Development of soil parameters and changing landscape structure in conditions of cold mountain climate (Case Study Liptovsk Á Teplička)

Fazekašova D., Boltižiar M., Bobuľska L., Kotorova D., Hecl J., Krnačova Z.: Development of soil parameters and changing landscape structure in conditions of cold mountain climate (case study Liptovska Teplička). Ekologia (Bratislava), Vol. 32, No. 2, p. 197-210, 2013.

Soil physical, chemical and biological properties and the content of heavy metals were investigated between 1997 and 2010 and changing landscape structure was evaluated for years 1948-2010 under production conditions in the investigated area Liptovska Teplička (48° 57´ N; 20° 05´ E), situated in the marginal region of north-eastern Slovakia. Research showed that soil physical properties get adjusted after a long-term application of ecological farming system and the measured values were stabilised. High doses of organic fertilizers had positive effect on soil fertility, and thus indirectly on maintaining soil pH, available nutrients content and accumulation of humus in soil. The values of soil enzymes activities changed minimally during the research period. At the same time, it was proven that increasing the content of soil organic matter promotes natural protection of soil enzymes. This study underscores the importance of long-term, quantitative soil monitoring in determining the changes in agricultural land and ecosystem processes over time. Statistically significant effect of experimental year on all observed soil parameters was confirmed by analysis of variance. Effect of experimental locality, with the exception of pH/CaCl2, Cox and Nanorg, on other soil parameters was also statistically significant. This area represents a specific mountain grassland-arable landscape with conservation of traditional agriculture. The results of this paper also analyse landscape structure changes by using the historical maps and aerial photographs of the past 160 years.