Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz

About: Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz is a education organization based out in Bydgoszcz, Poland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Luminescence & Population. The organization has 1109 authors who have published 2923 publications receiving 19548 citations. The organization is also known as: Casimir the Great University & Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy.

Cyclic voltammetry and impedance studies of undoped diamond films

Abstract: The undoped, polycrystalline diamond films were deposited on tungsten wire substrates by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HF CVD), using a precursor gas mixture of methanol with excess of hydrogen. The morphology and quality of the as-deposited films were monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology analyzed by SEM resembles a continuous and well faceted diamond film. Raman results showed essential differences in qualities of diamond films grown at different hydrocarbon concentrations. The electrochemical properties of diamond electrodes were examined with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The CV experiments revealed a large chemical window (>∼4.3 V) of undoped diamond. Analysis of the ferrocyanide-ferricyanide couple at a diamond electrode suggests some extent of electrochemical quasi-reversibility, but the rates of charge transfer across the diamond substrate interface vary with diamond quality.

Temporal patterns of energy equivalence in temperate soil invertebrates.

Abstract: The question whether total population energy use is invariant to species body size (the energy equivalence hypothesis) is central to metabolic ecology and continues to be controversial. While recent comparative field work and meta-analyses pointed to systematic deviations of the underlying allometric scaling laws from predictions of metabolic theory none of these studies included the variability of metabolic scaling in ecological time. Here we used extensive data on the invertebrate soil fauna of Kampinos National Park (Poland) obtained from six consecutive quantitative sampling seasons to show that phylogenetically corrected species density—body weight and population energy use—body weight relationships across all soil fauna species and within trophic groups and body weight classes were highly variable in time. On average, population energy use tended to increase with species body weight in decomposers and phytophages, but not in predators. Despite these trends, our data do not exclude the possibility that energy equivalence marks the central tendency of energy use in the edaphon. Our results highlight the need for long-term studies on energy use to unequivocally assess predictions of metabolic theory. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00442-015-3317-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bayesian approach reveals confounding effects of population size and seasonality on outcrossing rates in a fragmented subalpine conifer

Abstract: Mating systems have long been recognized as key factors determining genetic structure within and between pop- ulations. Outcrossing promotes genetic diversity and gene flow between populations, while inbreeding, on the other hand, decreases recombination rates, facilitating fixation of co-adapted genes. In small populations, selfing moderates pollen limitation because of low mate availability, but at the cost of increased inbreeding depression. These conflicts are of more than theoretical interest; they are critical for the man- agement of endangered species. In order to help designing conservation strategies for the management of the gene pool of fragmented populations of Pinus cembra, a protected spe- cies in Poland, we have characterized pollen flow and mating structure using nuclear microsatellite markers. We demon- strated that P. cembra in the studied stands of the Tatra Mts. is characterized by an average outcrossing rate (t )o f 0.72. Unlike with the existing approaches, using the newly devel- oped Bayesian method, we found that population size and seasonal variation had confounding effects on outcrossing rates. In concordance with predictions, large populations showed significantly higher outcrossing rates (t=0.89) than smaller ones (t=0.51). Temporal variation revealed in the outcrossing rate might be linked with masting behavior of the species. On the other hand, we showed that outcrossing rates were not associated with a trunk diameter of a mother tree. Our study also demonstrated that biparental inbreeding is a significant component of mating system. However, we further show that pollen dispersal follows a fat-tailed distribu- tion (with the average dispersal distance of 1,267 m) so that at least some long-distance pollen dispersal must be occurring. Overall, we conclude that the high inbreeding (both selfing and mating between relatives) found in P. cembra buffers for

Evaluation of Mechanical and Physical Properties of Particleboards with the Core Layer Made from Willow (Salix viminalis)

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate some mechanical and physical properties of three-layer particleboards with the core layer made from various willow (Salix viminalis) and industrial pine wood particle mixtures. Increasing willow content slightly worsened the modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture but improved internal bond, screw holding, water absorption, and thickness swelling. The effects of resin content in the core layer and the density of particleboards were also studied. Mechanical properties, especially modulus of elasticity and internal bond, of particleboards with willow particles met the requirements of EN 312 standard for boards of type P2. The willow (Salix viminalis) can be considered as a substitute for pine wood for the manufacturing of the core layer of three-layer particleboards.