Earthworms are a major component of soil fauna communities. They influence soil chemical, biological, and physical processes and vice versa, their abundance and diversity are influenced by natural characteristics or land management practices. There is need to establish their characteristics and relations. In this study earthworm density (ED), body biomass (EB), and diversity in relation to land use (arable land-AL, permanent grasslands-PG), management, and selected abiotic (soil chemical, physical, climate related) and biotic (arthropod density and biomass, ground beetle density, carabid density) indicators were analysed at seven different study sites in Slovakia. On average, the density of earthworms was nearly twice as high in PG compared to AL. Among five soil types used as arable land, Fluvisols created the most suitable conditions for earthworm abundance and biomass. We recorded a significant correlation between ED, EB and soil moisture in arable land. In permanent grasslands, the main climate related factor was soil temperature. Relationships between earthworms and some chemical properties (pH, available nutrients) were observed only in arable land. Our findings indicate trophic interaction between earthworms and carabids in organically managed arable land. Comprehensive assessment of observed relationships can help in earthworm management to achieve sustainable agricultural systems.

Mobile and potentially mobile forms of heavy metals are probably one of the most important toxic hazards in the environment. Besides pH, which is a factor influencing the mobility/availability of heavy metals to the greatest extent, the content and mainly the quality of soil organic matter play a very important role in the evaluation of heavy metal behaviour in the environment. The fraction of metals bound to organic compounds is exclusively associated with humic substances and particularly with humic acids (HA). A relationship between the parameters reflecting the actual structure of humic acids and mobile or potentially mobile fractions of heavy metals was studied in 12 soil localities representing different soil types. It can be stated on the basis of the acquired data that heavy metals tend to form complexes with soil organic matter that are different for each metal. The results suggest that copper is bound mainly in an unavailable form (significant correlations of fraction IV with HA parameters) and cadmium prefers exchangeable forms (significant correlations of fraction I with HA parameters) and is more available. It can be assumed on the basis Spearman's correlations that mobile fractions of cadmium are predominantly bound to the aliphatic part of humic substances, and copper prefers strong bonds to humic acids with a high degree of humification.

The objective of this paper is to elaborate a system of evaluation of potential risks of transport of inorganic elements, and to create a map of soil potential to immobilisation/transportation of potential risk elements.

Current state and development of land degradation processes based on soil monitoring system in Slovakia is evaluated in this contribution. Soil monitoring system in Slovakia is consistently running since 1993 year in 5-years repetitions. Soil monitoring network in Slovakia is constructed using ecological principle, taking into account all main soil types and subtypes, soil organic matter, climatic regions, emission regions, polluted and non-polluted regions as well as various land use. The result of soil monitoring network is 318 sites on agricultural land in Slovakia. Soil properties are evaluated according to the main threats to soil relating to European Commission recommendation for European soil monitoring performance as follows: soil erosion and compaction, soil acidification, decline in soil organic matter and soil contamination. The most significant change has been determined in physical degradation of soils. The physical degradation was especially manifested in compacted and the eroded soils. It was determined that about 39% of agricultural land is potentially affected by soil erosion in Slovakia. In addition, slight decline in soil organic matter indicates the serious facts on evaluation and extension of soil degradation processes during the last period in Slovakia. Soil contamination is without significant change for the time being. It means the soils contaminated before soil monitoring process this unfavourable state lasts also at present.