Coastal marsh soils in Poland: characteristics and problems of classification

Abstract

This paper presents the current state of knowledge concerning the genesis, properties and taxonomic position of soils developed from marine and marine-alluvial sediments in Poland, called “marsh soils”. They have not as yet been identified in the fifth edition of the Polish Soil Classification (2011). However, the author’s results demonstrate that, despite occupying only a small area along the Polish Baltic coast, these soils clearly show a distinct typological specificity. This confirms the need to include the marsh soils in the Polish classification system. Therefore, the creation a separate unit within the order of weakly-developed soils was proposed. This comprehensive proposal was fully compatible with the quantitative-genetic approach used in the fifth edition. However, this proposal may not be optimal in the context of a substantial modification of the Polish classification system, e.g. by the introduction of completely quantitative hierarchical key. Because of the close taxonomic relationships between marsh, alluvial and gley soils, it seems necessary to discuss the approach used in the current edition of the WRB classification (2015).

Main Driving Factors for Seacoast Vegetation in the Southern and Eastern Baltic

“…This factor has been reported by many authors as important for halophytic vegetation because organic matter and nitrogen content can increase species' salt tolerance (Kiehl et al 1997;Liu et al 2004). At the same time, organic matter is responsible for many other properties of saline soils Hulisz 2016). The obtained results suggest that, in the investigated seashore zone, which was directly related to the influence of water, organic matter did not affect general species pattern.…”

“…The properties of these soils are mostly dependent on local water properties and flooding frequency. Such salt marsh sites have been described in Germany (Bernhardt and Koch 2003), Sweden (van der Graaf et al 2007), Estonia (Ratas et al 2006;Hulisz et al 2011) and Poland (Pracz 1989;Hulisz 2013;Hulisz 2016). The spatial differentiation of vegetation directly related to marsh soil properties, had not been well described until now, whereas the general characteristics of the Baltic coastal grasslands have (Rebassoo 1975;Dijkema 1990;Fock et al 2002;Czyż 2006;Wanner 2009;Ludewig et al 2015).…”

Coastal acid sulphate soils in Poland: a review

“…In author's opinion, the suggested solution is universal in character and could be used in qualifying other soils with PASS and AASS properties that occur in inland areas or are subjected to anthropogenic (technogenic) activity. Similar proposals have been earlier developed by Pracz (1989) and Hulisz (2013Hulisz ( , 2016. The first one concerned organic soils and gleysols, and the second -coastal marsh soils.…”

“…On the other hand, the process of sulphide accumulation (excluding technogenic soils of landfills), similarly as salinization is clearly linked to the gleyic process, and it is obviously of secondary significance in relation to the genesis of the analysed soils (Pracz 1989, Hulisz 2007, 2013, 2016.…”

“…Typical settings of acid sulphate soils in Poland are coastal marsh landscapes (Hulisz 2013(Hulisz , 2016. They occupy small areas along a narrow belt of coastal lowlands (peatlands, small marsh depressions close to the water line, wet margins of coastal lakes and river deltas).…”