EJPAU 2011. Januszek K. THE ENZYME ACTIVITY OF THE FOREST SOILS OF SOUTHERN POLAND AS A MEASURE OF SOIL QUALITY

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2011
Volume 14
Issue 2

Topic:

Forestry

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Januszek K. 2011. THE ENZYME ACTIVITY OF THE FOREST SOILS OF SOUTHERN POLAND AS A MEASURE OF SOIL QUALITY, EJPAU 14(2), #01.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume14/issue2/abs-01.html

THE ENZYME ACTIVITY OF THE FOREST SOILS OF SOUTHERN POLAND AS A MEASURE OF SOIL QUALITY

Kazimierz Januszek
Department of Forest Soils, University of Agriculture in Cracow, Poland

ABSTRACT

The author proposed the evaluation of forest soil quality based on the soil enzyme index (SEI_DPU). The activity of the dehydrogenases, proteases and urease at the natural moisture soil samples from each horizons was determined, and then the activities were computed on the oven-dried soil mass in a column of 1 dm² × 1m (10 dm³) of soil profile. The aim of this study was to examine the proposed index in 10 different subtypes of forest soil in southern Poland. Broadly speaking, dystrophic soils (Haplic Podzol, Hyperdistric Luvisol, Hyperdistric Cambisol) showed low values in the soil enzyme index, and eutrophic soils (Endoeutric Cambisol, Rendzic Leptosol, Hypereutric Luvisol) the highest values. The value of the SEI_DPU to the highest degree was determined by urease activity, to a lower degree by protease activity and the lowest degree by dehydrogenase activity. The received values of SEI_DPU sorted investigated soils according to their quality, and an interpretation of order is possible, according to our present knowledge. Effect of differentiated plant communities on the differentiated values of investigated SEI_DPU in the same or similar soil subtypes are discussed in the paper.

Key words: forest soil types, soil enzyme index, soil quality.

Kazimierz Januszek
Department of Forest Soils,
University of Agriculture in Cracow, Poland
29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Cracow, Poland
Fax (048-12) 411-97-15
email: rljanusz@cyf-kr.edu.pl

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