Łukasz Mendyk

Soil sealing degree as factor influencing urban soil contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Abstract The objective of the study was to determine role of soil sealing degree as the factor influencing soil contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The study area included four sampling sites located within the administrative boundaries of the Toruń city, Poland. Sampling procedure involved preparing soil pits representing three examples of soil sealing at each site: non-sealed soil as a control one (I) and two degrees of soil sealing: semi-pervious surface (II) and totally impervious surface (III). Together with basic properties defined with standard procedures (particle size distribution, pH, LOI, content of carbonates) content of selected PAHs was determined by dichloromethane extraction using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). Obtained results show that urban soils in the city of Toruń are contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Soil sealing degree has a strong influence on the soil contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Totally sealed soils are better preserved from atmospheric pollution including PAHs. Combustion of grass/wood/coal was the main source of determined PAHs content in examined soils.

Genesis and classification of the soils developed from the sediments of the former Oleszek mill pond basin (the Chełmińskie Lakeland, N Poland) / Geneza i pozycja systematyczna gleb wykształconych z osadów niecki dawnego stawu młyńskiego Oleszek (Pojezierze Chełmińskie)

Abstract Construction and operation of water mills had influenced the transformation of the relief and water conditions, as well as the soil cover around them. The study area includes the former Oleszek mill pond basin, located near the Borówno village, western part of the Chełmińskie Lakeland, about 20 km northeast of Toruń. The objective of the study was to determine the genesis of the soils developed from the Oleszek mill pond basin sediments. Five soil profiles were selected in the basin of the former mill pond, within the 550 m transect located along the Struga Rychnowska river. All of the analysed soils developed from the sediments filling the former mill pond basin. They have been developed as a result of a number of overlapping processes such as mud-forming, alluvial, colluvial and gleyic process. According to the Polish classification system (Classification of Polish Soils 2011) (CPS) two of the soils (profiles 3 and 4) derived from organo-mineral and organic materials are typical organic limnic soils. Systematic position of another two soils (2 and 5) was proposed as muddy soils. Due to the problems of classification of such soils, implementation of the muddy soils or muddy-gleyic soils subtypes (in Polish: gleby mułowate lub mułowato-glejowe) should be considered during developing of the next update of Classification of Polish Soils. These four profiles were classified as Histosols (profiles 3 and 4) and Gleysols (profiles 2 and 5) in WRB (2014). Pedons developed from alluvial materials (alluvial soils in CPS 2011 or Fluvic Phaeozems in WRB 2014) occurred in the proximal part of the basin. Streszczenie Budowa i funkcjonowanie młynów wodnych znacznie wpłynęły na przekształcenie środowiska przyrodniczego w ich otoczeniu, przede wszystkim na zmiany rzeźby terenu i warunków wodnych. Obszar badañ obejmuje nieckę dawnego stawu młyńskiego Oleszek w okolicach wsi Borówno, w zachodniej części Pojezierza Chełmińskiego, około 20 km na północny wschód od Torunia. Celem badañ było określenie genezy gleb wykształconych z osadów zakumulowanych w niecce dawnego stawu młyńskiego Oleszek. Pięć profili glebowych w transekcie o długości około 550 m zlokalizowanym wzdłuż Strugi Rychnowskiej stanowiącej oś podłużną niecki. Wszystkie przeanalizowane gleby zbudowane są z osadów wypełniających nieckę dawnego stawu młyńskiego. Gleby w opisywanej niecce powstały w wyniku wielu nakładających się procesów, takich jak: proces mułotwórczy, aluwialny, koluwialny oraz glejowy. Dwa z analizowanych profili glebowych (profile 3 i 4) spełniaj¹ kryteria wydzielania gleb organicznych limnowych typowych (Systematyka gleb Polski 2011). Jako pozycję systematyczną kolejnych dwóch gleb (profile 2 i 5) zaproponowano gleby mułowate. W związku z problemami klasyfikacyjnymi dotyczącymi tego typu gleb, przy opracowaniu aktualizacji Systematyki gleb Polski należałoby wprowadzić w typie gleb glejowych podtyp gleb mułowatych lub mułowato-glejowych, obejmuj¹cy gleby wytworzone z mineralno-organicznych utworów aluwialno-mułowych. Cztery wymienione powyżej profile zostały zaklasyfikowane jako Histosols (3 i 4) i Gleysols (2 i 5) według klasyfikacji WRB (2014). Jednostki glebowe wykształcone z osadów aluwialnych (mady wg SgP 2011 lub Fluvic Phaeozems wg WRB 2014) występują w proksymalnej części stawu (cofce).

