Current research projects:
Analysis of anthropogenic changes in natural environment of Western Bieszczady based upon historical sources
The central Carpathians, in particular Bieszczady, Low Beskid and Przemyskie Foothills, are the area, where in last 200 years very complicated political changes took place, which influenced demographic and economic relationships, and in a consequence caused very severe alterations of natural environment. Those processes were multidirectional, and quite intrinsic. The basic factor was an increase of population rate between 1772 – 1939, occurring I conditions of general economic backwardness of the whole Galicia. As an effect, the anthropopression grew up, because of the increasing deficit of agricultural areas. The second important cause of considerable environmental changes were effects of a rapid development of wood and crude oil industries, taking place at the end of 19th century.
Due to political changes between 1939 – 1951, most visible through changes of state borders and resettlements of local inhabitants, practically whole industrial infrastructure of the region became destroyed. In an effect, the process of environmental changes became reversed, with an appearance of secondary succession and a gradual increase of forested area from 50 to 100% in some sites.
The aim of this project is a description of those changes through an analysis of source materials, mainly documents connected with land tax, and a comparison of those data with current patterns of plant associations within the studied area. The final effect of this analysis will be a picture of the course of intensity of anthropogenic changes upon particular components of the landscape and ecosystems in last 200 years, with quite high degree of accuracy (up to 1 sq. m in the field). Collected data allow for the reconstruction of the management pattern of particular villages even in the early stage of their existence (15th -17th century.
Carrying out the research at two levels: historical and ecological, allows for the creation of a complementary, double-plane data basis on studied areas. Such a system prevents to a high degree mistakes resulting from improper interpretation of source data.
Selected publications:
1. Augustyn M. 1993. Połoniny w Bieszczadach Zachodnich, Materiały Budownictwa Ludowego w Sanoku: 31: 88–98
2. Augustyn M. 1997, Exploitation of forests and its influence on local environment along valleys of upper San and Solinka in XIXth and the first half of XXth century /in/ Selected ecological problems of polish-ukrainian Carpathians, Proceedings of the scientific session within the 2nd Annual Meeting of The International Centre of Ecology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bieszczady: 7 - 14.
3. Augustyn M. 1999. Antropogeniczne zmiany środowiska przyrodniczego na terenie dawnej wsi Wołosate w świetle źródeł historycznych, Roczniki Bieszczadzkie: 7: 307–325.
4. Augustyn M. 2000. Wpływ produkcji potażu na stan lasów nad górnym Sanem i Solinką w XIX w. Roczniki Bieszczadzkie: 8: 299-324.
5. Augustyn M. 2000. Początki górnictwa naftowego w Bieszczadach. Bieszczad: 7: 219-281.
6. Augustyn M., 2001. Antropogeniczne zmiany środowiska przyrodniczego na terenie dawnej wsi Ustrzyki Górne, Roczniki Bieszczadzkie: 9: 237 – 262.
7. Perzanowski K., Augustyn M. 2001. Application of long-term data in studies on populations of large mammals and the evaluation of anthropogenic effects at Bieszczady Mountains. Poland. Proc. Natl. Conf. LTER in Poland: 61- 64.
8. Augustyn M. 2001. Historia kopalni ropy naftowej w Polanie, Rocznik “Bieszczad: 9: 106 - 162.
9. Augustyn M. 2004. Anthropogenic changes in the environmental parameters of Bieszczady Mountains. Biosphere Conservation, Vol. 6 No 1, Wildlife Conservation Society, Tokyo: 43–53.
10. Augustyn M. 2006. Monografia rozwoju przemysłu drzewnego jako podstawowego czynnika przekształceń środowiska leśnego Bieszczadów Zachodnich w XIX i pierwszej połowie XX wieku,
11. Augustyn M. 2007. Antropogeniczne zmiany środowiska wodnego w Bieszczadach do 1951 r. Część 1. Dolina górnego Sanu. Bieszczad: 13: 111–178.
12. Augustyn M., Kucharzyk S. 2008. Analiza stanu zachowania lasów we wsiach Ustrzyki Górne i Wołosate w świetle dokumentów historycznych. Roczniki Bieszczadzkie: 16: 159–178.
13. Kucharzyk S, Augustyn M. 2008. Dynamika górnej granicy lasu w Bieszczadach Zachodnich - zmiany w ciągu półtora wieku. Studia Naturae: 54 cz. II: 133–156.
14. Augustyn M. 2008. Antropogeniczne zmiany środowiska wodnego w Bieszczadach do 1951 r. Część 2. Dorzecze górnej Solinki. Bieszczad: 14: 11–75.
15. Augustyn M., Szary A. 2008. Stan zachowania dawnych sadów na terenie wsi Stebnik. Bieszczad 14: 317–334.
