Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Maciej Markiewicz1, Michał Jankowski1,Vladimir Simansky2, Sławomir S. Gonet1

Organic matters contents and distribution
in Chernozem-related soils of Poland and Slovakia(preliminary studies)

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa 13.17.9.2009 Slovakia
1 – Department of Soil Science, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
2 – Department of Pedology and Geology, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

SOILS WITH A MOLLIC HORIZONSSoils containing relatively deep, black, humic horizons [A] ofthe mollic type in the top part of the profile, are situatedamong the most fertile and the most productive arable soilsof the world. There are some types of such soils occurringon the territory of Poland and Slovakia in various
geomorphological, lithological and hydrological conditions.
Black color of these horizons is often marked in theirnames, according to local soil systematics, for example:černozem, čiernica, czarnoziem, czarna ziemia, smolnica.

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

SOILS WITH A MOLLIC HORIZONSHumic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

MOLLIC HORIZON (WRB 2006)
Mollic horizon (from Latin mollis, soft)
General description:
description:- well-structured, dark-coloured surface horizon with a high base saturation and moderate
to high content of organic matter
Diagnostic criteria
A mollic horizon, after mixing either the upper 20 cm of the mineral soil or, if continous
rock, a cryic, petrocalcic, petroduric, petrogypsic or petroplinthic horizon is present within
20 cm of the mineral soil surface, the entire mineral soil above, has:
1. a soil structure sufficiently strong that the horizon is not both massive and hard orvery hard when dry in both the mixed part and underlying unmixed part if theminimum thickness is larger than 20cm; and2. Munsell colours with a chroma of 3 or less when moist, a value of 3 or less whenmoist and 5 or less when dry on broken samples in both the mixed part andunderlying unmixed part if the minimum thickness is greater than 20 cm. The colour
value is one unit or more darker than of the parent material; and3. An organic carbon content of 0.6% or more in both the mixed part and the undrlying
unmixed part if the minimum thickness is larger than 20 cm; andHumic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

MOLLIC HORIZON (WRB 2006)
Mollic horizon (from Latin mollis, soft)
Diagnostic criteria
4. A base saturation (by 1M NH4OAc) of 50% or more on weighted average throughout thedepth of the horizon, and
5. A thickness of one of the following:a) 10 cm or more if directly overlying continous rock, or a cryic, petrocalcic, petroduric,petrogypsic or petroplinthic horizon; orb) 20 cm or more and one-third or more of the thickness between the soil surface andthe upper boundary of continous rock, or a calcic, cryic, gypsic, petrocalcic, petroduric,petrogypsic, petroplinthic or salic horizon or calcaric, fluvic or gypsaric material within 75cm; orc) 20 cm or more and one-third or more of the thickness between the soil surface andthe lower boundary of the lowest diagnostic horizon within 75 cm and, if present, aboveany diagnostic horizons listed under b) ord) 25 cm or more.

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

THE AIM OF THE STUDY
The aim of this study is to present
and to compare basic propertiesof humic horizons of four exemplary profiles
representing different soil types

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Location of the study soil profiles

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

METHODS• Soil texture using sieve method and the aerometric method of Bouyoucose, inmodification of Casagrande and Prószyński;• soil colour with Munsell colour chart;• pH, using a pH-meter;• TOC, Nt , using CN analyser;• humus fractional composition using the Scnitzer method;• CaCO3, using Scheibler method;

MATERIALS

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Profile 1. Smolnica (Vertisol), Gniew, PolandStarogard Lakeland, terminoglacial lake deposits

ApAhA/CCikg

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Profile 2. Czarna ziemia (black earth), Ostrówki, PolandGniezno Lakeland, glacial till

ApAhA/CCkr

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Profile 3. Czarnoziem, Witów, Poland
Proszowice Plateau, loess

ApAh
A/CCk

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Profile 4. černozem,černozem, L’udovitovà,L’udovitovà, Slovakia
Nitra river valley, silt deposits

ApAhA/CCk

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

RESULTS
Table 1. Selected physical properties
HorizonDepth[cm]Color by Munsell

Class(FAO)

Class(PTG)

drysand(0.05-2,0)

