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The aim of this study to assess interdependence between urban soil pH and its accumulation of heavy metals. The article meant to be a contribution to a better knowledge of peculiarities and diagnostics of urban soil and its anthropogenic transformation. The hypothesis assumes that relationship between urban soil pH and its accumulation of heavy metals may be determined by the origin and age of parent material as well as the nature and degree of the anthropogenic impact. The spatial variability of topsoil pH level was performed in 100 points in eldership of Šnipiškės of the city Vilnius. Laboratory analysis was based on ISO 10390:2005. Samples were collected from 20 cm topsoil layer in the same sampling points where have been analysed concentrations of topsoil chemical elements using optical atomic emission spectrophotometry. The contamination of urban soils exhibits somewhat different compared to agricultural soils. In contradiction to earlier studies in Lithuanian agricultural soils where strong correlation between soil pH and Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu and Zd found, the conducted analysis shows a statistically reliable, but very weak (<0.3) correlation between the soil pH and concentration of contaminants. The proof to this correlation is provided by an existing relationship between pH and the concentration of copper (r = 0.20), mercury (r = 0.15), strontium (r = –0.12) and the overall contamination index (r = 0.12). The applied statistical analysis, however, failed to reveal the nature of interdependence between the soil pH and its contamination with studied heavy metals there concentration of contaminant chemical elements depends on the pH range of the soil and, conversely, the chemical reactivity of the soil changes affect on the concentration of studied chemical elements.

Abstract. An analysis of factors influencing effective soil acidification management is reported. This analysis was conducted simultaneously at both national and local levels. These investigations were accomplished in three stages: (i) validation of acid soil spatial patterns using systems analysis and geoinformation methods; (ii) spatial statistical analysis of soil pH diversity using a statistical grid method; and (iii) development of the concept of soil acidity management. Results indicate the national spatial distribution of topsoil reaction is a natural and stable phenomenon related to Quaternary sub-surface deposits. However, secondary effects of topsoil liming are evident in both spatial and temporal soil reaction patterns.

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