Studies over talus cones in nothwestern Wedel Jarlsberg Land enable to define main parameters of these forms, their morphogenetic features and longitudinal profiles. Three zones of occurrence of talus cones have been distinguished, dependent on microlimatic influence of glaciers. Zone A (below 150 m a.s.l.) is not influenced by glaciers. Zone В (from 150 to 350 m a.s.l.) is influenced by glacier snouts. Zone С (over 350 m a.s.l.) is under influence of firn fields. Most intensive development of talus cones in the studied area occurred during the Little Ice Age.
Methods and results of mass movement measurements on mountain slopes in northwestern Wedel Jarlsberg Land are presented in connection with morphoclimatic zones. Debris movement was investigated using fishing nets while movement of solifluction tonques was studied with series of nails. Marks and lines crosswise the investigated forms were also painted. Creeping of stone belts was measured with a use of tree-nails. Observations of these measuring points after twelve months show usability of employed methods for a record of mass movements.
Three types of rock glaciers (moraine, cirque and subslope ones) were distinguished in northwestern Wedel Jarlsberg Land. Subslope rock glaciers were found different from nival moraines. A development of subslope and fossil cirque rock glaciers was connected with the older Holocene whereas of active cirque and moraine rock glaciers with the Little Ice Age.
The most popular field methods of measurements of raised marine beach altitudes used by geomorphologists are presented. Compared data from clisimeter routes, altimeter routes and from readings from a photogeological map and directly from air photos compose the profiles. Advantages and disavantages of each method are discussed.
The freshwater dinoflagellate represent microfossils which are very rarely noted in lake deposits. In Late Holocene sediments of the Lake Młynek, the Iława Lakeland, northern Poland, we identified intense blooms of algae of the genus Palatinus. They occurred primarily in the period of strong human impact during expansion of the Monastic State of the Teutonic Order. The most amazing thing is that samples in which conventional palynological maceration has been used dinoflagellate are represented by armored vegetative forms instead of cysts. During this laboratory processes, especially acetolysis, cellulosic thecae of armored forms should be destructed. This is the second known example of acetolysis resistant thecae of modern dinoflagellate, built by substance other than cellulose. Palatinus blooms were associated probably with the hydrotechnical works made by Teutonic Knights in the catchment, which caused supply and discharge of micronutrients e.g. selenium in the basin.
We propose contents of topographic maps for polar areas to be supplemented with such landforms that are easily identified during the analysis of air or terrestial photographs. Such landforms include rock outliers (monadnocks), glacial boundaries, a beach and thick mantles of tundra vegetation. All these landforms create together with fluvial and lake patterns a system of elements that enable location of users and therefore make preparation of other (e.g. geological, geomorphological or glaciological) maps possible.
A sediment core, 350 cm long recovered from Młynek Lake, northern of Poland (Warmia and Masuria Region) was analyzed with respect to their content of diatoms and chrysophyte cysts. The aim was to reconstruct the lake water level and climatic changes during the past 2500 years. The recognized diatom assemblages displayed marked floristic changes along the sediment core samples. The main change in diatom composition consists of a shift from an assemblage dominated by benthic Fragilaria sensu lato species through marked intervals to a planktonic one in distinct zones. A high proportion of benthic to plankton taxa has been reported as indicative for a lowering of the lake level with long ice cover in a cold dry climate and a shift from benthic to planktonic diatom taxa reflects arising water level with longest growing season and reduced ice cover on the lake during a warm wet climate. Multivariate statistical analysis included hierarchical ascending clustering distinguished four diatom ecological groups. The analyzed core section was divided into 11 diatom zones according to a distribution of ecological groups and variation in abundance of dominant species supported by 14C data. The results displayed a developmental history of the Młynek Lake that can be divided into 6 main phases of alternating warm wet and cold dry shifts. A distinct dominance of planktonic eutrophic indicator diatoms accompanied by a low abundance of chrysophyte cysts indicates increased lake trophicity and a general trend for the increasing anthropogenic impact.