CARBON STOCKS IN LITTLE AND SILESIAN BESKIDS SOILS AGRICULTURAL USE

Organic carbon stocks (SOCs) were determined in 14 pedons of the Little and Silesian Beskids (7 from each one: arable land and grassland) and compared with the C-stocks occurring in the soils of Ciężkowickie and Silesian Foothills. They were similar to SOCs in the soils of the Silesian Foothills, but significantly higher than in the soils of the Ciężkowickie Foothills. The participation of SOCs 0–30 cm layer at the stocks of this element in the whole pedon was higher than in the soils of the foothills. Different types of land used (arable land, grassland) did not affect the quantity of SOCs in pedons and layers

Rendzina soils in the Tatra Mountains, central Europe: a review

The article presents the overview of the rendzinas found in the Polish Tatra mountains based on literature data and unpublished authors results and observations. Particular attention was paid to soil properties related to the high mountain environment in Poland occurring only in the the Tatra Mountains. The influence of soil forming factors on the genesis of rendzinas and their spatial distribution was described. Furthermore the soils properties were analysed in order of distinguished soil units. Finally the proposal for classification of Tatra rendzinas was given

Enzymatic Activity and Enchytraeids Abundance in Agricultural Mountain Soils / Aktywność enzymatyczna i liczebność wazonkowców w glebach górskich użytkowanych rolniczo

The number of soil mesofauna and enzymatic activity of soils are good indicators of changes in soil influenced by cultivation. The aim of this study was to compare density of enchytraeids and the activity of dehydrogenases (ADh), urease (AU), and invertase (AI) in the soils of grassland and arable land. Relationships that exist between those biological parameters and the basic soil properties (the content of total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TN), pH, texture, and total porosity) were defined. In the research, soil material from humus horizon of 12 soils which were located in the Mały Beskid and Silesian Foothills (S Poland) was used. The main density of enchytraeids in grassland soils (12 982 ind⋅m-2) was twice higher than in arable land soils (6099 ind⋅m-2), and the differences were statistically significant. Grassland soils were characterised by higher enzymatic activity than arable land soils. However, only ADh, which were almost three times higher in grassland than in arable soils (2024 and 742 μmol TPFkg-1h-1, respectively), showed significant differences. In grassland soils more favourable edaphic conditions for the development of soil organisms occurred in comparison with arable land

Gypsic rendzinas of Nida Basin (southern Poland): a review

The article presents the overview of the gypsic rendzinas that occur in the Nida Basin (Niecka Nidziańska) as based on authors’ results and observations and also literature data. The influence of gypsum forms (selenite, shale and compact gypsum) and allogenic admixtures on the properties of rendzinas was described. Furthermore, attention was paid to the specific climate conditions of the Nida Basin reflected in the native vegetation cover on the gypsum-derived soils. Finally, there is a proposal for classification of this area’s gypsic rendzinas and the soil properties were described for the specified soil units

Profilowe zróżnicowanie form żelaza i glinu w glebach pod świerczyn górnoreglową Plagiothecio-Piccetum tatricum w Gorcach jako wskaźnik aktualnych procesów glebotwórczych / Distribution of Iron and Aluminum Forms as an Indicator of Present-Day Soil-Forming Processes in Soil Profiles under Wooded Spruce Plagiothecio-Piccetum Tatricum in the Gorce Mts. (Southern Poland)

The aim of the study was to determine soil-forming processes in soils formed from the Magura sandstones (Carpathian flysch) under wooded spruce Plagiothecio-Piccetum tatricum in the Gorce Mts., southern Poland. The research focused on distribution of non-silicate forms of iron and aluminum in soil profiles. The content of pyrophosphate, oxalate, and dithionite phases of iron and aluminum in the genetic horizons of four soil profiles was measured and selected pedogenic factors were calculated. Based on the obtained results podzolization and brunification are dominant soil-forming processes in the studied soils. The brunification effect was more common in the soils under the large share of Athyrium distentifolium, whereas podzolization predominates in the soils where Vaccinium myrtillus prevails in forest floor. Studied soils were classified as Dystric Endoskeletic Cambisol (Loamic, Humic), Dystric Cambisol (Siltic, Humic) and Skeletic Folic Albic Podzol (Arenic)

CONTENT OF ZINC, LEAD AND CADMIUM IN SELECTED AGRICULTURAL SOILS IN THE AREA OF THE ŚLĄSKIE AND CIĘŻKOWICKIE FOOTHILLS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the state of contamination with zinc, lead, and cadmium in selected soils of the Śląskie and Ciężkowickie Foothills and to determine the impact of the type of agricultural use and selected physico-chemical properties of soils on heavy metal content. The test soils were characterized by natural content of zinc, lead, and cadmium in most cases. Only one type of soil located on Śląskie Foothills developed increased levels of Cd (1.1 mg · kg-1). The content of zinc, lead, and cadmium in the surface layer (0-30 cm) was higher in the soils of Śląskie Foothills than in soils of Ciężkowickie Foothills. The bedrocks from which the soils of these two mesoregions are formed differed significantly only in the content of zinc (it was higher in the soils of Śląskie Foothills). The content of Zn, Pb, and Cd in the surface layer of soil depends on its texture and organic carbon and total nitrogen content. There was also a positive correlation between the content of Pb and Cd and hydrolytic acidity and between the content of Zn and Ca and CEC. Different types of land uses did not influence the content of the metals