Urban Soils Research Articles

Hydrological Performance Assessment of Low-Impact Development Practices: A Vegetated Swale Case Study

The increase in rainfall intensity caused by climate change, combined with high levels of urban soil sealing and the limited capacity of drainage systems, is significantly increasing flooding risk. Integrated stormwater management is a key factor in dealing with the consequences of climate change by mitigating flood risk based on nature-based solutions. An experimental site was designed to assess the hydrological response of vegetated swales depending on different catchment surfaces, and to evaluate the impact of spatial variability of the hydraulic conductivity (K). A hydrological model was developed on EPA SWMM and calibrated based on measured data in two experimental swales with different active surfaces (N6—50 m2 and N11—100 m2). The model validation was assessed with NSE scores higher than 0.7. The simulations considered various factors, such as the water level in the swales, the actual rainfall, the evapotranspiration, the swale geometry, the catchment area (Sa), and the hydraulic conductivities of the natural silty soil, to assess, for the heaviest rainfall event, the best swale morphological characteristics. The study examined the combined impact of K (8) and Sa (6) on swale storage capacity, designed with a 250 mm depth. The simulations showed that the 250 mm overflow limit was exceeded for N10 (90 m2) when K ≤ 2 × 10−6 m/s, and for N11 (100 m2) when K ≤ 4 × 10−6 m/s. These results provide valuable information on the optimal storage capacity based on the swales’ geometrical and physical properties.

Mapping legacy lead: socioeconomic and demographic connections in urban soil contamination in Lafayette, LA

Mapping legacy lead: socioeconomic and demographic connections in urban soil contamination in Lafayette, LA

After-sealing life in urban soils: Experimental evidence of resilience and efficiency of ectomycorrhizal inoculation

The restoration of urban sealed soils is a major stake for urban planners. In particular, characterizing their resilience from a biotic perspective is of primary importance for remobilizing these artificialized substrates in urban green spaces. Using Marseille (France) as a case study, we implemented a metabarcoding next generation sequencing approach to characterize the diversity and the composition of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal communities present in soils sealed for 60 years. Based on an inoculation experiment, we tested the ability of the remaining spore bank to establish EM interactions with plants. Altogether, we aimed at assessing the potential of peri-urban natural habitats to provide an efficient soil EM inoculum for the restoration of urban soils. We found that: (i) long-term sealing drastically reduced the diversity of EM fungi in urban soils, (ii) long-leaved spores of hypogeous gastroid fungi were efficient to establish EM symbioses with plants, and (iii) the efficiency of EM fungal inoculation depended on the natural habitat used as an inoculum source. Oak forests provided species-rich but poorly efficient inoculum. Contrastingly, soils collected in disturbed shrublands (garrigues) hosted moderately-rich EM communities containing droughtadapted species with high ability to colonize urban soils. Our findings highlight that peri-urban landscapes are promising candidates to feed local systems of urban soil restoration. In this perspective, poorly-considered habitats such as shrublands can be considered as valuable sources of soil biota to prevent the over-exploitation of agricultural areas.

Estimation of apparent thermal inertia of roofing materials from aerial thermal imagery

The rapid expansion of urban areas and soil sealing is enhancing the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, especially during heat waves. The different thermal inertia of the building materials compared to natural surfaces is one of the major driving factors of UHI. The present contribution aims to test a methodology for mapping the Apparent Thermal Inertia (ATI)—a proxy that can be derived from remote sensing data—of roofing surfaces at the scale of an entire city and with a high spatial resolution. Day and night aerial thermal images with the resolution of 0.5 m were acquired over two test areas in Bologna (Italy), together with satellite multispectral data. Statistics on the buildings in the test areas are computed considering different classes of roofing materials (e.g. bituminous sheath, clay tiles, metal sheet, gravel tiles). Observed median ATI values for each class range from 0.03 to 0.09 K-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$^{-1}$$\\end{document} with interquartile ranges between 0.02 and 0.14 K-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$^{-1}$$\\end{document}, so the intra-class variability in some cases appears higher than the variability among different material classes, proving the importance of ATI mapping for UHI investigations.

