Space-time patterns of soil pH and conductivity in submountain beech ecosystems in the West Carpathians

Abstract

In this work are summarised the results of a monitoring of pH values and conductivity which we have performed for 13 years in the localities of Kremnické vrchy Mts. The study locality, situated in the Western Carpathians Mts, was previously exposed to a moderate pollution only, and the pH values we obtained on a deforested plot in this locality were: 6.08 for precipitation water, 6.05 for the surface humus and 6.36 at a soil depth of 0.1 m. In a forest stand in the same locality we recorded 6.11 in the cover humus and then the values decreased down to 5.99 at 0.25m. The electric conductivity values showed a similar trend.