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International Agrophysics
publisher:Institute of Agrophysics
Polish Academy of Sciences
Lublin, Poland
ISSN: 0236-8722


vol. 21, nr. 3 (2007)

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Dehydrogenase activity of technogenic soils of former sulphur mines (Yavoriv and Nemyriv, Ukraine)
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V. Levyk1, O. Maryskevych1, M. Brzezińska2, T. Włodarczyk2
1 Institute of Ecology of the Carpathians, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kozelnitska 4, 79026 Lviv, Ukraine
2 Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland

vol. 21 (2007), nr. 3, pp. 255-260
abstract The dehydrogenase activity (an index of the total soil biological activity), sulphur content, pH and Corg were determined in technogenic soils of the former (1954-1994) sulphur mines in Ukraine (open pit and underground sulphur melting, Yavoriv and Nemyriv, respectively). The soils were neither managed nor reclaimed, and underwent natural self-restoration processes. Soils of former open pit sulphur mine showed Corg of 0.07-1.29%, pH of 7-7.9 and a high SO4-S content (1.7-14.7 g kg-1). Dehydrogenase activity was 2-3 fold lower than in the control forest podzolic soil. Sulphur mining by underground melting resulted in strong soil acidification (pH of 1.5-4.5) and a drastic lost of soil dehydrogenase activity, despite the relatively low Stot content (0.02-0.2 g kg-1). In upper horizons dehydrogenase activity decreased up to 28 fold as compared to the forest podzolic soil. In soil located 40 m from the boring well, with a high Corg of 8-9% (versus 0.07-1.11% in other soils that area) the decrease in the activity was not as heavy (11-fold) despite a low pH (1.5-1.8) and higher Stot (2.1-3.3 g kg-1).
keywords technogenic soil, former sulphur mine, soil dehydrogenase activity