The research topic is sensory, healing, rehabilitation and horticultural gardens, and the related discourses. The first part of the paper describes the historic development of the rehabilitation and health gardens in Latvia. Then he research paper takes a look at the main aspects which dominate in the rehabilitation and sensory visual and functional garden sites in the world. The quest to create contemporary landscape sites for health reasons is still one of the main subjects to explore and find definitions for. The methodology used in this paper is descriptive, from the perspective of historical relaxation gardens and health sites. The aim of this research is to define the main development lines of health sites in Latvia, trying to answer such questions as: How we can start developing sensory gardens and what is needed for their development in the future? To achieve the goal, it is necessary to absorb the world experience and exchange best practices, find innovative solutions, and adapt advanced rehabilitation center area landscapes to individual needs. When creating the healing gardens, the aesthetic and functional criteria have to be applied. Depending on the availability of the natural environment, health and satisfaction will be enhanced.

Timber structure is a very complex system with its own specific character that causes a lot of difficulties for designers to predict its precise behaviour under loading. Timber construction behaviour under load is affected by many factors that in most cases influence timber constructions in a negative manner. Part of these influencing factors are properties of material, the other are components of the environment where the timber construction is located. This paper presents the results of experimental research where seventeen softwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) timber beams of rectangular cross section were tested in four point bending under long-term load in uncontrolled microclimate conditions (unheated building, all year round weather in the region of Latvia). Values of mechanical properties (modulus of elasticity), physical properties (density, amount of latewood, number of annual rings in 1 cm of wood) were measured at the start of the test; while monitoring of moisture content of wood, relative humidity and air temperature were performed simultaneously for the whole period of test. It has been observed that the main factors that significantly influence timber beam behaviour during period under load in natural climatic conditions are modulus of elasticity (MoE), density of wood and number of annual rings per 1 cm of wood. Amount of latewood showed an insignificant impact on timber beam behaviour under load.

In this paper regression analysis was adopted to assess the wind-wave relationship between wind speeds and wave heights on the Lithuanian coast of the Baltic Sea. In the coastal observations register missing data of visual wave observations occur because of the fog, ice, evaporation or other meteorological phenomenon. There is also inconsistency in instrumental measurements of wave heights in the Lithuanian coast due to technical issues. First step to fill the gaps in the wave height data is to find a strong relationship between wind speeds and wave heights. In this study correlation coefficients for Nida and Klaipeda coastal hydrometeorological stations data both taking and not taking into consideration wind blowing directions were calculated. Every data set used in this study was treated separately and it was revealed that applying nonlinear regression the most common model for wind-wave relationship analysis on Lithuanian coast is DR-Hill model, while applying multivariable regression it is Full Cubic model. Relationship between wind speeds and wave heights always can be improved by removing swell waves from correlation.

The article presents the natural and regulated stream bed stability and self-regulation issues. River beds equilibrium patterns are defined by Lane principle, observed in natural beds, while this balance is disturbed in regulated ones which has been confirmed by research. Natural and regulated rivers stability was evaluated by beds hydrodynamic stability criteria. It showed that the investigated natural rivers bed is stable enough. Under accumulated silt particle sizes in natural river beds, the formation regularities of meanders were determined. The investigated river meanders patterns confirmed the formation of natural river meanders characterizing patterns. It was found that regulated Lithuanian streams through self-beds meandering are useful not only for the natural diversity formation, but also increase meandering bed sediments conveyance capacity and stability from 3 to 3.5 times. Adapting to these naturally occurring processes and using the extensive channel maintenance techniques, it is possible to force the disruption of regulated streams hydrodynamic equilibrium self-recovery and biodiversity. The aim of research - according to the selected river bed hydrodynamic stability criteria to perform comparative analysis of stability of regulated and natural streams.

The investigations were carried out during the period 2006-2011 in the land of the Water resources management institute of ASU, in the village of Lipliūnai on Endocalcari Endohypogleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-w-can). The base of investigations is 3 drainage systems, which contain cereals differing in fertilization and grass crop rotations. The aim of investigations is to determine the crop rotations differing in fertilization and these relations with cycles of phosphorus in agroecosystem. Higher productive was perennial grass crop rotation. In the conditions of cereal crop rotations this productive was 3-46% lesser. The highest concentration of P-PO4 3- in drainage water was received in the conditions of higher fertilization cereals crop rotation while highest concentration of total P was in the conditions of grass crop rotation. The concentration of P-PO4 3- in drainage water essentially depends on amount of mobile P2 O5 in soil, fertilization, productivity of field crops, drainage runoff as well as cumulative balance of P. The highest leaching of P-PO4 3- and total P by drainage was received under the conditions of higher fertilization cereals crop rotation. The leaching of P-PO4 3- essentially depends on fertilization, drainage runoff as well as cumulative and yearly balance of P. The application of all crop rotations was distinguished by positive P balance.

