressure. The CES index describes the structure of land use in one unit according to land use categories weighted by given coefficients. The calculation of the complex integral index enables to know the potential of the environment, i.e. a natural resource reserve with a structure that allows self-regulation of ecosystems and expresses the environment's resistance to bearing anthropogenic loads. The aim of the study is to analyze the historical land use changes (in the period of 1845-2016) in rural areas of Southern Poland using bio-indexes such as the anthropogenic impact on landscape (CAI) and the coefficient of ecological stability (CES). The analysis led to the conclusion about the strong dynamics of changes during this period which is largely due to the growth of the percentile areas of lands with considerable human impact especially after the historical transformation in 1989 in Poland. At the same time, the attention should be paid to the land use changes as an effect of growing suburbanization. The results of the study can be used by public authorities, citizens and governing bodies to form a system of measures to calculate environmental potential and modelling changes which ensure the environmental protection and sustainable development of rural areas.
THE EFFECTS OF TANNIC ACID ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EGG FERTILIZATION AND REMOVING CARP EGG ADHESIVENESS
Authors: ŽIBIENĖ Gražina , ŽIBAS Alvydas , ŠVIRINIENĖ Laima
Published: March 2018

Egg adhesiveness is one of the major problems in carp artificial breeding. The appropriate elimination of egg adhesiveness impacts the effectiveness of the breeding. This article discusses two used methods of carp egg adhesiveness removal: tannic acid+water and milk+water+salt solutions. Milk, water and salt solution was based on the following proportions: 1 litre of milk + 7 litres of water +50g of NaCl. Adhesiveness is removed from fertilized eggs in bowls by mixing them with geese feathers for no shorter than 60 minutes. The tannic acid solution was prepared by mixing 7 grams of tannic acid powder with 5 litres of water. 1 litre of solution is immediately poured into a bowl with fertilized eggs. Adhesiveness is removed from fertilized eggs in bowls by intensively mixing them for 10 minutes. After fertilization and removal of adhesiveness, the eggs were transferred into Weiss jars. The results showed that during the process of incubation, 3.7 million eggs were fertilized; out of them 1.6 million were rid of adhesiveness by milk solution, 2.1 – by tannic solution. It is plausible that unfavourable environmental conditions influenced the low egg vitality. 750 000 (47%) carp larvae hatched from milk solution treated eggs, while 800 000 (38%) of larvae hatched from the eggs treated with tannic solution.
FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN BUCKWHEAT (FAGOPYRUM ESCULENTUM M.) FLOURS AND THEIR EXTRUDED PRODUCTS
Authors: KRUMINA-ZEMTURE Gita , BEITANE Ilze
Published: March 2018

Lipids compose a small part of buckwheat seed, but they play an important role in the quality of food. The aim of this study was to evaluate the composition and content of fatty acids in different buckwheat flours (raw, roasted, white, black and germinated) and their extruded products. Fatty acids were quantified by gas chromatography according to the BIOR-T-012-131-2011 method. The prevalence of unsaturated fatty acids was determined which varied between 78.7 and 82.0 g 100 g-1 of fat in buckwheat samples. Linoleic and oleic acids were the most abundant unsaturated fatty acids, whereas palmitic acid was the main saturated fatty acid in buckwheat flours and their extruded products. Unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio was determined within 3.69 and 4.56, whereas linoleic/α-linolenic acid ratio was between 13.54 and 16.04. No trans-fatty acids in buckwheat flours and their extruded products were observed. The results showed that germination and extrusion of buckwheat flours did not have any effect on the content and composition of fatty acids (p>0.05).
REDUCTION OF AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM CATTLE MANURE USING BIOPREPARATIONS
Authors: BLEIZGYS Rolandas , MAŽEIKIENĖ Reda
Published: March 2018

Experimental studies performed at the laboratory enabled to find out the effect of the biopreparation on the process of ammonia volatilization from manure. Adding biopreparation to manure was found to slow down ammonia emission from manure. Depending on the manure composition, temperature of the environment, and duration of exposure to the biopreparation, the emission was found to decrease by up to 22 %. The maximum effect was observed on the day 6–14, whereas 30 days after biopreparation’s use its effect was significantly decreased. The effect of biopreparation on ammonia volatilization was observed to be higher under more intensive ammonia emissions, i.e. when the manure was fresh, with no crust formed on its surface, under high air flow velocity above the manure and high ammonia concentration gradient in the surface of the manure. Use of the biopreparation is highly recommended for reduction of ammonia emissions in litter-free barns where liquid manure accumulates. Its use is consistent with the modernization tendencies to implement litter-free liquid manure technologies.
BIOMASS MODELS FOR SHORT ROTATION WILLOW PLANTATIONS IN LITHUANIA
Authors: LINKEVIČIUS Edgaras , RÖHLE Heinz , SCHRÖDER Jens
Published: March 2018

