Development of chemical soil properties in the western Ore Mts. (Czech Republic) 10 years after liming

Abstract

The article focuses on changes in soil chemistry observed on plots limed in 2000 in the western Ore Mts.(Krušné hory) on the basis of chemical analyses done before liming and repeated in 2002, 2005 and 2010. In the deeper mineral soil (down to 30 cm), only the increase in pH and exchangeable magnesium was significant. The increase in exchangeable calcium in upper soil layers was significant in 2002 and 2005 only; ten years after liming the effect was negligible, although the number of Ca deficient samples was lower than in 2000. The exchangeable Mg content increased above the deficiency limit in all samples of upper soil, and an increase was also found in the deeper mineral soil. These changes were reflected in increasing base saturation and lower base cations/aluminium ratio in the organic and organomineral soil layer. Despite these positive shifts, calcium and magnesium deficiency and very low base saturation (< 10%) still prevail in the deeper mineral soil (2–30 cm) and are common even in the upper mineral soil. The increased total nitrogen level observed two and five years after liming indicated enhanced decomposition of the humus layer. On the other hand, N content in the upper organic (FH) horizon as well as in deeper mineral soil did not change significantly.