JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY CRACOW (JU) POLAND

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

Institute of Geography and Spatial Management (IGSM), which is a part of Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, administrates the work of 10 research units which represent a broad spectrum of both social sciences and Earth- and environmental sciences.

Research focusing on social and economic problems brings up wide range of regional development issues, with organization and dynamics of socio-economic space, demographic, social and functional changes in urban and rural areas, as well as functioning and transformation of industrial structures among others. Environmental research focuses on different aspects of natural environment dynamics, especially including its structure and transformation. Both research domains together tend to solve the problems of human-environmental systems and their impacts on the provision of ecosystem services. 

Environmental research conducted in IGSM is supported by three professionally equipped research laboratories: soil, hydro-chemical and geomorphological lab. Soil research laboratory exploits the ultrasonic disintegrator and high quality, bulkiness ultracentrifuge both to select loam fraction, x-ray diffractometer (XRD), as well as near infrared spectrometer (FTIR). Hydrochemical laboratory consists of a large number of measuring apparatus, i.e. Dionex ICS-2000 ion chromatography system, Metrohm Robotic Titrosampler 855 which enables automatic titrating analyses and pH and C measurements, multiparameter meters: WTW 3430i, WTW 350i Multi, Elemtron CX 401, Ponsel Acteon 3000 with multiparameter Aqua probes. Geomorphological laboratory uses equipment suitable for dendrogeomorphological analyses: Lab-Microtom (to gain 5 μm slides from tree drills) and LINTAB with TSAP-Win software (tree rings measurements). Together with lab analyses field measurements and studies have been conducted with a significant contribution of three field stations, where various aspects of environmental impacts and management are studied, especially in relation to air, water and soil quality and quantity of the resources. Moreover, IGSM has recently initiated using professional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for environmental monitoring and mapping. Geospatial information laboratories combine data coming from both social and environmental sciences, providing excellent analytical capabilities. They are equipped with more than 40 work stations with the most advanced, up-to-date professional GIS and remote sensing software which enable to conduct geospatial analyses, modelling of both socio-economic and environmental processes as well as sustainable development activities.

IGSM, regarding conducted comprehensive research, lab analyses and field measurements, has also a substantial experience in applied studies, introducing high quality expertise for local and regional public administration subjects as well as the other external partners.

 

PROJECT TEAM:

Agnieszka Wypych

Anita Bernatek-Jakiel

Katarzyna Gorczyca

Dominik Kaim

Jacek Kozak

Magdalena Kubal-Czerwińska

Łukasz Musielok

Agnieszka Nowak-Olejnik

Aneta Szablowska-Midor