Abstract
Soluble Si compounds such as monosilicic and polysilicic acids affect chemicals and physical properties of the soil. The main aim of this study is to evaluate Si cycle in the various soil-plant s ystems via the determination of mobile Si forms in the soi l and of the total content of Si in the plant assoc iations. The concentrations of monosilicic acid, polysilicic acids and acid-extractable Si in unmowed meadow, mowed meadow, birch-aspen forest, spruce wood and agricultural land soil-plant systems, were tested at the soil depths of 0-10, 20-30 and 50-60 cm in a Ru ssian region, south of Moscow. The annual content o f Si within the investigated soil-plant systems was c alculated. Forty to 80 kg ha -1 of Si is annually removed from Grey Forest Soil (Luvisol). The concentration of monosilicic acid in the upper soil horizon depended on the type of plant association and on th e total content of adsorbed Si. The removal of plan t remains from the ecosystems resulted in decreased monosilicilic acid concentration in the upper soil horizon. The ecosystems which utilize annual plant remains increased the content of monosilicilic acid of the surface soil horizon. The concentration of mono silicic acid in the upper soil layer can be used as indicator of the stability of plant association. Th e unmowed meadow and the birch-aspen forest were characterized as ecosystems with accumulative type of Si cycle. The agricultural land, the mowed
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