Evolution of sandy soils within deflation hollows in shifting areas of sand - a case study from the Błędów Desert (Poland)

Abstract

Gus M., Drewnik M. (2017): Evolution of sandy soils within deflation hollows in shifting areas of sand -a case study from the Błędów Desert (Poland). Soil & Water Res., 12: 161−169.Areas of shifting sand are important places for testing the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on soil morphology and evolution, where aeolian processes cause dynamic changes in the natural environment. The main aim of the study was to determine the evolution of soils within deflation hollows in shifting sands. In the context of this purpose, representative study areas were selected: (1) a reference surface in a plantation forest with soils undisturbed by aeolian processes -one pedon, (2) an active deflation hollow -two pedons, (3) a deflation hollow stabilized by reforestation (forest planting ca. 30 and ca. 100 years ago -two pedons). Soil morphology and micromorphology as well as several physical and chemical properties were analyzed. In a deflation hollow, the studied soils are found at various stages of development, mostly characterized by a relatively rapid accumulation of soil organic matter. A well-developed buried illuvial B horizon as an 'ortstein' material can limit aeolian erosion to a certain depth, while above these horizons aeolian erosion and accumulation remain active. History of changes in the environment is to a substantial degree reflected in morphology and micromorphology of the studied soils.

Buried Podzols as a pedostratigraphic marker for the Medieval Climatic Optimum: Grębociny soil in the dune deposits of the European Sand Belt

“…Nevertheless, the duration of the podzolization process is difficult to assess considering its dependence also on multiple other locally acting variables. In a relatively humid and mild temperate climate, the development of Podzol may be expected to have taken at least several hundred up to over a thousand years (Gus and Drewnik, 2017; Lundström et al, 2000).…”

Dune Blowouts as Microbial Hotspots and the Changes of Overall Microbial Activity and Photosynthetic Biomass Along with Succession of Biological Soil Crusts

“…In the study area, W and SW wind directions are the dominant, and the proportion of coarse grains increases from the west to east, according to the prevailing wind direction [ 32 ]. Sands are lithologically uniform, consisting of rounded and well-rounded quartz grains, with the addition of feldspar, muscovite, garnet, zircon, tourmaline, chlorite, and glauconite [ 33 , 34 ]. As regards soil characteristics, three soil development phases could be distinguished based on morphological features and accumulation of organic matter in soil: initial (regosols), transitional (arenosols and half-mature – podzolic soils in the initial stage of development), and mature (proper podzolic soils) [ 35 ].…”

Plasticity of Plantago lanceolata L. in Adaptation to Extreme Environmental Conditions

“…The Błędów Desert in the southern part of Poland is formed of fluvioglacial sand (average thickness of 40 m) with an admixture of gravel from the Pleistocene. The mean annual air temperature in the study area is 7 • C and the annual precipitation is 650 to 750 mm [45]. The Błędów Desert is surrounded in the north and south by forest complexes; hence, characteristic dune border ridges have been formed on the verge between the flat sandy surface and the forest [46].…”