Subtitle:

Population of Polish hydrobiologists

Contributor:

Polska Akademia Nauk. Komitet Ekologii

Publisher:

Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe

Place of publishing:

Warszawa

Description:

Pages 125-140 ; 24 cm ; Bibliographical references (page 139) ; Abstract in English

Type of object:

Journal/Article

Abstract:

Several conclusions may be drawn from the analysis of the population of Polish hydrobiologists based on the informations contained in the two „Hydrobiological directories” which have been published in 1965 and in 1979. The number of hydrobiologists in Poland remained constant during the last years, oscillating around 600 individuals. The population density is about 17 hydrobiologists per each million of Poles. The sex ratio is 1.3 males to 1 female. The population is relatively young (Fig. 1), the average male being 41.8 years old and the average female 38.6 years old. The population exhibits a highly clumped distribution (Fig. 2), the aggregations being associated with large academic centers (Fig. 3). Of the existing 62 institutions, 16 employ 10 or more hydrobiologists. Those are 4 institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 4 departments of the Universities and 8 of other institutes. The largest proportion of Polish hydrobiologists (44%) is found in the Universities, a smaller proportion (33%) in other institutes, and an even smaller one (20%) in the Polish Academy of Sciences (Table I). Half of the voivodships (districts) lack hydrobiologists. The social hierarchy exhibits proper proportions of „masters” (professors), „journeymen” (doctors) and „disciples” (M. Sc. and graduate students) (Fig. 4). The comparison of the numbers present in 1964 and in 1979 indicates the stability of the population within the last 15 years. The significant increase in numbers is only noted in the Polish Academy of Sciences institutions, where a surprisingly high „survival” rate of older individuals is seen (Fig. 5). Despite differences between PAS institutions and Universities in the „survival” rate and the rate of increase, the residence time of the average hydrobiologists is similar in both cases and equals 7.5 years (turnover is 0.13 hydrobiol’ogist per year). The majority of Polish hydrobiologists explores lakes and rivers (Table II). The attention paid to different aquatic environments seems to be adequate with an emphasis on the theoretical aspects and the country’s economy. Too little atten- tion only is directed to marine environments. The majority of Polish hydrobiologists consists of biologists (80%), of whom 70% are zoologists. From the analysis of the degree of „scientific niches” exploitation it results that an average Polish hydrobiologist works on 3.1 research problems (in extreme cases on 10). About 30% of the total pool of interests is directed towards problems of water protection against pollution and eutrophication (Table III). Only 6% of this pool remains with the productivity of freshwaters. Of the remaining problems (Table III) the most attractive for Polish hydrobiologist are general ecological questions (population dynamics, feeding of freshwater animals, and interactions between populations). Attention is also paid to problems of ichthyology and fisheries, taxonomy and morphology, water microbiology, physical and chemical limnology (water movements, hydrology, sedimentation, changes in the environmental abiotic factors, and nutrients’ cycling) and eutrophication. A sufficient attention is paid to the problems of restoration of freshwater systems.

References:

Grębecka W., Serafińska J. 1971 — Informator ekologiczny. Pracownicy naukowi i instytucje. Directory of Polish ecologists. Scientific workers and institutions — Komitet Ekologiczny PAN, Warszawa, ss. 116.
Grodziński W. 1972 — Populacja ekologów polskich — Wiad. ekol. 18: 266— 281.
Pieczyński E., Rybak J. I. 1965 — Hydrobiology and related sciences in Poland. Institutions and scientific workers — Pol. Hydrobiol. Soc., Warszawa, ss. 146.
Rybak J. I. 1980 — Directory of Polish hydrobiology and related sciences. Insti- tutions, scientific workers, subject index — Pol. Hydrobiol. Soc., Ecological Committee PAS, Warszawa, ss. 133.

Relation:

Wiadomości Ekologiczne

Volume:

26

Issue:

2

Start page:

125

End page:

140

Detailed Resource Type:

Article

Resource Identifier:

oai:rcin.org.pl:189210 ; ISSN 0013-2969

Source:

MiIZ PAN, call no. P.3259

Language:

pol

Language of abstract:

eng

Rights:

Creative Commons Attribution BY 3.0 PL license

Terms of use:

Copyright-protected material. [CC BY 3.0 PL] May be used within the scope specified in Creative Commons Attribution BY 3.0 PL license, full text available at: ; -

Digitizing institution:

Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Original in:

Library of the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Projects co-financed by:

Operational Program Digital Poland, 2014-2020, Measure 2.3: Digital accessibility and usefulness of public sector information; funds from the European Regional Development Fund and national co-financing from the state budget.

Access:

Open