ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF EDAPHOTOPES OF POST-TECHNOGENIC AREAS OF SULFUR QUARRIES

Abstract

The results of the research of the peculiarities of morphological structure development and change in chemical indicators of edaphotopes of embriozems and technozems on the post-technogenic lands at the Yavoriv and Podorozhnie sulfur quarries were described in the article. During 30 years after intensive sulfur mining was stopped and mines closure under the influence of various environmental and human-caused factors significant changes of disturbed soils characteristics occured within the sulfur quarries. It was established that soil cover of post-technogenic areas was represented by special combinations of various types of embriozem soils (initial, organic and accumulative, humus and accumulative, and dernozem). The most widespread embriozem soils are organic and accumulative, which are developing at the organic substances accumulation stage in the surface layer. Embriozem and technozem soils of the Yavoriv quarry belong to the dense type of soil with soil density index of (d1) 0,96–1,57 g/cm3. Solid phase density (d2) is 2.21–2.60 g/cm3, which corresponds to low-humus mineral horizons with bare horizon and its values are close to the natural background of zonal soils of the disturbed landscapes. Based on the hydrogenous index pH (8.0–8.9) emrbiozem soils are alkaline; and technozem soils with pH7.6 are regarded as slightly alkaline.The level of values of indicator of hydrolytic acidity of soils on post-technogenic areas is high (0,185–0,615 mg-CaCO3/100 g), which is 2.6 times higher than in zonal soils. During almost 30 years period, as a result of natural processes humus content in embriozem soils increased up to 0.29–0.61%, in technozem soils – 0.83–1.47%. The content of mobile forms of nitrogen in edaphotopes of the Yavoriv and Podorozhnie sulfur quarries fluctuates from 18.9 to 112.3 mg/kg of soil and from 13.7 to 54.5 mg/kg of soil, respectively. During 2011–2021, the increased content and accumulation of main macroelements in embriozem and technozem soils of the both quarries were recorded.