Statuetka z okazji 20. Dni Nauki i Sztuki

Wrzesień 2022, statuetka z okazji 20lecia Olsztyńskich Dni Nauki i Sztuki, za popularyzację nauki i zaangażowanie organizacyjne.

Olsztyńskimi Dniami Nauki i Sztuki kierowałem w latach 2006-2009. Kilka wspominkowych refleksji:

1. Nauka musi mieć swoich poetów czyli o moich początkach z dniami nauki
2. Moja przygoda z Dniami Nauki rozpoczęła się w 2006 roku 
3. Jak rodziło się muzeum nauki czyli Olsztyńskie Dni Nauki i Sztuki 2007 
4. VI Olsztyńskie Dni Nauki i europejska Noc Naukowców 2008

Natomiast jako wykonawca uczestniczę od 2006 roku, niemalże co roku przygotowując wykłady, warsztaty, wycieczki, aktywności online. 

Perennial energy crops as “environmental islands” in highly modified agricultural land – bioenergy plantations as a source of benefits for pollinating insects

 

EurBee 9 2020 – Symposium 02

Perennial energy crops as “environmental islands” in highly modified agricultural land – bioenergy plantations as a source of benefits for pollinating insects

 

 Piotrowska Natalia 1*,  Czachorowski Stanisław 1 , Stolarski Mariusz 2;

1          Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland;

2          Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Production, Faculty of Environmental  Management and Agriculture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland;

 

Declines in wild pollinator species in the last decades are well documented. They are driven primarily by habitat loss and a decrease in floral resources resulting from agricultural intensification. Large, monocultural crops, devoid of herbaceous plants don't provide nectar and pollen throughout the all growing season. Negative ecosystem changes have sparked a debate on sustainable agriculture, the main assumption of which is to implement solutions that are beneficial both from an economic and environmental point of view. Landscape mosaicism increase is one of them. It can be achieved by incorporating extensively used plantations in industrial agriculture areas. Some of the most beneficial for this model are perennial energy plants. They can be grown on marginal land, of little use for other types of agricultural production, and also require a small amount of agrotechnical treatments. The most popular energy plants in Central Europe today include willow (Salix spp.), giant miscanthus (Miscanthus×giganteus), virginia fanpetals (Sida hermaphrodita) and cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum). Based on a literature review, they were assessed for suitability for pollinating insects. The following factors were taken into account: the use of pesticides and the number of agrotechnical treatments on the plantation, the presence of herbaceous plants, the usefulness of the plant itself as forage, and the potential for invasiveness. Conventional miscanthus plantations have been shown to be of little use for pollinating insects. The value of this plant, however, can be increased by intercropping with melilot (Melilotus officinalis). Flowering perennials – cup plant and virginia fanpetals were evaluated much better. However, they have a high invasive potential, which should be taken into account when introducing them into the environment. Additionally, they do not provide nectar in drought conditions. The greatest number of publications concerning willow, which was assessed positively as a source of forage. Additionally in the preliminary study, carried out in Leginy (north-eastern Poland) the cup plant and virginia mallow plantations have been observed during the flowering period. The abundant presence of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and honey bee (Apis mellifera) have been indicated. Supplementary photographic documentation was prepared.

Keywords: perennial energy crops, bumblebees, wild pollinators;

 

Poster

Lignocellulosic biomass plantations as a refugee in agricultural lands – study of carabid beetle assemblages (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in energy plants crops

 

Wystąpienie mojej doktorantki z częścią wyników, uzyskanych w trakcie przygotowywania rozprawy doktorskiej. Praca jest już na ukończeniu. Liczę na szybkie i pozytywne zwieńczenie kilku lat pracy.

Abstract

Lignocellulosic biomass plantations as a refugee in agricultural lands – study of carabid beetle assemblages (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in energy plants crops

Natalia Stefania Piotrowska ¹, Agnieszka Kosewska ² , Stanisław Zbigniew Czachorowski ¹ , Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski ³

¹              Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of

Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland; natalia.piotrowska@uwm.edu.pl

stanislaw.czachorowski@uwm.edu.pl

²               Department of Entomology, Phytopatology and Molecular Diagnostics University of Warmia and Mazury, Prawocheńskiego 17, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; e-mail: a.kosewska@uwm.edu.pl

³                      Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Production, Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture,

University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-724 Olsztyn, Poland; mariusz.stolarski@uwm.edu.pl

Carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) play an important role in many agroecosystems. By controlling pest populations, they provide important ecosystem services, contributing to the maintenance of the biological balance in the habitat. Moreover, carabids are frequently used as bioindicators – organisms reliably detecting environment alterations and reflecting the overall biodiversity. The urgency of the climate crisis has renewed interest in cultivating lignocellulosic energy crops. Plantations are often established in marginal lands unsuitable for food production. Due to the extensive cultivation system - fewer agrotechnical treatments and little or no pesticide use, lignocellulosic biomass plants have a much lower environmental impact than annual crops, such as rape or wheat. On the other hand potential impact of perennial crops on biodiversity is not fully understood. The research aim was to assess the impact of the cultivation of perennial industrial plants on the ground beetles diversity. In this goal, ground beetle assemblages were investigated and compared in four different perennial crops: willow (Salix spp.), miscanthus (Miscanthus×giganteus), cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) and virginia mallow (Sida hermaphrodita). The biodiversity monitoring study was conducted in the vicinity of Leginy, in northeastern Poland. Ground beetles were captured into pitfall traps filled up with an ethylene glycol solution. The traps were emptied every two weeks from the beginning of June until the end of September. In total, 2177 specimens representing 45 species were caught.

 
The largest number of ground beetles per trap was captured in the cup plant crop. The second-largest number of individuals was captured on the plantation of miscanthus, while in the willow and virginia mallow crops specimens number per trap was similar. Similarly, the number of species recorded on various crops was similar. Apart from the assessment of the Shannon diversity (H'), evenness (J'), Simpson’s index (D) and the structure of domination were investigated. Additionally, the ecological characteristics of the assemblages in different crops were made. Despite the small area of ​​plantations and their close location differences between Carabidae assemblages in each of the tested crops were noticeable. The greatest difference was observed between the willow and the cup plant crops. The results of the research seem to be promising, especially for the willow plantation, where a large percentage of that large, poorly dispersing specialist species as well as Carabidae typical for forest habitat were observed.