The mitigation of citric acid on cadmium toxicity in Iris tectorum and its effects on the composition of cell walls

Cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed and highly toxic heavy metal, poses a severe threat to soil fertility and plant growth. Citric acid (CA), a small organic acid molecule, plays a crucial role in alleviating heavy metal toxicity in plants. However, the specific mechanism underlying how CA organizes and mitigates the damage caused by heavy metals to plant cells remains unclear. Therefore, we studied the impact of exogenous CA on Cd-induced stress in Iris tectorum. The results showed that the addition of exogenous CA significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and altered the content of mineral elements including Fe, Zn, Ca, and Mn. Notably, compared to the Cd-only treatment, the proportion of Cd in the root cell walls increased by 14% in the presence of CA, and this increase was due to the ability of CA to regulate the amount of polysaccharide components in the root cell walls. CA affected the activity of pectinesterase (PME), changed the degree of pectinesterification (PMD), and enhanced the root cell walls’ ability to bind Cd, thereby reducing the Cd content in the above-ground tissues and alleviating heavy metal toxicity in plants. In summary, this study provides robust evidence that supports the use of CA to improve the efficiency of urban soil remediation.

Soil Total Nitrogen Mediated the Impact of Climatic Factors on Urban Soil Organic Matter Under Different Land Uses

Soil Total Nitrogen Mediated the Impact of Climatic Factors on Urban Soil Organic Matter Under Different Land Uses

Bio-availability of potential trace elements in urban dust, soil, and plants in arid northwest China

Potential trace elements pollution in cities poses a threat to the environment and human health. Bio-availability affects toxicity levels of potential trace elementss on organisms. This study focused on exploring the relationship between soil, plant, and atmospheric dust pollution in Urumqi, a typical city in western China. It aims to help reduce pollution and protect residents’ health. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) potential trace elementss like Cr, Pb, As, and Ni are more prevalent in atmospheric dust and soil than in plants. Chromium was in the first group, Cadmium and Mercury were in the second, and Plumb, Arsenic, and Nickel were in the third. Atmospheric dust and soil exhibit a significantly higher heavy metal content than plants. For example, The atmospheric dust summary Chromium content was up to 88 mg/kg. 2) Soil, atmospheric dust, and plants have the highest amount of residual form. Residual form had the highest percentage average of 53.3%, whereas Organic matter bound form had the lowest percentage of just 7.7%. The plants contained less residual heavy metal than the soil and atmospheric dust. 3) The correlation coefficient between the carbonated form content of Cd of soil and atmospheric dust is 0.95, which is closely related. Other potential trace elements show similar correlations in their bio-available contents in soil, plants, and atmospheric dust. This study suggests that in urban area, the focus should be on converting potential trace elements into residual form instead of increasing plants’ absorption of potential trace elements.

Metabolite Profiling of Urban and Forest Tree Rhizosphere Soil using Analytical Instruments

The rhizosphere is the area of the soil affected by plant roots and plays an important role in plant health, nutrient cycling, and soil structure. This study investigated differences in rhizosphere soil metabolites between trees in urban and forest environments using LC/MS-Q-TOF and GC/MS. Urban environments can cause soil pollution and ecosystem disturbance due to the accumulation of heavy metals and petrochemicals, while forest environments are rich in organic matter and fallen leaves, maintaining a nutrient-rich environment in which various microorganisms coexist. Rhizosphere soil samples were collected from Dankook University (city) and Taejo Mountain (forest) in Cheonan, South Korea, extracted using methanol and chloroform using the Soxhlet extraction method, and then analyzed by LC/MS-Q-TOF and GC/MS. N-Nitrosopyrrolidine, a possible carcinogen from automobile exhaust and industrial activities, has been found in the rhizosphere soil of urban trees. Forest rhizosphere samples showed high concentrations of momilactone A, which is important for plant defense mechanisms. 140 significant metabolites were identified through MPP analysis. Furthermore, GC/MS analysis confirmed that siloxanes and oleamides were predominantly detected in urban and forest samples, respectively. Overall, this study highlights the impact of environmental conditions on rhizosphere soil chemistry and microbial ecosystems and provides insights for urban greening and forest conservation strategies. Comprehensive profiling of rhizosphere metabolites will improve our understanding of plant-soil interactions and contribute to maintaining soil health and plant diversity in diverse ecosystems.

