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Chemical characterization of mountain forest soils: impact of long-term atmospheric deposition loadings (Czech–Polish–German border region)

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Abstract

The composition of lipids in soil offers clues to soil degradation processes due their persistency and selectivity in soil, and close relation to long-term processes in the ecosystem, thanks to their role in cell membranes of organisms. Organic solvent-extractable compounds were recovered from soils collected at two sites differing in the degree of forest damage. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were applied in order to characterize solvent-extractable lipids. Raman spectroscopy was also applied as it provides distinct advantages for determining the structural order of carbonaceous materials. The organic matter measurement techniques were combined with an established simultaneous multi-element measurement technique. Variations in individual soil horizons from the sites were reflected in the crystallinity of epicuticular waxes, presence of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, concentrations of n-alkanes, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, and in the content of aromatic structures, hydroxyl, ester, and carboxylic acid groups. The results are explained by differently transformed organic matter. The concentrations of elements in the soils were also affected by atmospheric depositions, including higher accumulations of arsenic and antimony, and lower contents of natural nutrients. These data have potential to be used as sensitive biogenic indicators of ecosystem damage by long-term atmospheric depositions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out thanks to the Operational Program Prague—Competitiveness, project “Centre for Texture Analysis” (No. CZ.2.16/3.1.00/21538). The financial support provided by the long-term conceptual development of research organization RVO: 67985891 is also gratefully acknowledged. The authors are grateful to John Brooker for reviewing and correcting the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, AS CR V Holešovičkách 41, 182 09, Prague, Czech Republic

    Martina Havelcová & Vladimír Machovič

  2. University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic

    Vladimír Machovič, Ladislav Lapčák & Jiří Hendrych

  3. Technopark Kralupy, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 278 01, Kralupy nad Vltavou, Czech Republic

    František Novák

  4. Institute of Nuclear Physic, Řež 130, 250 68, Řež, Czech Republic

    Jiří Mizera

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  1. Martina Havelcová
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Correspondence to Martina Havelcová.

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Havelcová, M., Machovič, V., Novák, F. et al. Chemical characterization of mountain forest soils: impact of long-term atmospheric deposition loadings (Czech–Polish–German border region). Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 20344–20357 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08558-x

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