Despite of increasing areas of short rotation willow plantations in Lithuania, only few studies have been done so far regarding the biomass production in these plantations. To fill this gap, the aim of this study was to develop biomass equations for fresh and for oven drywillow biomass and to estimate the yield of short rotation plantations as expressed in fresh and oven dry biomass.
The data required by this study was gathered in the western part of Lithuania, in the Šilutė and Tauragė regions. For this purpose, sample plots were established in 21 short rotation willow plantations managed by “Klasmann-Deilmann Bioenergy“. All of them were first rotation plantations grown for 3 to 4 years.
It was found that mean annual oven dry biomass increment varied in these plantations from 0.2 to 7.6 tons per hectare per year. Surprisingly, the productivity was not related to soil fertility. Additionally, the relations between stand level values were evaluated and a stand biomass yield model based on the mean height was developed. Relations on the shoot level were analysed as well. As a result we developed biomass models based on the individual shoot diameter for shoot height as well as for fresh and for oven dry biomass.
THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION MEASURES FOR QUALITY OF FRESH CARROTS
Authors: PAULIKIENĖ Simona , RAILA Algirdas , ZVICEVIČIUS Egidijus
Published: March 2018

In recent years there is an increase in consumption of food products and the supply of fresh vegetables to the consumer is getting more and more popular. However, this group of products is among the fastest perishing products. It is because of environmental and internal factors in vegetables during storage are unavoidable.
During the preparation for the market vegetables are being cleaned, washed, sanded, sorted and dried. This consumes a lot of energy and water. Different technological measures are used to reduce the consumption of natural resources during the preparation of products for the market and to slow down their quality changes. Ozone is an effective measure to slow down product bio destruction.
Ozone usage in small doses as a disinfectant is recognized as safe. Although there are a lot of publications in the usage of ozone, but its impact on vegetable qualitative indicators has not been sufficiently investigated. There is a lack of research in the analysis of the effects of ozonated water, which can be successfully used in vegetable washing technologies.
The article analyzes the effect of ozonated water treatment on fresh carrots colour and quantity of carotenoids. The obtained data showed that the use of ozonated water in concentration of 1.53 ± 0.09 mg L-1 did not have an effect on the amount carotenoids accumulated in the products. Also, ozonated water did not have significant effect on the colour of products.
GROUNDWATER QUALITY DYNAMICS IN THE TERRITORY OF FORMER PESTICIDE WAREHOUSE
Authors: ČESONIENĖ Laima , LINGYTĖ Kristina , ŠILEIKIENĖ Daiva , DAPKIENĖ Midona
Published: March 2018

Pesticides are used in intensive farming to help fight plant pests and diseases (insecticides, fungicides), kill weeds (herbicides), as well as accelerate the growth of seeds (defoliants), but until 1992 pesticides were kept in improperly equipped warehouses, there was no maintenance or accounting of the pesticides. Consequently, the environment of the warehouse was often polluted. Such sources of pollution are hazardous to the environment. Economic activities in the area have been carried out from 1980 to 1994. Various agricultural chemicals have been stored and used there. Later, in 1997, chemicals (fertilizers and plant protection chemicals) stored in the territory of the warehouse have been collected and removed from the territory. During the inventory of 2009, no chemical substances were found in the territory. In 2010, an investigation carried out in the territory of the pesticide warehouse revealed unacceptable levels of pollution in the soil and the groundwater by pesticides and other toxic and neutral chemicals. In 2012, the polluted territory was cleaned eliminating the remains of buildings, and removing the soil polluted by the pesticides. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the territory of the former pesticide warehouse in Kaunas District Municipality, Bubių Village on the groundwater during the period from 2012 to 2016. The results have shown that the groundwater is mostly polluted with nitrogen compounds, as well as the tendency in increase of chlorides, sodium, and calcium. Minimum and unchanging concentrations of the pesticides (DDD, DDE, DDT) were determined throughout the investigation.
THE HEALTH STATUS AND NATURAL REGENERATION OF PINUS SYLVESTRIS L. AFTER THE SURFACE FIRE IN VACCINIOSA FOREST TYPE IN LATVIA
Authors: MIEZĪTE Olga , RŪBA Jeļena , FREIMANE Lāsma , LIEPA Imants , DUBROVSKIS Edgars
Published: March 2018

