Soil-ecological properties and plant communities in the Nature Reserve Chynoriansky luh

Abstract

The edaphotope of the Nature Reserve Chynoriansky luh is formed by Pleistocene gravel sands overlaid in Holocene with very heavy clayey 2.5 to 3 m thick carbonate alluvial sediments. During year the ground water level ranged between 1.69-2.33 m. The closest to the soil surface was in April and in the first decade of May when the water levels in Bebrava and Nitra rivers were high. The redox processes are manifested in a depth of 50 cm and more. Luvi-Calcaric Fluvisols are neutral, clayey to clay, with maximum content of coarse clay in a depth of 20-30 cm and physical clay usually in a depth of 50-70 cm. The humus content ranges between 3.2-4.2%, carbonate content 0.1-0.4%. The layers below 80 cm have up to 1.5% carbonates and are mildly alkaline. The content of plant available P in topsoil is 2-3 times higher and of available K 1.2-1.6 times higher than the limits for rich or very good reserves in neutral clayey soils. Amount of available P in lower soil layers is in general insufficient, of available K good. The maximum amount of available P was found near a forest edge (possible impact of field fertilisation in surroundings). The content of exchangeable cations ranges between 128-208 mmol kg-1, from which 66-74% are Ca2+, 21-26% Mg2+, 3-6% K+ and 1-4% Na+ ions. The dominant herb species of the heminitrophilous group of types of geobiocoens Ulmi-Fraxineta carpini superiora belonging to the wetted edaphic-hydric order of geobiocoens is Allium ursinum accompanied by the other heminitrophilous species mainly Mercurialis perennis, Glechoma hederacea, Galeobdolon luteum, Alliaria petiolata. From lianas locally occurs Hedera helix and allochtonous North American species Parthenocissus quinquefolia.