New insights into assembly processes and driving factors of urban soil microbial community under environmental stress in Beijing

Rapid urbanization leads to drastic environmental changes, directly or indirectly affecting the structure and function of soil microbial communities. However, the ecological response of soil microbes to environmental stresses has not yet been fully explored. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to analyze the assembly mechanism and driving factors of soil microbial community under environmental stresses. The results indicated that environmental stresses significantly affected soil properties and the levels of beryllium, cobalt, antimony, and vanadium contamination in soil generally increased from the suburban areas toward the city core. The composition and distribution of soil microbial communities demonstrated clear differences under different levels of environmental stress, but there was no significant difference in microbial diversity. Random forest and partial least squares structural equation modeling results suggested that multiple factors influenced microbial diversity, but antimony was the key driver. The influence of environmental stress led to deterministic processes dominating microbial community assembly processes, which promoted the regional homogenization of soil microbes. Therefore, this study provides new insights into urban soil microbial management under environmental stresses.

A Statistical Approach for the Assessment of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Values of Unsaturated Urban Soils Obtained by Field Infiltration Tests

An evaluation and interpretation of the obtained results focusing the hydraulic conductivity of anthropogenic saturated soil, k, has been performed on an urban area vadose zone. Four methods have been used to quantify the hydraulic conductivity: the tube infiltrometer (TI), the double ring infiltrometer (DRI), the minidisk infiltrometer (MDI) and the inversed auger (IA). This study comprises (a) a comparative analysis of the results obtained by each method between several trials performed at the same location and at distinct locations within the plot, (b) a comparative analysis of the results of all methods, and (c) a statistical analysis regarding the correlation between k as a dependent variable and the infiltration area A as the main independent variable. To select the k values close or corresponding to the saturation state for TI and IA methods, a domain of validity was defined. A new parameter, k* = k/A, was introduced which represents the hydraulic conductivity corresponding to an infiltration surface unit (1 cm2). An increase in this ratio with the increase in the infiltration area, within the same method or between different methods, indicates the heterogeneity of the terrain but especially the fact that the infiltration area no longer represents the main independent variable on which the hydraulic conductivity depends for the saturated state.

Spatial–temporal variation and source analysis of heavy metals in different land use types in Beilun District (2015 and 2022)

The soil environment plays an important role in urban ecosystems. To study the heavy metal contamination of soil in Beilun District, Ningbo, we collected soil samples from 60 points in urban and peri-urban areas of Beilun District and analyzed the spatiotemporal variation and sources of heavy metal pollution in various land-use types. The results shown that the heavy metal contents in 2015 and 2022 were higher than the background soil values of Ningbo city, and there was an accumulation of heavy metals over these 7 years. The contents of heavy metals in green belts and woodland in 2022 were higher than those in 2015, while there was no significant change in agricultural land. The heavy metal contents in both years were mainly in the order green belts > agricultural land > woodland. The spatiotemporal distribution of heavy metal content showed that heavy metal pollution in Beilun District was concentrated in five industrial areas, and there was a trend toward the disappearance of highly polluted points. But the single-factor pollution index, pollution load index (PLI), and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) indicated that there was no significant heavy metal pollution in Beilun District, and individual elements at specific points showed slight pollution. The source analysis results showed that the main source of Hg is chemical, As is mainly derived from agricultural, Cr, Ni and Cu are mainly derived from natural, the main sources of Zn and Cd are electroplating and machinery activities, and the main source of Pb is traffic. These results specify a reference for future investigation on urban soil heavy metals, and the source apportionment results provide a scientific foundation for subsequent soil heavy metal pollution treatment.

