Holubík O., Podrázský V., Vopravil J., Khel T., Remeš J. (2014): Effect of agricultural lands afforestation and tree species composition on the soil reaction, total organic carbon and nitrogen content in the uppermost mineral soil profile. Soil & Water Res.,

vopravil J., Podrázský v., Khel t., holubík o., vacek s.: Effect of afforestation of agricultural soils and tree species composition on soil physical characteristics changes. Ekológia (Bratislava), vol. 33, no. 1, p. 67-80, 2014. This paper deals with the evaluation of the effect of afforestation of previously arable land to soil characteristics changes. one of the main aims was to evaluate the effects of each forest species on the soil structure quality after afforestation. soil samples were taken at two climatically distinct subregions within the czech republic. Based on the different site conditions, two study sites were chosen at each locality for a total of four research sites. detailed soil survey and basic forest stand inventories were conducted at all four sites. The first locality was established in the rychnov nad Kněžnou district in the Protected landscape area of the orlické mountains (soil type a haplic cambisol). The second locality was established in the Prague-East district (soil type a haplic cambisol and a haplic stagnosol). afforestation had a positive influence on the soil physical characteristics which are important for the maintenance of soil stability. Forest cover has a major influence on increasing the soil porosity, by decreasing the reduced bulk density and increasing capillary and gravitational pores, which is crucial. afforestation was also found to be positively related to increases in soil organic matter content in different forms, both stable and unstable, and tendency of considerable soil organic matter accumulation not only in the layer of surface humus but also in the entire soil profiles of the research sites. The main contributor to soil improvement after afforestation is the formation of stable soil aggregates. This is typical also for spruce and pine cover.

Abstract:The effect of erosion and erosion control measures on changes in the amount of organic matter in soil was studied. We investigated the influence of organic matter inputs into the soil on surface runoff, soil erosion and soil erodibility (K-factor), including the monitoring of carbon dynamics, as a result of torrential rains. The research was conducted on experimental plots in Třebsín site. Erosion leads to soil carbon loss and subsequently to increasing concentrations of carbon in sediments (enrichment ratio). We can conclude from the results that the input of organic matter into the soil (especially farmyard manure) significantly contributes to a decrease in surface runoff and soil loss and also to a reduction of carbon leaching into sediments; so it contributes to carbon sequestration into the soil.

ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to determine the effect of agricultural land afforestation on soil characteristics. Two sites in two regions of the Czech Republic were evaluated, at lower as well as higher submountain elevations: in the regions of the Orlické hory Mts. and Kostelec nad Černými lesy, afforested, arable and pasture lands were compared for basic chemical and physical characteristics. It was determined: pH, CEC, exchangeable nutrients, SOC, bulk density, volume density, porosity (differentiated by pore size), water conductivity and soil aggregate stability. This study demonstrated the important influence of previous land use upon soil characteristics. The characteristics of the arable horizon can persist for many years; in forests, the mineral horizons (15-30 cm) can persist within 15-30 years after afforestation. Afforestation, which caused an increase in soil porosity by decreasing reduced bulk density and increasing capillary and gravitational pores (increasing the water-holding capacity and soil air capacity), is important for maintaining the soil stability. The positive effect on infiltration and retention capacity resulted not only from the presence of a forest overstorey, but also from the presence of permanent grass cover of pasture land.

Here, for the first time, we report the thallium (Tl) isotope record in moderately contaminated soils with contrasting land management (forest and meadow soils), which have been affected by emissions from coal-fired power plants. Our findings clearly demonstrate that Tl of anthropogenic (high-temperature) origin with light isotope composition was deposited onto the studied soils, where heavier Tl (ε(205)Tl ∼ -1) naturally occurs. The results show a positive linear relationship (R(2) = 0.71) between 1/Tl and the isotope record, as determined for all the soils and bedrocks, also indicative of binary Tl mixing between two dominant reservoirs. We also identified significant Tl isotope variations within the products from coal combustion and thermo-desorption experiments with local Tl-rich coal pyrite. Bottom ash exhibited the heaviest Tl isotope composition (ε(205)Tl ∼ 0), followed by fly ash (ε(205)Tl between -2.5 and -2.8) and volatile Tl fractions (ε(205)Tl between -6.2 and -10.3), suggesting partial Tl isotope fractionations. Despite the evident role of soil processes in the isotope redistributions, we demonstrate that Tl contamination can be traced in soils and propose that the isotope data represent a possible tool to aid our understanding of postdepositional Tl dynamics in surface environments for the future.

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Thallium (Tl) is a toxic trace element with a highly negative effect on the environment. For phytoextraction purposes, it is important to know the limitations of plant growth. In this study, we conducted experiments with a model Tl-hyperaccumulating plant (Sinapis alba L., white mustard) to better understand the plant tolerance and/or associated detoxification mechanisms under extreme Tl doses (accumulative 0.7/1.4 mg Tl, in total). Both the hydroponic/semi-hydroponic (artificial soil) cultivation variants were studied in detail. The Tl bioaccumulation potential for the tested plant reached up to 1% of the total supplied Tl amount. Furthermore, it was revealed that the plants grown in the soil-like system did not tolerate Tl concentrations in nutrient solutions higher than ~1 mg/L, i.e., wilting symptoms were evident. Surprisingly, for the plants grown in hydroponic solutions, the tolerable Tl concentration was by contrast at least 2-times higher (≥ 2 mg Tl/L), presumably mimicking the K biochemistry. The obtained hydroponic/semi-hydroponic phytoextraction data can serve, in combination, as a model for plant-assisted remediation of soils or mining/processing wastes enriched in Tl, or possibly for environmental cycling of Tl in general.

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