Landscape metrics play an important role in pedodiversity studies. Despite considerable research on pedodiversity, there is a lack of standardised methods for assessing the degree of soil cover diversity, especially in the urban area. Hence, in this work, we propose a new approach for spatial analyses of the urban soils using landscape metrics. The aim of the study was to develop a qualitative-quantitative landscapemetrics-based method for the pedodiversity measurement and the degree of soils' transformation. The research included: selection of input data (cartographic materials), data digitisation, development of an urban soil map and a soil transformation map, creation of a hexagonal grid within the city's administrative boundaries, calculation of eight landscape metrics and their statistical selection, and finally, development of the maps based on original pedodiversity index. Despite the homogeneous initial soil cover of the city, the present, human-transformed soil cover is relatively heterogeneous by urban soil complexes and the degree of soil transformation. The developed method allows areas of greatest landscape fragmentation to be identified, and thereby to precisely indicate the areas of the most strongly human-transformed soils and fertile soil losses, which can support urban spatial planning and landscape design.
Abstract. The article presents the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the chemical and physical properties of surface water and groundwater in the area of the city of Inowrocław. 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 limit values according to Polish standards. It is concluded that, due to the threat to the city's drinking groundwater resources and fertile soils, the surface water and groundwater in the area in question require permanent monitoring.
The aim of this study was to use a pedodiversity index (PI) to assess changes in the spatial structure of soil cover in Inowrocław, Poland during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. An original cartographic approach based on landscape metrics was implemented using GIS techniques and statistical calculations. Based on maps of urban soil complexes and pedodiversity, it was revealed that land and soil cover changes in two studied periods (1934–1978 and 1978–2016) significantly affected pedodiversity in the city. In general, the spatio-temporal increase of the pedodiversity index was observed. The percentage of highest values of the PI ranged from 15.9% in 1934, 17.3% in 1978 to 20.9% in 2016. We revealed that pedodiversity index (PI) values are highly spatially and temporally variable and are associated with urban development and changes in the city’s internal structure. The applied approach allowed for the identification of both spatial patterns of changes in soil cover that closely reflect the successive stages of the city's development, and problem areas that require revitalization and the implementation of the principles of sustainable development. Therefore, the proposed method can be recommended for landscape monitoring and in determining ecosystem services in urban and landscape planning, and environmental management.
Soil erosion led to the severe transformations of the soil cover of young morainic areas of northern Poland. Main alterations are connected with soil truncation on summits and in upper part of slopes, whereas at foot slopes and within depressions colluvial material is accumulated. Information and knowledge about the extent or intensity of erosion are mainly derived from sophisticated geospatial models or laborious field works. To reduce the effort associated with development of studies on erosion the use of easily available cartographic sources is required. The main aim of the paper is an elaboration of key to reinterpret information taken from soil-agricultural maps in the context of determining the degree of pedons truncation. The study is based on a comparison of the properties of soils representing various classes of erosional alterations with the data on existing maps. The correlation between descriptions recorded in the form of cartographic symbols with properties of pedons divided into several classes of vertical texturecontrast soil truncation and results from potential erosion maps was elaborated. The application of developed interpretative principles allows calculating the share of soil truncation classes within investigated area. The five test plots (each -1 km 2 ) were located along the north slopes of Noteae Middle Valley and Toruñ Basin. The proposed interpretation of soil-agricultural maps reveals their significant value in studies on extent and degree of erosional alterations recorded in soil cover.
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