From abiotic factors the most effecting influence on forest ecosystems has fire. Two years after surface fire in the pine stands growing in Vacciniosa forest type. Two PL (hereinafter PL) were installed in medium-aged (49 years old, 2.3 ha) and two PLs - in maturing (96 years old, 2.5 ha) stands. In each PL (20x20 m), the numbering of the trees was carried out and their placement was fixed, as well as the diameter, height and height of the green crown were measured. The sanitary condition of each tree was evaluated. For registration of one-year and two-year seedlings in each sample plot 25 sampling units (1 m2) were used. The similar sampling units were used for evaluation of ground cover (5 in each PL diagonally arranged), the obtained samples were weighed. The purpose of the study was to analyze the health status and natural regeneration of P.sylvestris after the surface fire. The ground vegetation was completely burned out in the medium-aged stand, but in the maturing stand both ground vegetation and organic layer - mosaically. The average burning height of trees in the medium-aged forest stand was 0.6±0.64 m, in the maturing stand - at 2.3±0.34 m. The natural regeneration was not detected in the first year after surface fire in the medium-aged forest (only 58800 one-year seedlings were recorded at the second year after fire), while in the maturing stand it was at this time (46600 one-year and 14200 two-year seedlings). Insect damage and cracked bark was not detected.
SOIL RESPIRATION IN STANDS OF DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES
Authors: SASNAUSKIENĖ Jurgita , SABIENĖ Nomeda , MAROZAS Vitas , ČESONIENĖ Laima , LINGYTĖ Kristina
Published: March 2018

Forest ecosystems of different tree species participate actively in climatic and biotic processes, such as photosynthesis, plant and soil respiration, therefore knowledge of soil respiration, especially of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere is of great importance. The aim of the study was to determine soil respiration rate of stands of deciduous (Betula pubescens Ehrh., Quercus robur L.) and coniferous (Larix eurolepis Henry, Thuja occidentalis L.) tree species as well as impact of abiotic (soil temperature, humidity, electrical conductivity, pH) and biotic (abundance of undergrowth, shrub, herbs) factors. Measurements of CO2 emissions, temperature, moisture and electrical conductivity were performed in-situ in the stands of different tree species with portable ADC BioScientific LCpro+ system and digital electrochemical device “Wet” (Delta-T). Soil samples were collected for the physicochemical analysis simultaneously. Chemical analysis of soil samples was done at the lab of the Environmental Research of the Aleksandras Stulginskis University by standard methods. Soil respiration was highest in the stand of Thuja occidentalis and lowest in the stand of Betula pubescens. Soil respiration intensity of the tree stands increased as follow: Thuja˂ Quercus˂ Larix˂ Betula. In the coniferous tree stands, the soil respiration was lower on average 27% comparing to deciduous tree stands. Soil respiration rate increased with increase of herbaceous vegetation cover and temperature. Soil respiration rate was mostly influenced by abundance of herbaceous vegetation (r = 0.91) of all biotic factors investigated, while soil temperature (r = 0.75) of abiotic factors. 60 years old stands of different tree species formed specific conditions what influenced different soil respiration rates.
LONG-TERM GROUNDWATER REGIME TRENDS IN THE AGRICULTURAL AREAS
Authors: RUDZIANSKAITĖ Aurelija
Published: March 2018

Long-term data on hydrological regime change of the groundwater situated in moraine sandy loam and peat in Lithuanian karst zone presented in the article. The aim of the paper was on the basis of long-term groundwater studies to determine the water level trends.
Groundwater level fluctuations mainly dependent on the ground type. The nearest land surface groundwater level (61-174 cm) was measured in peat soil (well 1), in mineral soil (well 2) was deeper (309-584 cm). Correlation between data of the annual precipitation and groundwater level in mineral soils (r2 = 0.416, tact .= 3.48>t95%=1.74) was more significant than in peat soils (r2 = 0.185, tact.=1.96 >t95%=1.74). The highest fluctuations of groundwater level was determined in mineral soil (well 2). According to Mann-Kendall test, the groundwater level significantly increased in February, April and December. Due to warmer winters decreased the duration and depth of the frost, frequent thaw, this cause increased feeding of aquifer in winter.
AGRO-BIO-TECHNO PARK AS AN INNOVATIVE FACTOR OF INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS OF AGRICULTURE UNDER GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Authors: VALIEV Ayrat , DMITRIEV Andrey , HAFIZOV Kamil , GALIEV Ilgiz , NEZHMETDINOVA Farida
Published: March 2018

Today developed countries are not just talking about agriculture or agribusiness, but set a strategic goal in developing high-tech and profitable sector of the Bioeconomy as a serious alternative to traditional industries, economies and markets. Modern agriculture and worldwide growth structural change of consumption of food. This factor is directly linked with the global orientation of rural households in the world at improving the productivity of agricultural land, reduction of losses, and increase in food production. The agricultural sector focuses on the production and processing of agricultural products, storage, transportation and sales of finished products. Thus, the agricultural sector requires professionals with expertise and skills relevant to the entire production cycle.
The transition to the Bioeconomy market changed the nature and conditions of agricultural workers.
The article provides a rationale for the necessity of establishment of an agro-bio-techno park in the Republic of Tatarstan as an innovative factor of increasing competitiveness of agriculture in Russia under global challenges. It represents results of analysis of global challenges for development of agriculture, domestic and international experience of setting up and work of techno parks in the universities and the model of the Agro-bio-techno park establishment at the Kazan State Agrarian University.
THE ROLE OF TERTIARY EDUCATION IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CONDITIONS OF SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Authors: HORNYÁK GREGÁŇOVÁ Radomíra , ORSZÁGHOVÁ Dana , HORVÁTHOVÁ Jarmila
Published: March 2018