10YR 4/1
10YR 4/1
2.5Y 5/1
2.5Y 5/23629
3231354946
4829222221

LLLL

gc
gcp
gsp
gsp

10YR 3.5/1
10YR 4/2
2.5Y 5/3
2.5Y 7/3

65
67
69
68

20
26
23
25

15
7
87SL
SLSLSL

glsp
gls
gls
gls

10YR 3/1
10YR 4/2
10YR 5/3
10YR 6/4

24
17
20
2067
73
64
69

9101611SiL
SiL
SiL
SiLpłzpłipłipłz

10YR 4/2
10YR 4/2
10YR 6/2
10YR 6/342374848515444447988

SiLSiLLLgsp
gsp
glsp
glsp

moist

Profile 1. Smolnica - Gniew
Ap0-30
10YR 3/1
Ah30-60
10YR 2/1
A/C
60-80
2.5Y 3/1
Ck80-110
2.5Y 3/2
Profile 2. Czarna ziemia
Ap0-30
10YR 1.7/1
Ah30-40
10YR 2/2
A/C
40-68
10YR 3/3
Ckr
68-120
2.5Y 5/3
Profile 3. Czarnoziem - Witów
Ap0-20
10YR 1.7/1
Ah20-50
10YR 2/2
A/C
50-90
10YR 3/3
Ck90-120
10YR 4/4
Profile 4. Černozem - L’udovitovà
Ap0-25
10YR 2/3
Ah25-70
10YR 2/3
A/C
70-110
10YR 4/3
Ck110-150
10YR 4/3

Texture [%]siltclay(0.002-0,05)(<0,002)

L – loam, SL – sandy loam, SiL – silty loam

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

Table 2. Selected chemical properties
Depth
pH[cm]H2 O
Profile 1. Smolnica - Gniew
Ap0-30
7.6
Ah30-60
8.4
A/C
60-80
8.5
Cikg
80-110
8.5
Profile 2. Czarna ziemia - Ostrówek
Ap0-308.0
Ah30-40
8.3
A/C40-68
8.4
Ckr68-1208.7
Profile 3. Czarnoziem – Witów
Ap0-20
5.2
Ah20-50
6.7
A/C
50-90
7.7
Ck
90-120
8.1
Profile 4. Černozem - L’udovitovà
Ap0-25
7.9
Ah25-70
8.3
A/C
70-1108.5
Ck
110-150
8.7
Horizon

LoI

Corg
[%]

Nt

C:N

CaCO3
[%]

6.8
7.6
7.8
7.9

6.4
4.9
3,9
2.9

2.21
1.46
1.02
n.d.

0.245
0.185
0.115
n.d.

9
59-n.d.
n.d.
n.d.
24.2

7.4
7.5
7.6
8.0

3.1
2.1
1.9
1.0

1.43
0.93
0.40
n.d.

0.142
0.082
0.023
n.d.

10
1117-

n.d.
n.d.
n.d.
16.4

4.6
5.8
7.4
7.2

4.5
3.9
2.2
1.3

2.06
1.56
0.52
n.d.

0.201
0.114
0.042
n.d.

10
1412-

n.d.
n.d.
n.d.
0.93

7.1
7.4
7.6
7.6

4.0
3.3
2.5
1.9

1.50
1.00
0.53
n.d.

0.166
0.097
0.093
n.d.

9
1016-

n.d.
n.d.
n.d.
11.4

KCl

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

RESULTS
Table 3. Characteristic of soil organic matter (Schnitzer method)
Horizon

Depth
[cm]

pH(H2O)

CHA

7.6

4.9

10.3

84.8

0.48

8.0

7.0

10.8

82.2

0.65

7.9

4.0

8.0

88.0

0.50

5.2

20.0

13.8

66.2

1.45

CFACH%Corg

CHA:CFA

Profile 1. Smolnica - Gniew
Ap0 - 30

Profile 2. Czarna ziemia - Ostrówek
Ap0 - 30

Profile 4. Černozem - L’udovitovà
Ap0 - 25

Profile 3. Czarnoziem - Witów
Ap0 - 20

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia

SUMMARY
1. Analyzed chernozem-related soils have been formed from loam material andfeature high thickness of humus layer (up to 70 cm), increased content oforganic matter, even to considerable depths, and narrow C:N ratio;
2. Highusability of those soils to large extent results from local conditions (i.a.
lithology, depth of ground waters occurrence);
3. Application of humus fractional composition by Schnitzer method yields
satisfactory results only in case of acidic soils, with no carbonates.

Humic Substances in Ecosystems 8, Šoporňa
13.-17.9.2009 Slovakia