From lava to leaf: Physiological responses and trace element mobility in Tilia cordata L. trees grown in volcanic ash amended urban soil

This study investigates the potential of utilizing volcanic ash (VA), classified as special waste, as an inorganic soil amendment to enhance tree growth and resilience in urban areas near volcanic regions. Lime trees were transplanted into pots filled with urban soil (Cnt) or amended with 10 % VA. Tree’s physiological traits were monitored over the growing season. Notably, VA-treated trees showed improved net CO2 assimilation (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs) during the leaf senescent stage. The analysis of ash, and Cnt and VA soils, showed low concentrations of trace elements. In addition, trace element accumulation in the leaves of VA trees was not observed. In summer, during a 12-day drought stress test, VA-stressed trees exhibited enhanced water absorption, reduced lipid peroxidation, and higher Pn and gs values in the initial days compared to control-stressed trees. Importantly, the VA also promoted a 33 % larger tree root system, potentially enhancing drought resilience. This could offer an important advantage for trees, especially during the tree's critical establishment phase. Thus, VA could be a promising amendment for urban soils to bolster tree tolerance to drought.

Data-driven intelligent modeling of unconfined compressive strength of heavy metal-contaminated soil

This study focuses on empirical modeling of the strength characteristics of urban soils contaminated with heavy metals using machine learning tools and their subsequent stabilization with ordinary Portland cement (OPC). For dataset collection, an extensive experimental program was designed to estimate the unconfined compressive strength (Qu) of heavy metal-contaminated soils collected from a wide range of land use pattern, i.e. residential, industrial and roadside soils. Accordingly, a robust comparison of predictive performances of four data-driven models including extreme learning machines (ELMs), gene expression programming (GEP), random forests (RFs), and multiple linear regression (MLR) has been presented. For completeness, a comprehensive experimental database has been established and partitioned into 80% for training and 20% for testing the developed models. Inputs included varying levels of heavy metals like Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn, along with OPC. The results revealed that the GEP model outperformed its counterparts: explaining approximately 96% of the variability in both training (R2 = 0.964) and testing phases (R2 = 0.961), and thus achieving the lowest RMSE and MAE values. ELM performed commendably but was slightly less accurate than GEP whereas MLR had the lowest performance metrics. GEP also provided the benefit of traceable mathematical equation, enhancing its applicability not just as a predictive but also as an explanatory tool. Despite its insights, the study is limited by its focus on a specific set of heavy metals and urban soil samples of a particular region, which may affect the generalizability of the findings to different contamination profiles or environmental conditions. The study recommends GEP for predicting Qu in heavy metal-contaminated soils, and suggests further research to adapt these models to different environmental conditions.

Distribution of microplastics in (sub)urban soils of Serbia and Cd, As, and Pb uptake by Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik

Omnipresent in terrestrial ecosystems, microplastics (MPs) represent a hazard to soil biota and human health, while their relationship with other environmental contaminants remains poorly acknowledged. This study investigated MPs prevalence in (sub)urban soils of Serbia and its impact on Cd, As, and Pb mobility in the soil-medicinal plant Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik system. Soil physicochemical parameters (pH, Eh, SOM, and texture) were analyzed alongside the Cd, As, and Pb pseudo-total (aqua regia) and phytoavailable (EDTA) contents. Toxic elements' concentrations in soil fractions and C. bursa-pastoris roots and shoots were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Pseudo-total Cd, As, and Pb contents in soils ranged from 0.16 to 2.23 μg g−1, 2.00–36.92 μg g−1, and 0.18–65.54 μg g−1, respectively. Using an optimized density separation method with 30% H2O2 and 5% NaClO, we found an average abundance of 489 MPs per kg of soil. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of seven polymer types, whereby the main contributors were polystyrene (PS) – 28.57% and cardanol prepolymer (PCP) – 23.81%. The dominant associated pollution sources were road networks and industrial activities. Spearman correlation analysis revealed the interconnection among soil MPs, physicochemical variables, and Cd, As, and Pb mobility. We identified significant positive correlations between MPs' abundance and phytoavailable concentrations of Cd, As, and Pb (ρ = 0.82, 0.95, and 0.63). Moreover, soil MPs strongly positively correlated with Cd contents in roots (ρ = 0.61) and shoots of C. bursa-pastoris (ρ = 0.65). These findings underscore the synergistic effects of MPs and toxic metals in urban environmental pollution, with possible implications for human health. Further research is required to deepen our understanding of the impact of MPs on element mobility in complex plant-soil systems and to elucidate the broader consequences of induced alterations.

