Background: The role of cervids in the circulation of A. phagocytophilum has not yet been clearly determined; however, several species of wild and farm cervids may be a natural reservoir of this bacteria. Methods: Spleen and liver tissue samples were taken from 207 wild (red deer, roe deer, fallow deer and moose) and farmed cervids (red deer and fallow deer) from five geographical areas. These were tested for the A. phagocytophilum16S rDNA partial gene by nested PCR. Results: Anaplasma spp. were detected in 91 of 207 examined cervids (prevalence 43.9%). Three different variants of 16S rDNA partial gene were reported, one for the first time. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was more often detected in young specimens than in adults and more often in the spleen than in the liver. Conclusions: Cervids from the four sites across Poland were found to be major natural reservoirs of various strains of A. phagocytophilum. This is the first study to use spleen and liver as biological material to detect A. phagocytophilum in moose in Poland.

Our study aimed at examining the phylogenetic position of the newly-found Setaria nematodes obtained from the red deer (Cervus elaphus) based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX-1). Alignment and phylogenetic analyses, as well as SEM microscopic analysis, revealed the presence of two Setaria species: S. cervi and S. tundra. Setaria tundra was noted in only one individual, a calf of the red deer, while S. cervi was observed in three stages, two hinds and one calf of the red deer. According to our knowledge, it is the first case of S. cervi in the red deer in Poland confirmed in molecular studies and also the first case of S. tundra infection in the red deer.

Once deposited, radiocesium remains in the environment for a long time, and constantly enters the food chain. Over time, game species tend to accumulate ¹³⁷Cs by two orders of magnitude more than farm animals. This occurs especially in places heavily contaminated, thus meat products made out of local game should be treated with caution. One of such areas, known as the Opole Anomaly, is located in South-Western Poland and represents one of most ¹³⁷Cs contaminated regions across Europe after the Chernobyl accident. The aim of the study was to find out the ¹³⁷Cs activity in soil and local game, the value of the soil-to-game aggregated transfer factor and to assess the effective dose of the ionising radiation (E_eff) received by consumers of local game meat in years 2012–2019. We examined meat of three common game species: red deer, roe deer and wild boar for ¹³⁷Cs activity. ¹³⁷Cs activity in meat samples ranged from 0.14 to 592 Bq kg⁻¹. The aggregated transfer factor (T_ag) in game ranged from 0.006 to 0.01 m² kg⁻¹ f.w. for wild boar, 0.005–0.008 m² kg⁻¹ f.w. for roe deer, and 0.003–0.004 m² kg⁻¹ f.w. for red deer. The effective dose received by people who regularly consume local game meat ranged from less than 14.2 µSv y⁻¹ to 134 µSv y⁻¹, depending on the amount of differently contaminated game meat consumed annually. Even those for whom game is the only source of meat, consumption of wild boar along with local mushrooms and bilberries will, since 2012, not exceed the regulation limit of ¹³⁷Cs at the level of 1 mSv y⁻¹. By the best of our knowledge this is the first study regarding ¹³⁷Cs activity in game and risk assessment from the most contaminated “post-Chernobyl” area in Poland.

Green walls, along with green roofs, parks, and vertical gardens, belong to the green infrastructure of cities, which will encompass the majority of humanity in the coming decades. Green infrastructure benefits both urban residents and nature in the urban landscape, although there is no scientific consensus on the extent to which green walls, especially green facades, impact biodiversity in cities. This study examined the influence of green facades on the richness of mammals, birds, and invertebrates, considering the species and age of the plants comprising the green facade in a medium-sized city located in southwestern Poland. It was found that the implementation of green facades significantly enhances species’ biodiversity compared to non-vegetated walls. Four synanthropic bird species were nesting on green facades: Eurasian collared dove ( Streptopelia decaocto), blackbird ( Turdus merula), house sparrow ( Passer domesticus) and woodpigeon ( Columba palumbus). For the beech marten (Martes foina), the green facades are a hunting ground for birds and their eggs. This simple and effective method of creating green walls provides benefits to local wildlife by creating habitats, shelter, and foraging opportunities for selected species. However, it is difficult to determine whether green facades contribute to the formation of ecological corridors in urban environments. The study also examined the social aspect related to the establishment and maintenance of green facades on the surveyed buildings.

Background: The Gram-negative bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an intracellular pathogen and an etiological agent of human and animal anaplasmosis. Its natural reservoir comprises free-ranging ungulates, including roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). These two species of deer also constitute the largest group of game animals in Poland. The aim of the study was to genotype and perform a phylogenetic analysis of A. phagocytophilum strains from roe deer and red deer. Methods: Samples were subjected to PCR amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of strain-specific genetic markers (groEL, ankA). Results: Five haplotypes of the groEL gene from A. phagocytophilum and seven haplotypes of ankA were obtained. The phylogenetic analysis classified the groEL into ecotypes I and II. Sequences of the ankA gene were classified into clusters I, II, and III. Conclusions: Strains of A. phagocytophilum from red deer were in the same ecotype and cluster as strains isolated from humans. Strains of A. phagocytophilum from roe deer represented ecotypes (I, II) and clusters (II, III) that were different from those isolated from red deer, and these strains did not show similarity to bacteria from humans. However, roe deer can harbor nonspecific strains of A. phagocytophilum more characteristic to red deer. It appears that the genetic variants from red deer can be pathogenic to humans, but the significance of the variants from roe deer requires more study.