Urban expansion is a dynamic and complex phenomenon, often involving adverse changes in land use and land cover (LULC). This paper uses satellite imagery from Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-8 OLI, Sentinel-2 MSI, and GIS technology to analyse LULC changes in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. The research was carried out in Opole, the capital of the Opole Agglomeration (south-western Poland). Maps produced from supervised spectral classification of remote sensing data revealed that in 20 years, built-up areas have increased about 40%, mainly at the expense of agricultural land. Detection of changes in the spatial pattern of LULC showed that the highest average rate of increase in built-up areas occurred in the zone 3–6 km (11.7%) and above 6 km (10.4%) from the centre of Opole. The analysis of the increase of built-up land in relation to the decreasing population (SDG 11.3.1) has confirmed the ongoing process of demographic suburbanisation. The paper shows that satellite imagery and GIS can be a valuable tool for local authorities and planners to monitor the scale of urbanisation processes for the purpose of adapting space management procedures to the changing environment.

Metals can accumulate in agricultural soils, presenting a serious threat to human health; therefore, it is important to analyze the quality of these soils to avoid possible harm related to their contamination in the future. Despite the importance of monitoring arable soil quality, few studies have examined the current state of Cu and Cd soil contamination through analysis of historical data and temporal trends in heavy metal content. Therefore, this study was aimed at analyzing the spatial variability of Cu and Cd content (expressed by toxicity indices) and assessing the level of contamination of arable soils in Poland over the last 25 years (1995–2020). The average Cu content in soil throughout the duration of the study was ~10 mg/kg. The average Cd content increased from 0.7 mg/kg (in 1995) to 3.4 mg/kg (in 2020). The evaluation of Cu and Cd soil contamination showed that soils contaminated with Cd and Cu constituted 1.4% and 2.3% of the total monitoring points, respectively. The geoaccumulation index and pollution index ranged for Cu from −5.23 to 3.09 (mean: −2.50) and from 0.02 to 6.40 (mean: 0.20), and for Cd from −5.23 to 6.92 (mean: −1.67) and from 0.01 to 60.58 (mean: 0.44). The soil was practically uncontaminated with Cu and Cd in 98.77%/98.92% and 93.44%/97.92% of cases, respectively. On a national scale, the contents of Cu and Cd in soils depend on soil properties (pH, C, OM, ST, and CM) to a very small extent. An assessment of the spatial distribution of Cu and Cd concentrations in Polish arable soils indicated regional differences related to the degree of industrialization/urbanization. The obtained results show the impact of human activity on the level of heavy metals present in soils.

Multidimensional exploratory techniques, such as the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), have been used to analyze long-term changes in the fl ow regime and quality of water of the lowland dam reservoir Turawa (south-west Poland) in the catchment of the Mała Panew river (a tributary of the Odra). The paper proves that during the period of 1998-2016 the Turawa reservoir was equalizing the river's water fl ow. Moreover, various physicochemical water quality indicators were analyzed at three measurement points (at the tributary's mouth into the reservoir, in the reservoir itself and at the outfl ow from the reservoir). The water quality assessment was performed by analyzing physicochemical indicators such as water temperature, TSS, pH, dissolved oxygen, BOD 5 , NH 4 + , NO 3 -, NO 2 -, N, PO 4 3-, P, electrolytic conductivity, DS, SO 4 2and Cl -. Furthermore, the correlations between all these water quality indicators were analyzed statistically at each measurement point, at the statistical signifi cance level of p ≤ 0.05. PCA was used to determine the structures between these water quality variables at each measurement point. As a result, a theoretical model was obtained that describes the regularities in the relationships between the indicators. PCA has shown that biogenic indicators have the strongest infl uence on the water quality in the Mała Panew. Lastly, the differences between the averages of the water quality indicators of the infl owing and of the outfl owing water were considered and their signifi cance was analyzed. PCA unveiled structure and complexity of interconnections between river fl ow and water quality. The paper shows that such statistical methods can be valuable tools for developing suitable water management strategies for the catchment and the reservoir itself.

Streszczenie: Celem pracy było zbadanie poziomu świadomości dotyczącej powodzi wśród osób zamieszkujących zlewnię transgranicznej rzeki Biała Głuchołaska. Empiryczną analizę przeprowadzono za pomocą ankiety w grupie około 300 osób. Wśród ankietowanych wyróż-niono sześć grup wiekowych. Respondenci udzielili odpowiedzi na 25 pytań. Ankieta stanowiła narzędzie do określenia poziomu wiedzy z zakresu zabezpieczeń przeciwpowodziowych, systemów ostrzegania, zachowania się w czasie powodzi i częstości jej występowania oraz strat, jakie ze sobą niesie, przygotowania służb reagowania do powodzi, ogólnego poziomu obawy przed powodzią, stopnia przygotowania ludności do wystąpienia powodzi oraz ochrony przeciwpowodziowej. Stwierdzono, że świadomość w zakresie zagrożenia powodziowego jest niewystarczająca. Stąd istotne jest prowadzenie działań edukacyjnych, które przyczynią się do podniesienia świadomości w zakresie zagrożenia zjawiskiem powodzi oraz skutków, jakie niesie za sobą zjawisko powodzi.Słowa kluczowe: świadomość, zagrożenie, zjawisko powodzi, zlewnia transgraniczna, rzeka Biała Głuchołaska. Summary:The aim of this study was to examine the level of flooding awareness of residents of the catchment of cross-border river. The authors analyzed the empirical level of consciousness on a group of 300 residents of the study area, using a questionnaire. Biała Głuchołaska basin is located on the territory of the Czech Republic and the Polish Republic, and because of the transboundary nature of the results of studies of river basins included residents of both countries. The subjects were divided into six age groups, the youngest study participants were seven years old and the oldest over sixty-six. All respondents answered 25 questions.

A considerable number of measures taken under the Rural Development Programme have to be objectively and reasonably justified. These stem from strategic administrative decisions based on the results of analyses of complex natural, economic and demographic processes occurring in rural areas in time and space. Due to increasing functionality of the Geographical Information System (GIS) and wider availability of spatial information, the GIS databases and geospatial analyses are now the basis for solving spatial problems in the implementation of the Rural Development Programme. The aim of the study was to identify the features of rural areas in the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship (Lower Silesia Province) based upon selected components. For this purpose digital databases were employed. These are particularly relevant for sensible and sustainable rural development. With the use of the Corine Land Cover (CLC) database, the analysis concerning diversification of land cover and land use in the rural areas of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship was carried out. Basing on the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), the terrain relief and land slopes were examined. By the means of soil and agriculture database, the analysis of spatial diversification of soil suitability was also performed. Moreover, with the use of the Polish Central Statistical Office databases, the spatial diversification of selected economic and demographic components in the analyzed area was evaluated. The analyses provide geo-visualizations, i.e. digital models presenting high spatial diversification of rural areas of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship. The spatial diversification results from the high physiographic variability of this area. It should be stressed that the models are very practical and essential for the Rural Development Programme to be implemented by the authorities responsible for protection and rural development.