In addition to the infrastructure of the regions, an essential aspect of their development is their educational structure and the demographic potential according to the predominance of the age composition. The education is basic tool for acquiring expert knowledge, which affects human capital of the labor market and professional mobility and adaptability of human resources at the labor market. It is important to educate the university undergraduates for practice by using appropriate and suitable educational methods. In Slovakia the share of inhabitants with the university education is increasing. This group represents the development potential of the regions. Great possibilities consist in the training of a new generation of graduates for different fields of regional development. Therefore, the educational structure and also the active working and networking of universities with other actors in the region are important. The objective of this paper is focused on the tertiary education and study programs for the regional development. We will analyze the development of number of students at universities with regard to the individual levels of study (bachelor, engineer/master and PhD.) and study programs within the individual regions of the Slovak Republic. The evaluation of the obtained data will be made by using the methods of comparative statistics.
VOCATIONAL PURPOSEFULNESS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCIO-ENVIRONMENT FACTORS
Authors: KOVALČIKIENĖ Kristina , MILUSAUSKIENE Sonata
Published: March 2018

The development of rural businesses and the implementation of innovations in rural areas depends on possibilities to realize individual’s potential, and the opportunities to develop initiative and creativity of young people. The aim of the study was to reveal the significance of socio-environment factors for the vocational decision making of senior pupils from secondary school in rural areas. The factors were analyzed from the viewpoint of senior pupils and members of rural community. The object of the research – the socio-environment factors of vocational purposefulness of young people in rural communities. The research tasks focus on the attitudes of rural community members and young people toward factors that influence the vocational purposefulness of youth in rural areas. Also, the differences between two groups were analyzed. The sample consisted of 280 respondents: 100 secondary school senior pupils (56% girls and 44% boys, the mean age – 16 years) and 180 rural community members (80% women and 20% men, 35 years old in average). Based on the works of researchers in the area of vocational orientation and purposefulness, the questionnaire was compiled. The results revealed that socio-environment factors are important for the purposeful decision making on the vocational choice of youth in rural areas. From the view point of rural community members, the main factors are: family traditions, the profession’s prestige in society, the influence of parents, friends and important others, and family conditions. According to the opinion of senior pupils from secondary school, the important factors are: family conditions and traditions, friends and other important people, as well as profession status in the rural community. Recommendations for development of young people’s vocational purposefulness in rural areas are presented.
EFFECT OF THE NITROGEN AND MAGNESIUM FERTILISATION ON YIELD AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF WINTER TRITICALE PRODUCTION
Authors: BIELSKI Stanisław , FALKOWSKI Jan
Published: March 2018

The present investigations were undertaken, in which the winter triticale cultivar Twingo was examined, with the aim of analyzing production output, expressed by grain yield and its structure, as affected by different levels of nitrogen and magnesium fertilisation and assess and compare the economic efficiency of production technologies. This research encompassed the results of a three-year (2013-2015) field experiment conducted at the Research Station in Tomaszkowo near Olsztyn, Poland. The experiment was set up in a random, split-plot design, with four replications. The first order factor was nitrogen fertilisation (kg ha-1): 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150. The second order factor was the level of magnesium fertilisation (kg ha-1): 0 and 5 kg MgSO4∙7H2O. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the grain yield was significantly affected by the year of the trial, nitrogen and magnesium fertilisation, interaction of the first and second factors was not proven. The method based on the standard gross margin (SGM) was used for the economic evaluation of the three production technology differentiated costs levels. Three technologies with the highest, medium and lowest average yields were selected to the comparison. Differences in compared technologies concerned to the date and dose of nitrogen and magnesium fertilisation. Results showed, that increasing intensity of winter triticale technology in the field trial, caused the higher financial yield value of winter triticale, as well as direct costs and direct surplus. The direct surplus was higher by 24.4% between the lowest and the highest winter triticale technologies. The highest yield technology was characterized by the highest profitability.
EVALUATION OF COMBINE HARVESTERS FLEET MANAGEMENT
Authors: MAŠEK Jiří , CÍSAŘ Václav
Published: March 2018

