Department of Stratigraphic Geology

The Department of Stratigraphic Geology is engaged in stratigraphic studies of rocks of a wide age spectrum — from the Cambrian to the Quaternary, their lithostratigraphy and determination of the age of rocks by various biostratigraphic methods. The Department’s profile also includes facies studies and paleogeographic interpretations taking into account regional conditions. The Department conducts teaching activities in the subjects of paleontology-stratigraphy and facies analysis and related subjects for students of the following majors: Geology, Geological Engineering, Environmental Protection, Geography, Applied Geoscience, Archaeology, Biology, Polish Philology. The results of our research are used in interpretations in the basic sciences, as well as geological exploration work and the determination of the directions for the exploitation of deposits.

Major topics of basic research:

• carboniferous stratigraphy of southwestern Poland, in particular, dating the age of rocks based on fossils, ichnofossils and bentonite levels. Based on the results of palynostratigraphic studies, the Carboniferous age of the rocks of the Świebodzice unit, previously thought to be Devonian, was documented, and the age of Carboniferous rocks occurring within the Owl Mountains, the Mid-Sudetic Trough, the Bardo Structure and the bedrock of the Pre-Sudetic Monocline were revised, allowing their geological structure and evolution to be reinterpreted;
• stratigraphy, paleontological record and sedimentation conditions of the Triassic and Cretaceous in Poland. The object of special interest are the remains of reptiles of the Triassic and Cretaceous and sharks of the Mesozoic and Paleogene, their use in stratigraphic and paleoecological studies;
• paleoecology and sedimentology of Cambrian carbonate rocks of the Sudetes. Archaeoenvironmental fossils as an indicator of paleoenvironment and rock age;
• paleoecology and sedimentology of carbonate Zechstein rocks in the Sudetes, the Polish Lowlands, Germany, Lithuania and Latvia, including reef structures and paleontological studies of reef-forming organisms. Research of red bedrock in the Sudeten Mountains

Research projects carried out in the Department:

NCN 2017/26/M/ST10/00646	Paleogeographic maps of Permian terrestrial basins of Central Europe	carried out by Paweł Raczyński
Excellence Initiative Program Grant — Research University	Silurian graptolite fauna in the Sudeten Mountains	project manager — Paweł Raczyński
Research and development project No. BOI.451.2.2017 under program Scientific Grant of the President of the City of Opole	When the city was the sea. A geological history of Opole	carried out by Robert Niedźwiedzki
NCN UMO 2013/11/B/ST10/04949	Reefs and condensed profiles of Zechstein limestone on the Wolsztyn ridge: implications for the formation of salt giants	carried out by Paweł Raczyński
NCN 4558/PB/ING/11, No. UMO- 2011/01/B/ST10/05112	Bentonites as chronohorizonts in the Sudetes Visean	— project manager Jolanta Muszer, carried out by Anna Górecka-Nowak
MNiSW: 2-PO4D 078 28	Petrological identification of organic matter of Late Paleozoic lacustrine black shales of the Sudetes — depositional implications	carried out by Anna Górecka-Nowak
MNiSW No. 2 P04D 014 29	The role of mid-basin sliding zones during subsidence and inversion of sedimentary basins on the example of Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the Grójec fault zone	carried out by Anna Górecka-Nowak
NCN 2011/01/B/ST10/02639		carried out by Robert Niedźwiedzki
KBN 6 PO4D 068 18	Zechstein formations in Lithuania and Latvia: NE end of the Zechstein reservoir	project manager — Paweł Raczyński
MNiSW No. 3942/B/T02/2010/39	Morphological, lithological, and petrological and mineralogical characterization of the coal seams of the upper section of the Libiąż layers (Westphalian D = Asturian) in the Dąb region near Chrzanów (GZW) in order to determine their genesis	carried out by Anna Górecka-Nowak
MNiSW 1131/B/P01/2008/35	Characterization of limestones with archaeoenvironments based on paleontological, sedimentological, petrographic and geochemical studies	carried out by Paweł Raczyński
Research project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Environment PCZ-007-21	Paleozoic accretion of Poland	carried out by Anna Górecka-Nowak
Paleontological Society International Research Program research project	Sepkoski Grants (USA) for research on Triassic fossils in Poland	carried out by Robert Niedźwiedzki
Research project No. 490/2008/Wn-06/FG-bp-tx/D commissioned by the Ministry of Environment through AGH University of Kraków	Sudetic Geostrada — an idea of geological and landscape studies heritage with inventarization of the objects of abiotic nature	carried out by Jolanta Muszer