Adam Bogacz

Nitrogen mineralization in forestry-drained peatland soils in the Stołowe Mountains National Park (Central Sudetes Mts)

Abstract The aim of this work was to determine the intensity of nitrogen mineralization in forestry drained ombrotrophic peatland soils in the Stołowe Mountains National Park, SW Poland. Additionally discussion about the shallow organic soils classification according to Polish Soil Classification (2011) is presented. For the study three research transects were established on forestry drained ombrotrophic peatlands in the Stołowe Mountains. Each of the transect consisted of four (site A and B) or five (site C) sampling plots. Sampling was conducted in the year 2012. The soil samples for the basic soil properties analysis were sampled in April, whereas undisturbed soil samples were collected in stainless steel rings (100 cm3) every 10 cm in April (spring), July (summer) and October (autumn) to show the seasonal dynamics of nitrogen mineralization. Statistical analysis showed that the content of N-NH4 was mainly determined by actual soil moisture and precipitation rate, whereas the content of N-NO3 was positively correlated with air temperature. Among investigated peatlands the highest concentrations of mineral nitrogen forms was observed in the Długie Mokradło bog, situated on the Skalniak Plateau-summit. Additionally, the results obtained showed that implementation of new subtype: shallow fibric peat soils (in Polish: gleby torfowe fibrowe płytkie) within the type of peat soils (in polish: gleby torfowe) should be considered during developing of the next update of Polish Soil Classification.

The pools of soil organic carbon accumulated in the surface layers of forest soils in the Karkonosze Mountains, SW Poland

Abstract Differentiation of soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations and pools in topsoil horizons of forest soils in the Karkonosze Mountains was examined in relation to environmental and human-induced factors, with special focus on altitudinal gradient, related climatic conditions, and a zonality of vegetation. The samples were collected from the forest litter and soil layers 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm, in 621 plots arranged in a regular network of monitoring established in the Karkonosze National Park. The concentrations of SOC were determined in laboratory and used for calculation of SOC pools. Four elevation zones were distinguished for analysis: 500–750 m, 750–1000 m, 1000–1250 m, and >1250 m. The concentrations of SOC in forest litter (38.3–44.1%) showed an insignificant increasing trend with altitude. The concentrations of SOC in the layers 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm, were in a very broad range 0.27–47.6%, thus indicating a high differentiation, and also tended to insignificantly increase along with altitude. The largest share of accumulated SOC pools was proved to be present in the layer 0–10 cm, except for the highest zone >1250 m in which forest litter contains slightly larger amounts of SOC. The pools of SOC accumulated in the 20 cm thick topsoil and forest litter turned out to vary considerably (3.6–58.2 kg·m−2), but the mean values and medians in particular elevation zones fall in a narrow range 10.5–11.9 kg·m−2, close to the values reported from the Alps. The lack of statistical significance of reported tendencies was explained by a monitoring sites-oriented random soil sampling, i.e. in forest stands of various age, species-composition and degradation degree.

Impact of fire on values of organic material transformation indicators

Abstract The article discusses organic and organic-mineral soil transformations induced by fire. The research covered 24 soil profiles. It was primarily focused on water properties of post-fire soils, such as the hydrophobic degree, analysed by means of percent alcohol (MED) and WDPT test, and soil water capacity indicator (W1). The above indicators determine the degree of intensification of the moorsh process in post-fire organic soil horizons. Total carbon content was also determined by means of a gas method analyzer by CS . MAT 5500, as well as the level of organic material decomposition by means of the half syringe method. The achieved result suggests that the moorsh process and low temperature fires led to an increase in the hydrophobic property of soil organic matter, whereas in high fire temperature, the soil included more ash, and the hydrophilic properties were higher. The significant degree of transformation was also confirmed by the water capacity indicator (W1). It primarily concerned the upper horizons of the investigated soil profiles. The majority of the 76 analysed soil samples showed signs of secondary transformation. Streszczenie Artykuł dotyczy stopnia przeobrażenia gleb organicznych i organiczno-mineralnych wywołanego pod wpływem pożarów. Badania przeprowadzono na 20 profilach glebowych. Głównie skoncentrowano się na właściwościach wodnych gleb popożarowych, takich jak: ich stopień hydrofobowości, bazując na teście alkoholowym (MED) i (WDPT) oraz wskaźnik pojemności wodnej (W,). Powyższe wskaźniki świadczyły o stopniu intensyfikacji procesu murszowego wr popożarow ych poziomach organicz- nych gleb. Dodatkowo określono zawartość węgla całkowitego metodą Tiurina aparatem CS - MAT 5500 oraz stopień rozkładu materii organicznej metodą półstrzykawki. Otrzymane wyniki w skazują na proces murszowy oraz pożary niskotemperaturow e - jako czynniki prowadzące do wzrostu cech hydrofobowych materii organicznej, jednak przy wysokiej temperaturze pożarów gleba wyka- zuje wyższą zawartość popiołu oraz wyższąhydrofilowość. Znaczący stopień przeobrażenia materii organicznej wr glebach popoża- rowych jest również charakteryzowany przez wskaźnik pojemności wodnej (W,). Dotyczy to głównie powierzchniowych poziomów badanych profili. Większość z badanych 76 próbek glebowych wykazuje cechy przeobrażenia w tórnego.

