Abstract
The non-native Pinus nigra has been widely planted on natural dolomite
grasslands in Hungary, yet little is known on its influence on soil
properties. We compared soil micro-element concentrations in rock
grassland (RG) and under P. nigra plantation (PP), both grown on north
facing slopes of dolomite bedrock. At PP sites, the original vegetation
was RG prior to afforestation. For both vegetation types, five sampling
sites were selected, and at each site soil samples were taken from three
depths (0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 cm). Micro-element concentrations of
corresponding soil layers in the two vegetation types were compared.
Under the pine plantation, the concentration of a number of soil
trace elements was altered compared to the original rock grassland
soil, and this effect increased with soil depth. At the deepest layer,
significant differences were found for 10 microelements (Al, Fe, Mn, Ba,
Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn), and in each case the concentration was higher
in PP than in RG soil. In contrast, the
concentration of Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo and Se was not different between the two
habitats throughout the soil layers sampled. Values exceeding the
Hungarian environmental limits of background concentrations were
detected for lead and cadmium. In the RG soil, concentrations of Pb and
Cd were highest in the topmost layer, while for the PP sites these
elements showed concentrations higher in the 10-15 cm layer than in
the 5-10 cm depth. Concentrations of some other micro-elements showed
similar inversion at PP sites. The depth inversion of these, often
airborne pollutant trace elements was explained as a consequence of
afforestation with P. nigra and such phytostabilization effect of the
pine stands is assumed to increase with stand age.
Keywords
dolomite, heavy metals, Pinus nigra, rock grassland, soil pollution
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