Combine harvesters play a crucial role in grain harvest. Due to seasonal character of work of these machines is necessary to achieve high standard in durability and reliability during working period. There is lots of requirements that have to be done according to the crop type, field conditions and as well as high performance and lower costs. Combine harvesters are the main harvesting technology of cereals in the world and main piece of work should be done in short time. The aim of this paper is an economic analysis of combine harvester’s fleet in different working conditions. The evaluation is based on exact costs analysis of combine harvesters New Holland brand sort by different ages and different concepts of threshing. Used data were collected during all working seasons of combines. There is a data set from 10 seasons. There is two groups in evaluation - 9 machines NH CR 9080 and another 9 machines NH CX 8080. Working parameters evaluated are fuel consumption and operational costs. Thanks to on board computer we have data about performance of each machine per day and per whole season. Costs are calculated as fixed and variable and then summarized for every machine. The result shows that effect of costs analysis depends on annual performance of the machine. There is positive effect on depressing fixed cost due to higher performance in season. A special result of this study is evidence of intervenes reason during all seasons and setting up the coefficient of repairs for the group of combines.
AUTO-ETHNOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES AS AN EFFICIENT TOOL FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF RURAL SOCIAL CAPITAL AND LOCAL IDENTITY
Authors: MARCYSIAK Tomasz , PRUS Piotr
Published: March 2018

Many regions in Poland are said to be a unique example of preservation of cultural heritage. These include many examples of Pomorskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Wielkopolskie and Dolnoslaskie voivodships. These regions are known to preserve the traditional way of life and customs as well as the architecture, especially the sacral architecture. It is also much easier to build mutual trust and social capital in them, because people from those regions can always refer to the universal values of their ancestors. However, there are also regions which, under the influence of migration and post-displacement processes after World War II, have lost their cultural and social character. Economic emigrants and displaced people from the Eastern Borderlands and Central Poland shared poverty and desire to settle. Will they succeed, and is there a chance to recreate and build a new identity? Those are the questions we are trying to answer, and the following article presents some of the results. By moving the border of autobiographical and ethnographic methods, authors adopt an autoethnographic method (narrative interviews, participant observation, biographical methods), which means turning to narratives as a way of research and as an expression of the search for a different relationship between the researcher and the subject and between the author and the reader. The researchers use their own experiences as a source of description of the culture in which they participate and examine. As a result, the text is a story created by the local community and researchers, aimed at reproducing and creating identity in the post-immigrant rural communities based on experienced and historical memory. The research was conducted in the years 2016-2017 in the above mentioned voivodships.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COMPETITION INDICES AND GENOTYPE OF SCOTS PINE TREE REACTIONS TO CHANGES IN METEOROLOGY AND AIR POLLUTION
Authors: MIKALAJŪNAS Marius , ŠIDLAUSKAS Giedrius , LINKEVIČIUS Edgaras , KAVALIAUSKAS Darius
Published: March 2018

Changing climatic conditions, increased length of growing season, competition, genotype and pollution are the most important factors for tree productivity and health. That is why only by knowing the impact of these factors on trees we can evaluate and change sylvicultural treatments that are important for the health and productivity of forest in Lithuania. The aim of the present study was to detect the significance of the competition index vs. genotype of Scots pine trees on their reactions to changes in meteorology and air pollution. Tree health, dendrometric parameters and stem basal area increment were chosen as response variables to meet the objectives of the presented study. The investigation was carried out at Scots pine genetic stand located in Aukstaitija national park, Vaisniunai district. Data on meteorology and air pollutants were obtained from ICP Integrated Monitoring Station located there. Genetically related individual groups in the stand were established by the neutral part of the genome of short repeated DNA sequence length polymorphism markers. Trees of distinctive short repeated sequences allele frequencies were grouped by Bayesian cluster analysis methods. Four genetically similar tree groups were separated in the monitored stand based on significance of ΔK value. Seven competition indices were used to determine the competition intensity effect on the tree increment and their dendrometric parameters including crown condition. The obtained results revealed that trees which demonstrated the most intensive BAI formation, best crown condition and the most significant reaction to changes in meteorology and air pollution comprised one tree genetic group while trees with adverse characteristics the second. Notwithstanding this competition intensity had the most significant effect on BAI formation.
AGROPEDOGENIC TRANSFORMATION OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS OF MEDIUM-DRY STEPPE PEDO-ECOTONE IN THE NORTHWEST OF THE BLACK SEA REGION
Authors: MOROZ Hryhorii
Published: March 2018

The anthropogenic transformation of soil physical properties of the transition stripe from the dry to the middle steppe in the Northwest of the Black Sea region is considered and analyzed on the basis of comparison of indicators characterizing the properties of the cultivable and subcultivable horizons. The signs of negative influence of agricultural use on the most important indices of physical properties of soils are investigated. Significant degradation of the physical properties of the arable horizons (in comparison with tillable and subcultivable horizons), as well as deterioration of the water resistance of the structure of the tillable horizons (compared to the arable) was revealed. The geographic regularities of agrogenic evolution of sodic and residual-sodic calcic chernozems and gypsic kastanozems are established.
ATTITUDES OF ACADEMIC YOUTH TOWARDS THE WELFARE OF FARMED ANIMALS IN POLAND
Authors: SZAFRAŃSKA Monika , MATYSIK-PEJAS Renata
Published: March 2018