Plant communities, properties, and age of organic soils in the post-extraction sites of the Trzcińskie Mokradła Peatland (Sudetes Mts., SW Poland)

Abstract The aim of the study was to show the impact of the peat extraction on the development and properties of organic soils and plant habitat in post-extraction sites. The study was conducted in the complex of the Trzcińskie Mokradła Peatlands (Sudetes Mts., SW Poland). The Trzcińskie Mokradła Peatlands began to form in Preboreal (10960–9330 ±50BP) so that they are one of the oldest peatlands in the Sudetes. We analyzed 8 soil profiles (42 samples). Peat forming process there is still active in the moderate or strong degree (PtII-PtIII). The floristic composition of the studied areas was typical of transition peatlands. Successive dry and moist periods were observed in the developed of organic soils. The time gaps in peat profiles covering hundreds of years prove their extraction in the past.

Selected issues relating to classification of mountain organic soils in Poland according to the Polish Soil Classification (2011)

Abstract Despite a large number of organic soil types and subtypes in the Polish Soil Classification the problems of organic soils classification are still very common. In relation to mountain organic soils, in particular. The aim of this paper is to discuss the most common problems related to mountain organic soils classification according to the Polish Soil Classification. Based on authors’ own research and literature studies mentioned problem was described. This work allows to define some new proposals, which should be considered during developing of the next update of the Polish Soil Classification (PSC). The most important proposals related to: criteria for organic materials and organic soils, taxonomy position and criteria for shallow organic soils and new definition of mineral material admixture in organic soils.

Kationowa pojemność wymienna gleb na różnym podłożu geologicznym w górach Stołowych

Efektywna pojemnośc wymiany kationow w powierzchniowych warstwach gleb Gor Stolowych oscyluje wokol 8–10 cmol(+) kg-1, z czego az do 60% zajmuje glin wymienny. Suma kationow zasadowych zalezy od zawartości materii organicznej oraz od uziarnienia gleb, powiązanego z rodzajem skaly macierzystej. Najwieksza jest w glebach wytworzonych zwietrzelin mulowcow kredowych, mniejsza z piaskowcow permskich i granitow, najmniejsza z piaskowcow kredowych. Spośrod gleb wytworzonych z mulowcow najubozsze w kationy zasadowe (2–2,5 cmol(+) kg-1) są gleby brunatne kwaśne. Gleby plowe mają sume kationow zasadowych dwu-, a gleby brunatne wlaściwe – trzykrotnie wyzszą. Wysycenie kompleksu sorpcyjnego zasadami osiąga 60% w glebach brunatnych wlaściwych i 45–47% w glebach plowych, a w glebach brunatnych kwaśnych, wytworzonych zarowno z mulowcow, jak i granitow oraz piaskowcow permskich, tylko 25%. Suma wymiennych kationow zasadowych oraz stopien wysycenia kationami zasadowymi wyraźnie roznicują warunki troficzne siedlisk leśnych Gor Stolowych, odzwierciedlając wspoloddzialywanie podloza geologicznego i typologicznych procesow glebotworczych.