Kolmogorovʼ entropy to investigate variation of forest soil properties in the Czech Republic

Abstract

A measure of variation in values of physico-chemical properties of different soil groups is influenced by deterministic uncertainty. In this study, we assessed variation level of soil horizon properties in the most wide-spread forest soil groups on territory of the Czech Republic in the period 1953–2010. The assessment of variation was based on the selection of potentially correlating grain-size and chemical properties and a regression analysis (p < 0.05) between normal values (1981–2010) and Kolmogorov (K-) entropy of the forest soil quantities. Cambisols (73%), Stagnosols (10%) and Leptosols (4%) were the most frequently sampled soil groups in the database of 15,287 pits from the state pilot forest surveys during the normal period. The K-entropies of clay, Ntot, CaO and MgO indicated the mean contents in the soil groups more significantly than the entropies of loam, pH and Al2O3. The low variable clay content differentiated the series of Cambisols-Podzols (CM-PZ) from other soil groups. On the contrary, the higher stable clay content differentiated the Luvisols-Retisols-Stagnosols (LV-RT-ST) series. The low stable clay content and the higher Ntot and CaO contents were characteristic of Fluvisols and Gleysols. The CM-PZ series varied from LV-RT-ST by more variable contents of finer grain particles, Ntot and CaO. Relationships between soil properties means and K-entropies suggest different development series.