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The condition of forest soils in central and northern Poland in the decade 2007–2017 based on selected indicators Cover

The condition of forest soils in central and northern Poland in the decade 2007–2017 based on selected indicators

Open Access
|Mar 2026

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Location of the study plots
Location of the study plots

Figure 2.

Particle size distribution on the study plots
Particle size distribution on the study plots

Figure 3.

Selected chemical parameters of forest soils in central and northern Poland in 2007 and 2017 against the background of: A-B) – location of the study areas, C-D) – forest habitat type; E-F) – soil type (WRB)
Selected chemical parameters of forest soils in central and northern Poland in 2007 and 2017 against the background of: A-B) – location of the study areas, C-D) – forest habitat type; E-F) – soil type (WRB)

Figure 4.

Dendrogram of selected physicochemical parameters in different soil types in central and northern Poland (2017)
Dendrogram of selected physicochemical parameters in different soil types in central and northern Poland (2017)

Characteristics of habitat conditions in the central and northern Poland (in 2007–2017)

Forest DistrictAverage annual temperature [°C]Annual sum of precipitation [mm]Soil typeParent material originType of forest habitatDominant tree species
Białowieża7.0550BRtQpBMśwSo
Chojnów8.0<550RDbQZpBMśwSo
Gdańsk7.5650BRKtQpLśwBk
Krotoszyn8.0<550OGwQgLśwDb
Krucz8.0<550BQEp/QZpBśwSo
Łąck8.0<550RDbrQFpLMśwDb
Strzałowo7.5650PbrQFpBMśwSo
Suwałki6.5550BRgQgLśwŚw

Selected chemical indicators of the fertility status of forest soils of the central and northern Poland (2007–2017)

Forest DistrictLayerYearSBC (cmol·kg-1)CEC (cmol·kg-1)BS (%)SBC : AlCa : Al
12345678
ChojnówO200716.11a21.58a74.65a11.21b8.52a
201716.54a20.82a79.42a9.13b6.71a
mean±SD16.32±0.3021.20±0.5377.04±3.3710.1±1.477.62±1.28
M20070.18a’1.34a’13.07a’0.18a’0.11a’
20170.22a’2.09a’12.08a’0.14a’0.08a’
mean±SD0.20±0.111.70±0.9612.58±3.870.16±0.060.10±0.05
ŁąckO200728.95a31.03a93.30a298.90a27.60a
201723.30a26.40a88.25a44.65b33.67a
mean±SD26.98±4.0029.63±3.2790.77±3.56116.77±172.7130.63±4.29
M20070.28a’1.09a’21.16a’0.30a’0.20’
20170.27a’2.20a’13.68a’0.16a’0.09’
mean±SD0.27±0.271.64±1.2117.42±9.010.23±0.220.14±0.15
KrotoszynO20079.18a18.68b50.80b1.92a1.24a
201729.82b38.08a78.32a6.30a1.00a
mean±SD19.50±14.628.07±14.1564.56±19.464.10±3.091.22±0.17
M20071.58a’5.46a’27.30a’0.57a’0.34a’
20172.67a’7.09a’29.03a’1.33a’0.86a’
mean±SD2.13±2.836.27±2.4928.17±23.760.95±1.750.60±1.18
KruczO20076.04a15.95a37.87b2.18a1.64a
201714.57b22.15a65.76a9.10b6.77b
mean±SD10.30±6.0319.05±4.3851.81±19.725.64±4.904.21±3.62
M20070.11a’1.24a’10.67a’0.12a’0.07a’
20170.15a’1.59a’12.73a’0.21a’0.12a’
mean±SD0.13±0.071.42±0.9411.70±8.320.16±0.170.10±0.11
SuwałkiO200712.45a14.92a83.45a25.79a21.87a
201717.17a19.38a88.59a18.75a14.39a
mean±SD14.81±3.3317.15±3.1586.02±3.6422.27±5.0018.11±5.32
M20070.82a’3.77a’23.36a’0.66a’0.52a’
20174.72a’7.80a”36.00a’5.22b’4.22b’
mean±SD2.10±2.754.89±3.5926.15±17.141.79±3.222.37±3.11
BiałowieżaO200717.14a21.58a79.42a24.37a21.07a
20177.20b11.50b62.60a4.08b3.38b
mean±SD12.17±7.0316.54±7.1371.01±11.9014.24±14.3412.23±12.50
M20070.57a’2.61a’28.30a’0.75a’0.64a’
20171.68a’3.66a’51.71b’10.05b’9.62b’
mean±SD1.02±0.543.09±2.3737.18±2.371.11±0.895.13±1.09
StrzałowoO20077.85a8.75a89.71a22.94b’18.82a
201716.83b21.05b79.95a7.95a’6.25a
mean±SD12.34±6.3514.90±8.7084.83±6.9015.44±10.6012.54±8.89
M20071.74a’2.18a’84.18a’11.21a’10.01a’
20171.67a’2.71a’63.29a’2.49b’2.02b’
mean±SD1.70±0.552.44±0.9573.73±18.106.85±9.456.02±8.53
GdańskO200720.54a23.02a89.23a25.12a18.94a
201727.32a32.18a84.90a20.23a15.30a
mean±SD23.93±4.7927.60±6.4887.06±3.0623.51±3.5217.12±2.57
M20070.21a’1.34a’15.12a’0.24a’0.14a’
20170.34a’1.71a’21.49a’0.29a’0.14a’
mean±SD0.23±0.161.52±0.4518.30±8.750.26±0.140.14±0.11