The development of agriculture and rural areas depends on a large extent on the level of society’s awareness on agriculture. One of the areas of agricultural awareness of citizens is their attitude towards the welfare of farmed animals. The findings of many studies indicate that the level of social awareness in Poland in this area is low, especially among young people. The aim of the study is to determine the attitudes of Polish academic youth towards the welfare of farmed animals and pinpoint selected factors determining this level.
The main source of the data used for the analyses and applications was the primary information obtained from personal research. The research was done in 2016 by using PAPI method on the group of 450 people. The statistical analysis of the studied material encompassed aggregate statistical indicators as well as the non-parametric test „chi square” (χ2). Apart from the primary sources they also used secondary sources which encompassed both domestic as well as foreign literature.
According to the conducted study, the majority of the participants had an average level of farmed animal welfare awareness (55%). One in three respondents had a low level of farmed animal welfare awareness, and the remaining group represented the high level. The determining factors were: gender, studied faculty, place of residence, and ownership of agricultural holding by the respondents or their parents. A higher level of farmed animal welfare awareness was characterized by women, students of humanistic faculties, people from rural areas as well as the respondents who didn’t run a farm.
ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTIES OF COARSE-ENERGY PLANTS
Authors: ČERNIAUSKIENĖ Živilė , ZVICEVIČIUS Egidijus , RAILA Algirdas , TILVIKIENĖ Vita , JANKAUSKIENĖ Zofija , KADŽIULIENĖ Žydrė
Published: March 2018

In the world, fossil fuel resources are constantly decreasing and increasing energy use. This leads to wider use of biomass in various industrial areas. Also, for the production of heat and electricity. Depending on the situation of current market, much attention is being paid to increasing the potential of biomass and to ensure the needs of users. Recently, much attention is paid to non-food energy plants, which could be used in thermochemical conversion technologies. These plants must be well adapted to climatic conditions, to grow a high biomass yield, to possess high energy value, easy to use for biofuel production and low environmental impact. Having a high energy potential and promising plants for cultivation in a changing climate conditions can be characterized and these plants: this is Miscantus spp. (namely miscanthus), Artemisia dubia Wall. (mugwort) and Cannabis sativa L. (fiber hemp).
The article summarizes long-standing biometric and thermal performance results on Miscantus spp. (namely miscanthus), Artemisia dubia Wall. (mugwort) and Cannabis sativa L. (fiber hemp). In Lithuania climate condition, it is possible to grow from 3.26 to 17.06 t ha-1 of dry biomass per year from the mentioned plants. The calorific value of biomass has a huge influence on assessment of energy potential from plants. After combustion of 1 kilogram of Miscantus spp., Artemisia dubia Wall. and Cannabis sativa L. biomass it stands out on average 18.3±0.06, 18.5±0.66 and 17.43±0.06 MJ of heat, respectively. An equally important property which assesses the suitability of biomass for biofuels is ash content. The average ash content of biomass from Miscantus spp. and Artemisia dubia Wall was 1.51±0.03 % and 2.69±0.33 %, i.e. 2.22 times and 1.25 times lower than Cannabis sativa L.
LIPIDS ACCUMULATION OF CHLORELLA VULGARIS UNDER VARIABLE LIGHTING CONDITIONS
Authors: ROKICKA Magdalena , ZIELIŃSKI Marcin , DĘBOWSKI Marcin
Published: March 2018

The cultivation of microalgae is now an intensively developed research area. Some species of microalgae under appropriate conditions accumulate large amounts of lipids in the cells, which may be a suitable feedstock for biodiesel production. The cultures of microalgae for lipids production should be cultivated in specific physicochemical conditions. The most important environmental parameters affecting the algae growth are: nutrients, lighting, reaction, turbulence, salinity and temperature. Periodic changes in lighting is a key parameter that have a significant effect on cells density and lipid accumulation. The mechanism of this action depends on intensity of light and its spectral composition. To produce 3rd and 4th generation biofuels, a better understanding of the relationship between light conditions and yield of lipids accumulation is necessary. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of variable lighting conditions for lipids accumulation of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and to determine the most effective lighting parameters. The study confirmed the possibility of using the lighting shock conditions to maximize lipids accumulation in algae Chlorella vulgaris cells. In the study, 33.18% of lipids were obtained from biomass culturing with red light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which was 22% more than obtained with white continuous lighting.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT – A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MUNICIPALITIES ADJACENT TO THE CITY OF OLSZTYN
Authors: KOCUR-BERA Katarzyna
Published: March 2018

