This study is an attempt to provide a comprehensive and synthetic characterisation of Słupsk climate based on a homogeneous series of daily measurements covering the longest possible period. Apart from the temperature and precipitation profiles derived from a 58-year examination record (1950-2007), the climate analysis also presents the distribution of other key weather components (atmospheric pressure, wind, relative humidity and cloud cover) in a shorter (1991-2007) time-span. The paper, which is a summary of the existing research into Słupsk climate, is directed not only at geographers (for whom it may be a significant reference in research concerning weather conditions in other Polish towns), but also at local residents and tourists, who choose Słupsk as their holiday destination.
Many building elements, due to their destination, are exposed to the influence of external environment, often very aggressive. Due to that such building elements should be protected in a special way. I have presented the outline of problems related with maintenance of building structures, taking into account the principles of sustainable building. I have paid extra attention to the characteristics of local environment conditions and to their influence on the response of selected building elements. Building materials should be characterized with such features that will assure that the structures, in which they will be installed, will meet the requirements referring to service features. In this paper requirements regarding structural-material solutions for structures, bases for diagnostic tests and the essence of repair and rehabilitation of building structures has been discussed.
Our aim was to test the correlations of the plant and invertebrate biomass and several soil characteristics on six sites in a nonmanaged and un-grazed Siberian steppe (Russia). The study was done in the Chakasja National Park, in the southern part of the Yenisei-Czulyn basin (54°38’N; 90°15’E). Soil was characterized by its water holding capacity (WHC), loss on ignition (LOI) and standardized soil respiration related to the dry mass of the soil (OCD). Correlations between these parameters were significant (R² = 0.71 to 0.95, P <0.05 or 0.01), as was the relationship between plant biomass and soil activity (respiration).