Distribution patterns of soil bacteria, fungi, and protists emerge from distinct assembly processes across subcommunities.

Environmental change exerts a profound effect on soil microbial domains-including bacteria, fungi, and protists-that each perform vital ecological processes. While these microbial domains are ubiquitous and extremely diverse, little is known about how they respond to environmental changes in urban soil ecosystems and what ecological processes shape them. Here we investigated the community assembly processes governing bacteria, fungi, and protists through the lens of four distinct subcommunities: abundant, conditionally rare, conditionally abundant, and rare taxa. We show that transient taxa, including the conditionally rare and conditionally rare or abundant taxa, were the predominant subcommunities. Deterministic processes (e.g., environmental filtering) had major roles in structuring all subcommunities of fungi, as well as conditionally rare and abundant protists. Stochastic processes had strong effects in structuring all subcommunities of bacteria (except rare taxa) and conditionally rare protists. Overall, our study underscores the importance of complementing the traditional taxonomy of microbial domains with the subcommunity approach when investigating microbial communities in urban soil ecosystems.

SEQUENTIAL EXTRACTION OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS IN THE SOILS OF ABUJA, NIGERIA

Speciation of selected heavy metals in Abuja metropolitan soil samples was investigated using a sequential extraction analytical technique. Flame atomic absorption spectrometer was used for instrumental analysis. Metals were bound in six operational phases, in the sequential extraction method. Pb, Mn and Cd speciate more in exchangeable, As and Ni speciate more in bound to carbonate, Cu and Fe speciate more in bound to Fe-Mn oxide, Cr and Zn speciate more in organically bound while Al speciate more in residual in urban soil samples. In sub-urban samples, Pb and Cd speciate more in exchangeable and bound to Fe-Mn oxide, Cu speciate more in exchangeable, Al speciate more in bound to Fe-Mn oxide, Fe and Al speciate more in residual, Ni and As speciate more in bound to carbonate, Zn speciate more in organically bound and Cr speciate more in exchangeable and organically bound. Asokoro Forest (control) has most of the metals as non-residuals except Al and As which speciate more in residual phase. Sequence of ionic mobility in decreasing order for Abuja urban soils is as follows: Zn>Cu>Fe>Al>Mn>>As>Ni>Cr>Cd>Pb and in sub-urban soil samples is: Zn>Cu>Fe>Al>Mn>>Ni>As>Pb>Cd>Cr. From the results, it can be deduced that Zn is the ion with highest speciation. This portends danger to Abuja metropolis due to Zn phytoxicity which hinders photosynthesis in plants, thereby increasing the amount of CO2 giving rise to global warming. This requires that relevant authorities should enforce reduction of the activities that lead to abundance of Zn in Abuja soils.

The spatio-temporal accumulation of 6 PPD-Q in greenbelt soils and its effects on soil microbial communities

6 PPD-Q (6 PPD-Quinone) is an ozone-induced byproduct derived from the degradation of N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6 PPD), commonly found in road dust resulting from tire wear. However, the extent of 6 PPD-Q pollution in urban soil remains unclear. This study investigates the spatial and temporal accumulation patterns of 6 PPD-Q in greenbelt soils in Ningbo, and explores the correlation between 6 PPD-Q accumulation and soil microbial community composition and functions. Our findings indicate that 6 PPD-Q is present (ranging from 0.85 to 12.58 μg/kg) in soil samples collected from both sides of urban traffic arteries. Soil fungi exhibit higher sensitivity to 6 PPD-Q accumulation compared to bacteria, and associated fungi (Basidiomycota) may be potential biomarkers for environmental 6 PPD-Q contamination. Co-occurrence network analysis reveals that the bacterial microbial network in summer exhibits greater stability and resilience in response to 6 PPD-Q inputs than in winter. However, 6 PPD-Q accumulation disrupts the network structure of fungal communities to some extent, leading to reduced diversity in fungal microbial communities. Long-term accumulation of 6 PPD-Q weakens the nitrogen and phosphorus cycling potential within urban soil, while the enhancement of carbon cycling may further promote 6 PPD-Q degradation in urban soil. Taken together, this study provides new insights into the ecological risks of 6 PPD-Q in urban soils.

