Physical and chemical properties of selected soils from the surroundings of the Magura National Park (southern Poland) / Właściwości fizykochemiczne i chemiczne wybranych gleb z otoczenia Magurskiego Parku Narodowego

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the basic physicochemical and chemical properties of six soil profiles located in the surrounding of the Magura National Park (S Poland). The type of agricultural use and terrain relief were the main criteria for choosing the soil profiles. The research identified the following types or sub-types of soils: Eutric Gleysols, Dystric Cambisols, Eutric Cambisols, Gleyic Luvisols. The analyzed soils were characterized by particle size distribution of a silty clay or silt. They were usually strongly acidified as evidenced by low pH (in 1M KCl, values ranged from 3.8 to 5.8), high values of hydrolytic acidity (from 0.8 up to 10 cmol(+)·kg-1) and exchangeable acidity (from 0.05 to 4.05 cmol(+)·kg-1), as well as remarkable concentration of exchangeable aluminum (from 0 to 3.96 cmol(+)·kg-1). The organic carbon content in studied profiles did not exceed (except from gley soil in profile ) 30 g·kg-1 and it decreased along with the depth to several g·kg-1 in parent rock. These soils were characterized by not very high content of total nitrogen (from 0.3 to 9.39 g·kg-1) and low available phosphorus concentration (from 3.5 to 90.3 mg P2O5·kg-1). Contents of available potassium (from 82 to 570 mg K2O·kg-1) and magnesium (from 33 to 412 mg Mg·kg-1) allow for classifying the profiles studied as soils moderately or highly abundant in K and Mg. The highest levels of biogenic elements were determined in surface horizons. Studied soils were characterized by high total sorption capacity (T) - from 7.04 to 63.4 cmol(+)·kg-1. Sum of base cations (S) reached values from 3.01 to 61.2 cmol(+)·kg-1, which resulted in high base saturation (V) (maximum over 96%). The base saturations in profiles of the soils increased along with depth.