Studies on Characteristics of Soils in Urban Forest Parks and in Natural Forest Plantations in the Region of Town Sandanski

V. Doichinova, M. Zhiyanski

Abstract: Comparative analyses of anthropogenic soils (Urbic Anthrosols), located in city park “St. Vratch” and native soils (Chromic Luvisols), located out of the urban zone is presented. Urban experimental plots (US1, US2 and US3) were chosen under forest plantations, respectively: oak and black pine (Quercus pubescens L. + Pinus nigra L.); oak and plane tree (Quercus petraea L. + Platanus orientalis L.) and cork oak (Quercus suber) and control sites (NUS1 and NUS2) were under pine (Pinus nigra L.) and oaks (Quercus petraea L. + Quercus pubescens L.).”
The soils have been characterized by mechanical composition adsorption properties, acidity and contents of organic matter, nitrogen and macroelements. The soils of the region characterized by a low stocks of P and Ca and average stocks of K and Mg. Soil adsorption structures were built primarily of clay minerals. The total cation-exchanged capacity of urban soils (CEC = T8.2) ranged from 20.7 to 37.5 meq/100 g soil and was lower than CEC of control plots (28.1 ÷ 43.75 meq/100 g soil). Urbanization process has provoked changes of soil characteristics in urban forest parks. The alkalinization of topsoil of urbanized soils is clearly distinguished compared to the deeper layers.

Keywords: properties; town Sandanski; urban forest parks; urban soils

Date published: 2017-02-21