Ecological Assessment of Non-Target Impact on the Intensity of Human-Induced Changes in Gray Forest Soils

Abstract

This article presents studies on determining the rate of anthropogenic influences on the gray forest soils sustainability. At present, various pollutants from the atmosphere affect soils. This leads to a decrease in soil fertility, water and air pollution, a decrease in crop yields, and deterioration of product quality. A study of the gray forest soils sustainability to anthropogenic influences incompatible with natural processes is of particular interest to select groups by the degree of anthropogenic transformation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the rate of anthropogenic influences on the grey forest soils sustainability and the degree of their anthropogenic transformation. This requires determining the change in the agrochemical indicators of the fertility of gray forest soils disturbed by overburdened quarrying. Identifying the nature of changes in the texture and micro-aggregate composition of the disturbed soils. Assess the nature of changes in the heavy metals content in gray forest soils of the areas chemically polluted by unauthorized disposal of industrial wastes. Reveal the nature of technogenic load and ecological hazard of industrial waste on the fertile layer of gray forest soils in the chemically polluted area. The research was conducted on an agricultural land site, where soil samples of gray forest soils were extracted. As a result, the gray forest soils’ sustainability to anthropogenic impact, incompatible with natural processes, was assessed. The rates of organic content reduction due to violation of the humus layer were proved. The decrease level of available phosphorus was proved, significant fluctuations for potassium in the soils were revealed. A significant decrease in soil acidity has been confirmed. The influence of chemical pollution of the soil cover by heavy metals has been found out. The intensity of anthropogenic load of industrial waste on the soil depending on the soil contamination levels of heavy metals was revealed.