laborczi@rissac.hu
Urban soil quality deteriorates even with low heavy metal levels
Investigations led by researchers of the Institute for Soil Sciences, the biological soil quality was assessed and compared in woody (REF: reference forest, REM: remnant forest) and nonwoody (TURF: public turfgrass, and RUD: ruderal habitat) types of urban green spaces along a disturbance and management intensity gradient in the Budapest metropolitan area (Hungary), using community metrics and soil arthropod-based indicators. The taxonomic diversity of soil arthropod assemblages in nonwoody and woody habitats was similar. Although the integrated faunal indices showed no differences among soil habitat types, they provided different responses and, consequently, different information. Our findings demonstrated that the biological quality and arthropod community structure of soils were strongly impacted by soil C/N and heavy metal contamination.
We found that low and moderate levels of pollution have adverse effects on edaphic fauna, suggesting biological degradation of soils, even below pollution limits. Nevertheless, more disturbed urban green spaces have been shown to play a significant role in maintaining belowground biodiversity, thereby soil functions.
The research has been published in Ecological Applications (D1, IF: 5.0):
Tóth Zs, Dombos M, Hornung E. Urban soil quality deteriorates even with low heavy metal levels: An arthropod-based multi-indices approach, https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2848
Researchers’ Night at the Institute for Soil Sciences in 2023 was a success again
On 29 September 2023, between 16:00 and 22:00, we welcomed all visitors to the Institute for Soil Sciences. Our programmes included the following topics:
- The role of soil-dwelling animals in maintaining soil health
- Colourful world of soils
- Citizen science programmes
- Soil Institute tour – viewing soil monoliths
- Climate-smart, sustainable soil use and management to enhance soil life
- Invisible root dwellers: mycorrhizal fungi as plant allies
- Soil mapping by drones
Methodological results on a free-air carbon dioxide enrichment experiment (FACE)
Field data verified the relationship between root electrical capacitance linked to water uptake activity and LAI (related to the potential canopy transpiration) and grain yield. Differences in root growth dynamics and responsiveness to climate change between wheat cultivars were also evaluated. Root electrical capacitance measurement, as an in situ phenotyping tool, potentially contributes to selecting crop varieties with an improved adaptability to changing climate and a higher yield stability. Application of the method could be particularly beneficial in experimental systems, where soil disturbance and plant damage should be avoided.
Indirect Prediction of Salt Affected Soil Indicator Properties through Habitat Types of a Natural Saline Grassland Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery
Five saline habitat types, representing variations in soil properties and topography, were identified. Spectral and topomorphometric indices derived from UAV were key to the spatial prediction of soil properties, employing random forest and co-kriging methods. TSC, Na, and pH data served as indicators of salt-affected soils (SAS), and thematic maps were generated for each indicator (57 samples). Overlapping with the vegetation map, the probability range of estimated SAS indicator values was determined. Consequently, a model-based estimation of soil pH, TSC, and Na conditions is provided for habitat types without disturbing protected areas.
The research has been published with open access in LAND (Q2, IF: 3.9):