Since joining the European Union Latvian fish industry has undergone a serious process of change and reform. Not all of them were welcomed by people working in the industry or those related to it. Consequently, the reform backed by the European institutions and legislature changed the dynamics and consistency of Latvian fish industry. As of 2004 many Latvian fishing vessels were scraped and even greater number of smaller fishing boats followed the same fate. Fishing and processing of the catch for Latvian shore regions is not only one of common and basic occupations, but also provides a large spectre of other services, as fishing in general is a complex industry providing a lot of jobs for seashore residents, primarily in primary, and secondary sectors of economy, and in smaller extent in tertiary, more precisely in distribution, trade and food services. This paper focuses on a research conducted on the expansion of Latvian fish industry product export market from a spatial, geographic perspective and analyzes the volumes and directions of outflow of goods to the recipient countries worldwide in period from 2000 to 2011. The analysis was done using correlation of yearly cargo flows and the spatial relations of major export directions, by historic and modern economic tendencies of the industry. Results give a picture of modern trends in export market geography and its changes during the first decade of the new century that is the ongoing transformation of East-oriented processed goods market into diverse one, which in future will largely depend on Western countries.

Even though thousands of people suffer from hunger each day, there are people that simply throw away their food, imposing serious environmental, social and economic consequences. Food waste concept, however, is not as strictly defined as it varies from research to research. The classification itself can be specific to certain regions and cultures, and it can even be affected by the eating habits of the researchers. This review paper aims to unify the theoretical knowledge of food wasting with examples from actual research, evaluating data from the perspective of eating habits and finding motives for such an action, such as family and friends’ influence, incomes, lifestyle, religion, mass media etc. Previously done studies show that people are less concerned about reducing food wastage when it comes to environmental and social problems, but are the most motivated if they see a real opportunity to save money.

There is a lack of an actual information concerning cultivation of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), on the best methods of sowing and seeding rates. The aim of the study was to investigate changes in the buckwheat yield forming elements depending on sowing type, time and rate. Trials were established in farm “Araji”, Kraslava area, during 2010. Previous crop was spring barley. Buckwheat cultivar ‘Aiva’ was used in the field trial. Sowing was done on six different dates – May 15, 20, 25 and 30, and June 4 and 9. Two different types of sowing were used – drill sowing, with 4 sowing rates 200, 300, 400, 500 fertile nutlets per 1 m2, and the column sowing with the three sowing rates 150, 250, 300 fertile nutlets per m2. Data analyses were run using MS Excel Two factor analyses of variance. Time of sowing and seed rate had a significant influence on the buckwheat yield forming elements. Evaluating the performance of plant density at column sowing, it was found that plants survival rate was higher than that in drill sowing. The highest individual productivity of the plant was observed in plots sown in columns. The yield of buckwheat was on average 30-50% higher in the plots that were sown from June 4th to 9th if compared to those sown from May 15th to 20th, i.e. earlier sowing times were not the most suitable for buckwheat sowing in 2010.

Chemical composition of crops before winter is important for successful overwintering of plants. The aim of the research, carried out from 2007/2008 till 2009/2010 at the Research and Study farm ‘Vecauce’, was to investigate the influence of agricultural practices (sowing date, sowing rate, and fungicide application) and meteorological conditions during winter on the content of sugar in apical bud and root of two types of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars. The content of sugars (monosaccharides) in apical bud and root in autumn and following spring was analysed using the Luff–Schoorl method. Sugar content in apical bud and root of winter oilseed rape in autumn and spring differed depending on the trial year, because of different, even contrary (in season 2009/2010), meteorological conditions. Sugar content was higher in plant parts developed when rape was sowed on earlier sowing dates, but it was substantially influenced by the sowing date only on some occasions. Sowing rate had no impact on sugar content in apical bud and root. Application of a fungicide as a growth regulator had no significant impact on the result, but sugar content decrease during winter 2009/2010 in the root of winter oilseed rape was smaller when fungicide as growth regulator was applied.

To promote the future of abandoned lands management and the reduction of fossil energy consumption in Latvia, the establishment of energy crops plantation facilities, including perennial grasses, was investigated. The objective – suitability of several perennial grasses for bio-energy production under condition of Latvia. The aim of the current research to evaluate the experimental field conditions for the cultivation of perennial grasses. The perennial grasses are modest in terms of soil conditions, they are environmentally friendly, as well as provide high yields of biomass with adequate quality for bio-energy production without large investments. With increasing amounts of bio-energy production the amounts of various by-products which are profitable to utilize as energy crops fertiliser will also increase. It is essential that plant nutrients return back into circulation by creating a complete cycle. In order to test in practice the possibility of creating this complete cycle of growing perennial grasses, an experimental field was chosen at the Research Institute of Agriculture in Skriveri. In the summer of 2011, before trials establishment, the conditions of soil were examined at four depths: 0 – 20 cm; 20 – 40 cm; 40 – 60 cm and 60 – 80 cm. The analyses showed that the experimental field conditions were appropriate for growing of perennial grasses. The results of the soil agrochemical analysis will be a base for future studies of usage efficiency of different fertiliser types on perennial grass productivity and nutrient recycling opportunities in energy crop plantations.