Effects of recreational and residential functional land use on urban soils

Effects of recreational and residential functional land use on urban soils

Impact of Cadmium Contaminated Growing Medium on the Growth and Physiological Responses of Tomato Seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Globally, urban areas are facing a rising issue of industrial pollution particularly due to heavy metals like Cadmium (Cd), which pose a threat to both plants and humans. However, plants response to Cd exposure varies based on factors like species, genetics, and growing conditions such as the type of soil and cultivation methods. This study focused on young tomato seedlings subjected to different Cd concentrations (0, 100, 200, and 300 ppm) through a pot experiment, aiming to understand the impact of Cd on various morpho-physiological traits of the "MAYAR F1" tomato cultivar. The results exhibited amazing findings that the chlorophyll contents (21.93 nmol/mg), relative water contents (0.84%), electrolyte leakage (135.5 uS/cm) and leaf area (6.37 cm2) were highest at 300 ppm followed by control. While the maximum number of leaves (11) were noticed in control. Consequently, the study suggests that cultivating tomatoes in urban agriculture soils contaminated with Cd could be a viable option. Nonetheless, it emphasizes the importance of exercising caution and conducting further research to fully comprehend the potential long-term implications and associated risks of Cd exposure in urban agriculture. Keywords: Heavy metal, cadmium; morphological traits, plant physiology, chlorophyll contents, electrolyte leakage.

Wyniki badań glonów i sinic w różnych ekotypach gleb w Adżarii w Gruzji

The publication deals with the studies on the diversity of species composition of Algae and cyanobacteria in various layers of soils (yell, red, soilsod-podzolic, marsh, urban) of the Adjara. The aim of the study was to identify and determine the composition of Algae and cyanobacteria; Establishment of the scale of development and spread of algoflora; Assessment of the ecological state of the Algae and cyanobacteria in adverse and favorable conditions. The diversity of algae and cyanobacteria was studied in soil cultures using the method of fouling glasses. Each treatment included 5 ste-rile cover glasses for micropreparations; cultures were wetted with distilled water. The presence of algoflora was detected in various soil samples based on morphological characteristics, percentage frequency, growth rate, and colony forming units. The study has found 171 species and subspecies of soil Algae and cyanobacteria, belonging to the divisions of Ochrophyta (59 species), Chlorophyta (51 species), Xanthophyta (8 species), Eustigmatophyta (1 species) and Cyanobacteria (52 species). Classes Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, and Cyanophyceae were considered polymorphic among the leaders. 11 species of algoflora involved in algoflora of the consortium have been specified as well. The most widely distributed algoflora in soil samples were of the genera Chlamydomonas (20 species), Eunotia (17 species), Phormidium (11 species), Pinnularia (11 species), Tetracystis (10 species), Leptolyngbya (9 species), Nitzschia (9 species), Chlorococcum (8) species, Nostoc (7) species and Oscillatoria (6 species) were dominant flora in all soil samples. Frequency percentage algoflor showed that from all of the soil, the maximum quantities of algoflora and cianobacteria in marsh soil that was 65.49%, in sod - podzolic soil 34.51%, in yell soil 19.88, in red soil 18.71%, the lowest frequency of occurrence of algoflora and cianobacteria was shown in urban soil 9.35%. Due to seasonal changes in soil and air temperature, there are 71 species (41.52%) in spring, 65 (38.95%) in summer, 78 (45.61%) in autumn, and 53 (30.99%) in winter. A lower level of biological activity in the urban soils was found. Morphometric trait differences in test objects activated on the soil samples have been observed. The study was found specialized species of Algal-cyanobacterial communitiesfrom each ecotype of soil. The soil samples collected from polluted sites were more affected by waste water which affected the population densities of Algal-cyanobacterial communities. Found that Adjara support a large and diverse community of Algal-cyanobacterial on soil, many species of which are previously undiscovered and undescribed. On this basis, works of longer duration and more intensive sampling are needed to obtain data regarding Algal-cyanobacterial communities, with more attention to specific variables such as microclimate, soil moisture, soil type, soil pH and vegetation types.