Witold Paweł ALEXANDROWICZ¹ & Eliza RYBSKA^2
1AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environment Protection, Chair of General Geology and Geotourism, Al Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow, e.mail: wpalex@geol.agh.edu.pl
²Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Biology, Laboratory for Teaching Biology and Natural Sciences, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, e.mail: elizary@amu.edu.pl

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES OF INTRAMONTANE BASINS DERIVED FROM MALACOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF PROFILE OF CALCAREOUS TUFA IN NIEDZICA (PODHALE BASIN, SOUTHERN POLAND)

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The site of calcareous tufa in Niedzica is located in the eastern part of the Podhale Basinwithin the Polish section of the Carpathians. The calcareous tufas exposed there are underlain andcovered by slope deposits. The entire profile is 2.5 m thick. The deposits contain numerous and wellpreserved shells of molluscs. The malacological analysis performed allowed the distinction of fourfaunistic assemblages differing in composition and structure. In the two oldest assemblages, representingthe Preboreal and Boreal Phases, cold-loving species which are glacial relicts occur in large numbersalong with shade-loving taxa. The younger assemblage, which corresponds to the Atlantic Phase, ismarked by the predominance of shade-loving species with high ecological demands. The fourth andyoungest assemblage represents historical times and its characteristic feature is the predominance ofsnails of open spaces. It provides a record of anthropogenic deforestation. Deposits from the SubborealPhase and the lower part of the Subatlantic Phase are not represented in the profile. The age of each