Soils classified in the Arboretum Mlyňany, Slovakia

Successful adaptation of introduced trees requires providing appropriate conditions for their growth and life. In this context, our study aim was a soil survey in the Arboretum Mlyňany, on the basis of which the soils could be classified. Detailed soil investigations were done at seventeen sites under dense monocultures of trees and the grassland. For each site, there was dug one soil pit, near which there were made three soil bores. Over most area of the locality, the prevailing soil-forming substrates were decalcified loess and silt, with gravelly patches, with prevailing medium soil texture, and acid to slightly acid pH. Based on the morphological features and the results concerning the physical and chemical soil properties, seven quality-degrees of soil cover were classified. The lowest-quality was recognised in Fragic Stagnic Retisol, in the highest-situated, east part of Arboretum, and also in the central part of the Ambrozy’s park under Thuja plicata, where there was discerned also low quality Albic Stagnic Luvisol. The most area east of the manor house is covered with Stagnic Cutanic Luvisol (the North American and East Asian area with Stagnic Cutanic Luvisol (Anthric)). North of the manor, on a slight slope of the North American area was found a Cutanic Luvisol (Anthric). West of the manor, the terrain evenly declines, and there has been developed Luvic Chernozem, whose cultivated form, Luvic Chernozem (Anthric), was determined in the East Asian area.