Rural areas have multiple functions. Four key functions can be identified in a synthetic approach: economic, environmental, social and cultural. Multidirectional rural development is strongly influenced by spatial attributes, demographics, environmental factors, infrastructure and capital. Multidirectional development is closely associated with the multiple functions of rural areas. In general, multifunctional rural development involves rural activation and rural business diversification which enables members of the rural community to derive incomes from non-farming activities. The growth potential of rural municipalities is an important determinant of multifunctional development. The aim of this study was to analyze the level of socioeconomic development in rural municipalities, which is an indicator of their multifunctional development. The analysis involved rural municipalities adjacent to the city of Olsztyn. These municipalities are bedroom communities whose residents commute to work in the urban center. The study analyzed 15 indicators describing the four key areas of multifunctional development: environmental, social, economic and infrastructural. Data for 2013-2015 were acquired from the Central Statistical Office and statistical tables of the agricultural productivity index. The results indicate that the municipality of Purda (with relatively poor soils) meets the highest number of criteria and the municipality of Dywity (with relatively high-quality soils) meets the lowest number of criteria for multifunctional development.
THE CAP GREENING EFFECTS – THE POLISH EXPERIENCE
Authors: WRZASZCZ Wioletta
Published: March 2018

In 2015 greening requirements were implemented. All farmers entitled to the Single Area Payment are obliged to implement greening, depending on agricultural surface and structure. Presently, 30% of the national financial envelope is connected with greening. Legal rules obliged farmers to more environmental friendly farms` organization. The European Commission regulations indicated the importance of crop diversification in the context of soil quality improvement, the maintenance of permanent grasslands in order to ensure the carbon sequestration, soil protection and biodiversity, as well as the maintenance of ecological focus areas that guarantees biodiversity at the farm level. The aim of the paper is to present the farms` organizational changes and outcomes after the implementation of greening mechanism. Polish FADN data were used for 2014 and 2015, that covered 5.7 thousand farms. The research results indicated the farms` adaptation to greening requirements. The production capacity of the analysed FADN farms did not decrease after the greening mechanism introduction. Farmers combined production objectives with environmental ones, that was the result of farms` proper organization and enlarging agricultural land. The scope of changes introduced in plant production referring to the greening requirements was insignificant and concerned mainly larger farms (with arable land area of 15 ha and more). Farmers introduced the required organizational changes smoothly, mainly by increasing area under leguminous and papilionaceous plants. The environment-friendly farms’ organization before greening introduction facilitated their adaptation in 2015. In the short term, greening doesn’t cause negative productive and economic outcomes. In the longer perspective, greening environmental effects should contribute to factor productivity increase.
INPUT OF COMMUNAL FORESTS TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RURAL POPULATION: STUDY CASE OF NORTHERN PORTUGAL AND GALICIA
Authors: A. LOPES José , J. DIAZ-MAROTO Ignacio
Published: March 2018

Communal forests occupy one million hectares in the Northern of Portugal and Galicia. Since centuries ago, “Baldios” and “Montes Veciñais en Man Común” (MVMC) played an essential function in the economy of their owner communities. This role was lost all through the last century due to the enormous afforestation and the decrease of agriculture. The restitution of democratic regimes returned the communal forests tenure to the communities. Given the extension and high average area, our paper aims to research its potentialities and limitations of contribution to rural development. Two case studies, one in North Portugal and another one in Galicia, allow identifying the individual and collective traditional uses and the achievements made with revenues linked. Both Galician and Portuguese realities exhibit similarities and complementary benefits, and needing social and economic innovation to make a better use of rural resilience. Communal lands and small-scale business projects could maintain the network of local produce markets with attractive aesthetic values as well as biodiversity conservation. The comparison of the different criteria shows economic aspects are the most valorised by the stakeholders. The management decision of collective forests was the alternative mixed by the communities and the Forestry Services as the best one to complete the main objective of sustainable rural development. As a final conclusion of our work, remarking that the communities owning these forests currently seem to have the conditions to successfully manage their properties if the commoners are able to mobilize and adequate organize the communities.
RURAL LIVELIHOODS TRANSITIONS: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS APPROACH AND THE MULTI-LEVEL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: EL BILALI Hamid , HAUSER Michael , BERJAN Sinisa , MISECKAITE Otilija , PROBST Lorenz
Published: March 2018

In rural areas, especially in low and middle-income countries, livelihoods have to diversify to include new on- and off-farm activities. However, sustainable livelihood concepts have so far not sufficiently accommodated transition dynamics. Mostly, rural livelihoods and sustainability transitions are addressed separately in the scientific literature. The aim of this review paper is to explore opportunities to integrate the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) and the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) on transitions. We provide an overview of the SLA and MLP. We then focus on the conceptual linkages between SLA and MLP, in particular regarding livelihood diversification strategies. Our review shows that the conceptual overlaps of the SLA and the MLP allow for a meaningful combination of both approaches to harness their respective strengths. Vulnerabilities from the SLA perspective (e.g. shocks, trends, changes) are considered at the landscape level in MLP. Policies, institutions, processes in SLA are part of ‘regime’ in the MLP heuristic. The livelihood diversification in SLA, e.g. the development of new on- and off-farm activities, can be described as niches in MLP. Some empirical work on agricultural transitions from the MLP perspective has adopted a territorial approach to take into consideration the pluri-activity of farms and the interactions between different subsystems (food, energy and tourism). This resonates well with the idea of livelihood diversification as a strategy in SLA. We conclude that integrating SLA and MLP will help to better understand livelihood diversification processes and we provide a preliminary proposal for a livelihood transition framework.
Lichens in area of meteorological and radar station Kojšovská hol’a (Volovec Mountains, se Slovakia)
Authors: Goga M. , Ručová D. , Marcinčinová M.
Published: March 2018

