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Effect of tree species and substrate properties on organic phosphorus forms in afforested technosols
  • Marcin Chodak,
  • Katarzyna Sroka,
  • Marcin Pietrzykowski
Marcin Chodak
AGH University of Science and Technology

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Katarzyna Sroka
AGH University of Science and Technology
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Marcin Pietrzykowski
University of Agriculture in Kraków
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Abstract

Planted vegetation is considered one of the most important soil-forming factors in the reclamation of degraded post-mining lands for forestry. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of N-fixing tree species and non-N-fixing species on the organic phosphorus (P org) forms in technosols developing from various substrates. Samples were taken from the uppermost layer (depth 0 – 5 cm) of technosols afforested with black locust ( Robinia pseudoaccaccia), black alder ( Alnus glutinosa), silver birch ( Betula pendula) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris). Samples of the tree foliage and the O horizons were taken as well. The studied technosols developed from Quaternary sands (Sands), fly ashes after lignite combustion (Ashes) and Miocene clays (Clays). The soil samples were measured for the contents of labile (P Olab) and moderately labile organic phosphorus (P Omod), phosphorus contained in fulvic and humic acids (P fulv and P hum, respectively) and residual organic phosphorus (P Ores). The foliage and O horizon samples were measured for the concentrations of C, N and P. The N-fixing trees had higher P concentration in the foliage than non-N-fixing species. However, in the O horizon the highest P concentration was determined under birch and not under N-fixers. The effect of tree species on the organic P (P org) concentrations in the mineral soil was limited with significantly lower P org concentrations under pine. Soil under this species contained less P fulv, P hum and P Ores. However, the percentages of P Olab, P Omod, P fulv, P hum and P Ores in soil P org were nearly the same under all tree species. The largest effect on the P org concentration and on the contents of particular P org fractions was from the substrate type. Sands contained much less P org than the Clays and Ashes but their percentage of P Olab in P org was much higher than in two other substrates. We conclude that N-fixing trees do not affect the concentration of labile organic P and the major factor controlling this P org fraction is the soil substrate quality.
22 Jul 2022Submitted to Land Degradation & Development
22 Jul 2022Submission Checks Completed
22 Jul 2022Assigned to Editor
30 Aug 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
07 Dec 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
13 Dec 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
23 Dec 20221st Revision Received
27 Dec 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Dec 2022Submission Checks Completed
27 Dec 2022Assigned to Editor
28 Dec 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
22 Jan 2023Editorial Decision: Accept