ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Hydrogeochemical Conditions
of the Development of Anthropogenic
Carbonate Swamps: A Case Study
of an Abandoned Polish Sandpit
			
	
 
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				1
				Department of Geobotany and Nature Protection, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
				 
			 
						
				2
				Department of Physical Geography, University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland
				 
			 
						
				3
				Institute of Environmental Protection and Engineering, University of Bielsko-Biala, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
				 
			 
										
				
				
		
		 
			
			
			
			 
			Submission date: 2018-12-13
			 
		 		
		
			
			 
			Final revision date: 2019-01-25
			 
		 		
		
		
			
			 
			Acceptance date: 2019-01-29
			 
		 		
		
			
			 
			Online publication date: 2019-09-10
			 
		 		
		
			
			 
			Publication date: 2019-12-09
			 
		 			
		 
	
							
																				    		
    			 
    			
    				    					Corresponding author
    					    				    				
    					Damian  Chmura   
    					University of Bielsko-Biala, Willowa 2, 43-440, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
    				
 
    			
				 
    			 
    		 		
			
							 
		
	 
		
 
 
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):561-569
		
 
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The hydrogeochemical conditions of the development of a carbonate swamp that had formed in a
previous sandpit were studied. The object is located in the town of Jaworzno-Szczakowa in the Silesian
Upland of southern Poland. It has been shown that the sandpit, which has not been reclaimed since its
operation ceased, underwent spontaneous processes toward the development of calciphilic vegetation.
The Biała Przemsza River plays a significant role in supplying the swamp with water. The water of
this river is highly contaminated because it receives wastewaters from zinc-lead (Zn-Pb) ore mines.
Water that has high concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions favours the occurrence of calciphilic
species (e.g., Liparis loeselii NATURA 2000 species), which form wetlands of carbonate vegetation that
are rare in both Poland and Europe. The population size of this species on the studied swamp is a few
hundred specimens. In addition to Liparis loeselii, there are other species that are protected or rare and
endangered species at the national level and on the “red list” of Poland’s plants, hence such swamps
could represent an important refuge for biodiversity.