engleski

Soil chemistry as a factor of forests vegetation properties on Mt. Bilogora

Background and purpose: Soil acidity and lack (or disbalance) of nutrients are pedochemical conditions having a restrictive impact on root growth and development in humid areas. There is good correspondence between exchangeable cations and the soil pH value ratio. The phytosequence of the herbaceous layer in Central European beech forests is determined by a fall in pH values and exchangeable Ca++ ion concentrations. There are several important species of herbaceous vegetation in these phytosequence. Materials and methods: Phytocoenological reléves were taken and the soil in the surface layer of 10 cm in depth was analyzed (pH, basic cations, total nitrogen) in two forest areas in the eastern (BE) and western (BW) part of Mt. Bilogora. Results: The total range of pH values is 4.28-5.94. The populations (BW and BE) differ in terms of pH values, total nitrogen, and overall number of species in the herbaceous layer, as well as in 6 individual species. Correlation with the measured pedological parameters was established for 12 plant species in the herbaceous layer. Conclusions: From a phytocoenological aspect, the most significant pedological parameters were pH values and the total nitrogen content, Ca++ and Mg++. The indicator level was confirmed by the species Mercurialis perennis and Lathyrus vernus, while test rezults that related to the species Asarum europaeum and Festuca drymeia should be tested on a larger sample. Future research should also include iron and aluminum ions, as well as the role of the genus Tilia in the biological matter cycle in a forest ecosystem.

soil acidity; exchangeable cations; herbaceous layer; soil-vegetation relationship

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