Seepage lakes lacking surface-water inflow or outflow, but with surrounding peatlands, are important and vulnerable ecosystems with water budgets that depend largely on inputs from precipitation and groundwater discharge. We studied the sediment diversity in two such lake-wetland systems and their surrounding catchments. The lakes were located in relatively close proximity to one another within the West Polesie Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, West Polesie, East Poland. In spite of physiographic similarities, the studied lake-wetland systems and their catchments displayed considerable diversity in their underlying sediments. This was determined from data collected from several hundred geological boreholes and 164 determinations of the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the organic and mineral sediments (constant and falling head methods). Our research results showed that the functioning of a closed lake-wetland ecosystem is greatly influenced by the hydrogeological properties of its sediments. In the case of wetland zones surrounding lakes, especially closed-drainage seepage lakes, it is very important to identify the geological settings and the hydrogeological properties of those sediments in order to better understand groundwater influences.

No abstract

The paper presents analysis results concerning changes in the range of areas of surface and transitional retention, here corresponding with wetlands, in two small lake catchments in the western part of West Polesie. The cartometric research was performed on maps covering the period from the 19th to the early 21st century. The analyses were referred to the modern state of investigation recorded on orthophotomaps in data bases disclosed in Geoportal Krajowy and in the Google Earth Pro application. Lake surface retention showed no substantial changes, and the differences result from the scale of maps used in the study, and therefore from the degree of detail of the presented objects. In the catchment of Lake Czarne Gościnieckie it occupied from 13.61 to 15.64% of its area, and in the catchment of Lake Brzeziczno from 0.96 to 1.28%. The greatest discrepancies in the area of wetlands result from the cartographic method of presentation, and generalisation of maps. In the catchment of Lake Czarne Gościnieckie, areas of transitional retention could be identified on 11 out of 13 maps, and in the catchment of Lake Brzeziczno on 12. In the case of the former catchment, transitional retention occupies from 17.35 to 34.00% of its area, and in the catchment of Brzeziczno from 4.81 to 24.00%. Such different surface areas of wetlands measured on maps, however, do not signify evident tendencies for change. Over the last 200 years, no substantial changes occurred in the studied catchments regarding the range of surface waters and wetlands, as confirmed by field research conducted in the years 2006-2012. The quantity and quality of maps and the variability of their scales encourage a careful interpretation of obtained information. In such a case, it is necessary to supplement cartographic analyses with investigating procedures of map preparation, and also to collect written documents concerning the entire area.

JEL Classification: Z320Streszczenie: W czasach, kiedy dalekie podróże stały się ogólnodostępne, a na rynku wciąż rośnie popyt na usługi uzupełniające, hotele wykształciły nowe stanowisko pracy, jakim jest guest relations. Celem pracy jest ukazanie specyfiki tego zawodu, jego roli w obsłudze ruchu turystycznego oraz wpływu na jakość usług świadczonych w hotelach. Słuszność wyboru zagadnienia potwierdza dotychczasowy brak publikacji oraz badań naukowych na ten temat. Zebrane informacje wskazują, iż istnieją dwa główne czynniki determinujące zapotrzebowanie na tego typu pracowników. Pierwszy z nich to działania hotelu mające na celu dotarcie do każdego gościa, przełamanie bariery językowej oraz dbanie o jego dobre samopoczucie. Drugim jest chęć podniesienia rangi obiektu i kreowanie jego elitarnego wizerunku. Działania te świadczą o zmianie kierunku rozwoju turystyki z masowej na indywidualną, a także o coraz większym znaczeniu turystyki luksusowej.Słowa kluczowe: guest relations, obsługa ruchu turystycznego, hotel. Summary: Nowadays, as long distance travels became available for everyone and the demand for supplementary services is constantly increasing, hotels have developed a new position -guest relations. The main aim of the study is to show the specificity of the profession and its role in tourism service, as well as its impact on the services quality provided in hotels. Rightness of these issues choice is confirmed by the current lack of publications and research on that subject. The collected data suggest that there are two main factors determining the demand for such workers. The first one is hotel action aimed at reaching every guest, breaking language barriers and attention to guest well-being. The second one is the desire to raise the profile of the hotel and the creation of its elite image. These activities demonstrate a change of tourism development direction from mass tourism to individual tourism, as well as the growing importance of luxury tourism.

The periodicity of a river expressed in cycles of various lengths (monthly, seasonal, multiannual) is a result of climatic factors and overlapping environmental conditions within its catchment. In uncontrolled or poorly surveyed catchments, it is very difficult to determine the duration of a stream’s hydrological activity. This is especially relevant for catchments with complicated water circulation in karstic rocks. The present study concerns the small catchment of the Strązyski Potok river located in the area of the Tatra National Park, in the Western Tatras. The observation period covered the 2015 hydrological year, which differed hydrologically from average conditions. This study aims to develop a simple method to explain the processes shaping the mountain stream discharge periodicity. The research employed periodic field observations linked with climatic and non-climatic factors. Environmental conditions were assessed as four classes reflecting their influence on appearance or disappearance of mountain stream water. Class boundaries were the values of quartiles. The degree of correspondence between environmental factors and stream field observations was described via the Index DC (Degree Correspondence Index) approach. Complete correspondence (Index DC =0) was found in 23% catchments, a weak relationship between conditions favouring discharge and actual condition (Index DC= -1, +1) was noted within 11 catchments, while in 9 catchments, no such relationship was found (Index DC = -2, +2). The obtained results indicate a correspondence or lack thereof between the environmental potential of the catchment and its discharge periodicity. The discrepancies between the assessment of the influence of climatic and non-climatic factors and the data collected during field observations provide a basis for more detailed studies. Continuation of these studies based on the proposed classifications will allow for a more complete explanation of water disappearance in river channels and the determination of their short- and long-term discharge periodicity.