The Volovec Mts (Volovské vrchy) have insufficiently been investigated area for lichens. Kojšovská hol’a is one of the highest parts in the Volovec Mts. No records of lichens were published from here. Some historical collections need revision. The list of 35 lichen species collected by the authors is presented from the investigated areas. Three interesting and vulnerable lichens are characterised in more details: Cladonia ciliata var. tenuis, Cladonia cornuta and Umbilicaria vellea. The area of Kojšovská hoľa gives further opportunities for new findings.
Behaviour of normally consolidated clay containing isolated solid inclusions
Authors: Sivakumar Vinayagamoorthy , Donohue Shane , Rødvand Laura , Nanda Satyajeet , Tripathy Snehasis
Published: March 2018

The compression and strength characteristics of soils were examined in relation to the presence of isolated solid inclusions. Investigations were carried out on samples of kaolin with solid inclusions of angular crushed basalt and steel ball bearings (to represent rounded particles). The presence of solid inclusions was found to have a significant effect on the compression and strength characteristics of these composite soils and it is postulated that this behaviour is related to the formation of strong arches between the individual solid inclusions. This phenomenon was found to be subdued when the surface of the solid inclusion was smooth, suggesting that particle shape also has a considerable influence on the mechanical behaviour of composite materials.
Design and consolidation analysis of geotextile tubes for the Saemangeum project in Korea
Authors: Kim H. J. , Park T. W. , Dinoy P. R. , Kim H. S. , Kim H. J.
Published: March 2018

In planning and designing geotextile tubes, predicting the consolidation characteristics is very important to ensure that the capacity and deformation of the tubes are well regulated during construction. Design and construction parameters, such as dewatering time and permeability, must be evaluated considering the interaction of the soil and geotextile during filling and consolidation. In this study, field scale tests, such as the hanging bag test and geotextile tube demonstration tests, were performed as a geotechnical design approach in determining the equivalent soil-geotextile consolidation parameters. In the hanging bag test, seepage pressure was applied to simulate the effect of filling pressure in the actual construction site. Procedures to determine the required slurry volume, soil-geotextile consolidation parameters, tube geometry, and consolidation characteristics were introduced in this study. The procedures were proposed on the basis of the areal method, which considers the vertical and lateral movement of the tube, and the large strain consolidation theory, which considers finite strain and the change of the coefficient of consolidation. Finally, using the proposed procedures and obtained consolidation parameters, a parametric study was performed to show the applicability of the areal method and large strain consolidation theory.
Progressive collapse resistance of a composite steel and concrete structural frame
Authors: Ebadi Jamkhaneh Mehdi , Kafi Mohammad Ali , Kheyroddin Ali , Shokri Amiri Maedeh
Published: March 2018

During the past decade, numerous research studies have been conducted on building structures to resist progressive collapse. In the study reported in this paper, a new type of octagonal partially encased composite column was tested and analysed under compressive loads. A comprehensive finite-element analysis was then conducted to estimate the structural behaviour of composite steel and concrete frames under the loss of a column. Push-down and non-linear dynamic analyses were conducted to investigate the resistance of frames against progressive collapse, including collapse-resistance force, hinge-development mechanism, flexural stiffness and displacement ductility. The analysis showed that making use of partially encased composite columns can provide alternative paths for transferring loads originally only supported by the beams, thus improving the collapse-resistance capacity of the steel frame. The partially encased column, however, may reduce the ductility of the steel frame and may change the failure mode of the frame. Also, none of the beam–column connections can meet plastic rotation criteria.
Proposed analysis model for infilled reinforced concrete frames
Authors: Dautaj Arton D. , Kabashi Naser
Published: March 2018

This paper describes an experimental programme in which seven reinforced concrete (RC) frames with masonry infill were tested under cyclic lateral loading. Based on the behaviour of the tested units, a new macromodel was developed based on a multi-strut formulation to analyse infilled RC frames. Comparison of the analytical results of the model with experimental data revealed that the proposed model yields a more reasonable lateral strength result than conventional analyses. Furthermore, the model can be used to predict the different failure modes of infilled RC frames, which will be useful for the future analysis and design of infilled RC frames.