Differentiation of soils and land use changes in the vicinity of the disappeared Gardeja lake (Northern Poland)

Abstract The aims of the study were to characterize shoreline soil development and evolution and to determine land use changes (19th to 20th centuries) in the direct catchment of the completely vanished Gardeja lake. The study was based on pedological research and analysis of cartographic materials. The main factor determining the current development of shoreline zone soil cover at the former Gardeja lake was human activity (lake dewatering, further drainage and human-induced erosion). Studied soil profiles were developed from mineral, non-lacustrine materials (upper parts of the slopes) and lacustrine sediments covered with colluvium. The analyzed soil catenas are representative for the undulated young glacial landscape of Northern Poland. The biggest changes of the land use were observed for the class of grasslands that is combined with shrubs (increase of cover area).

Labile and stabile soil organic carbon fractions in surface horizons of mountain soils – relationships with vegetation and altitude

Global and local climate changes could disturb carbon sequestration and carbon stocks in forest soils. Thus, it is important to characterize the stability of soil organic matter and the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions in forest ecosystems. This study had two aims: (1) to evaluate the effects of altitude and vegetation on the content of labile and stabile forms of organic carbon in the mountain soils; and (2) to assess the impact of the properties of soil organic matter on the SOC pools under changing environmental conditions. The studies were conducted in the Karkonosze Mountains (SW Poland, Central Europe). The content of the most labile fraction of carbon (dissolved organic carbon, DOC) decreases with altitude, but the content of fulvic acids (FA), clearly increases in the zone above 1000 m asl, while the stabile fraction (humins, non-hydrolyzing carbon) significantly decreases. A higher contribution of stabile forms was found in soils under coniferous forests (Norway spruce), while a smaller - under deciduous forests (European beech) and on grasslands. The expected climate change and the ongoing land use transformations in the zone above 1000 m asl may lead to a substantial increase in the stable humus fraction (mainly of a non-hydrolyzing carbon) and an increase in the SOC pools, even if humus acids are characterized by a lower maturity and greater mobility favorable to soil podzolization. In the lower zone (below 1000 m asl), a decrease in the most stable humus forms can be expected, accompanied by an increase of DOC contribution, which will result in a reduction in SOC pools. Overall, the expected prevailing (spatial) effect is a decreasing contribution of the most stable humus fractions, which will be associated with a reduction in the SOC pools in medium-high mountains of temperate zone of Central Europe.

The impact of environmental conditions on water salinity in the area of the city of Inowrocław (north-central Poland)

The article presents the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the chemical and physical properties of surface and ground waters in the area of the city of Inowroclaw. It has been shown that the properties of the waters were most strongly affected by the specific geological structure (the city is located within the Zechstein salt dome) as well as the long-term influence of a salt mine and soda plant. The composition of most analysed samples was dominated by Ca 2+ , Na + and Cl - ions. In places of heavy industrial activity, some water parameters were several time higher than permissible values according to Polish standards. It is concluded that, due to the threat to the city’s ground drinking water resources and fertile soils, the surface and ground waters in the area in question require permanent monitoring.

Sediment origin and pedogenesis in the former mill pond basin of Turznice (north-central Poland) based on magnetic susceptibility measurements

Abstract This paper aims to assess the usefulness of magnetic susceptibility measurements in pedological studies of mill pond sediments. The study area includes the former Turznice mill pond basin located in the south-eastern part of the Grudziądz Basin. Four soil profiles were selected within the transect located along the longitudinal axis of the basin. The following soil properties were determined in the collected samples: bulk density, particle size distribution, pH, content of carbonates, approximate content of organic matter (LOI), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (Nt), and the pseudo-total contents of metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd). The obtained results were correlated with the specific (mass) magnetic susceptibility (χ). This study revealed that the variability of the soil cover in the basin was driven by different sedimentation conditions. The different composition of natural terrace deposits versus mill pond sediments has been well reflected in the magnetic properties. However, the possibility cannot be excluded that a pedogenic (gleyic) process is the key factor causing the vertical variability of magnetic properties in studied soils.