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Abstract
The lithological and petrographical characteristics of soil pedogenesis was determined, and the spatial and vertical distribution of some soil physico-chemical properties (including heavy metal content) were studied along two transects in Poland. The genetic horizon for 22 soil profiles were described for particle size and petrographic composition, quartz grain abrasion, transformation of organic substance, carbon and nitrogen characteristics, base saturation, exchangeable cations, and acidity. The results showed that the morphogenesis of parent rock in all studied profiles is characterized by the glaciofluvial sedimentation of fine sands. All research plots were situated on valley terraces or outwash planes connected with glaciofluvial accumulation of redeposited, polygenetic sand formation. Soils belonged to three subtypes of Spodosols (podsolic class). All soil profiles were characterized by a very acid reaction (pH 3.0-4.5 in horizon A), and the degree of acidity corresponded to soil type. All other defined physico-chemical properties indicated that soils had low nutrient status. Mineral-humus layers of most of the soils were characterized by a high carbon:nitrogen ratio (from 10.6 to 53.7). This suggests limited biological activity of the soils and slow humification and mineralization rates. Overlying humus has three distinct subtypes (mor, moder/mor, mor/moder). In all soils the ratio of humic acids to fulvic acids was less than one, with the highest content of fulvic forms in humus compounds. Total exchangeable cations averaged 2.5 meq per 100 g of soil from the mineral-humus horizon and 0.5 meq per 100 g of soil in the parent rock. The degree that the sorption complex was saturated with base cations was also very low (less than 10 percent). Heavy metal spatial distribution in studied soils was not distinguished by region, but by local pollution sources or by natural concentration in the soil.
Parent Publication
Citation
Degorski, Marek. 1998. Spatial and vertical distribution of soil physico-chemical properties and the content of heavy metals in the pedosphere in Poland. In: Bytnerowicz, Andrzej; Arbaugh, Michael J.; Schilling, Susan L., tech. coords. Proceedings of the international symposium on air pollution and climate change effects on forest ecosystems. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-166. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 169-177