Average of pH values and TOC and TN contents in forest soils in central and northern Poland (2007–2017)

Forest DistrictLayer (cm)YearpHCaCl2TOC [g·kg-1]TN [g·kg-1]C :N
1234567
ChojnówO20073.20313.9013.7522.83
20173.19390.3817.1622.75
mean±SD3.19±0.10325.48±48.6715.45±2.4122.79±1.14
M20073.84a’7.53a’0.42a’16.97a’
20173.71a’9.04a’0.46a’18.54a’
mean±SD3.78±0.408.53±4.940,44±0.1817.74±3.52
ŁąckO20074.50218.5011.1919.53
20174.50268.8712.6821.19
mean±SD4.50±0.33239.48±26.2111.93±1.0520.36±0.83
M20073.88a’6.10a’0.38a’12.34a’
20174.04a’12.51a’0.64a’17.60a’
mean±SD3.99±0.289.84±9.820.51±0.4916.66±4.40
KrotoszynO20073.20305.8016.1918.89
20173.20369.4820.9117.67
mean±SD3.20±0.01353.73±34.5518.55±1.0517.70±6.40
M20073.52a’23.38a’1.32a’15.97a’
20173.46a’19.71a’1.00a’17.04a’
mean±SD3.49±0.3620.08±8.731.16±0.9617.00±0.98
KruczO20072.70357.6011.8430.20
20172.71399.6113.6629.24
mean±SD2.70±0.07315.90±90.3212.70±1.2929.54±0.47
M20073.81a’7.18a’0.39a’16.82a’
20174.19a’7.09a’0.36a.’16.65a’
mean±SD3.92±0.437.11±0.700.38±0.2016.51a’0.07
SuwałkiO20074.10154.008.0719.08
20174.11166.178.8118.86
mean±SD4.00±0.14162.99±9.728.40±0.5218.69±0.83
M20073.73a’12.79a’1.02a’11.24a’
20173.94a’14.31a’0.99a’14.59a’
mean±SD3.80±0.2913.90±9.321.08±0.6213.55±3.04
BiałowieżaO20073.60289.2016.9822.81
20173.59323.3913.9223.22
mean±SD3.60±0.21326.53±31.8315.45±2.1622.63±0.56
M20073.99a’12.51a’0.42a’15.47a’
20174.10a’17.01a’0.46a’16.34a’
mean±SD4.07±0.4714.67±12.020.46±0.2016.19±1.82
StrzałowoO20074.3056.923.1018.36
20174.31162.876.8023.95
mean±SD4.30±0.01114.28±57.304.95±2.6121.04±2.29
M20074.51a’8.25a’0,61a’12.38a’
20174.60a’9.74a’0.65a’14.40a’
mean±SD4.58±0.229.18±5.820,63±0,4013.02±1.83
GdańskO20074.50303.3016.0718.87
20174.51358.8814.5424.68
mean±SD4.50±0.01326.48±28.9115,30±1.0821.78±2.90
M20073.79a’8.51a’0,58a’13.91a’
20173.94a’8.20a’0.51a’14.86a’
mean±SD3.84±0.308.36±4.500,55±0,2614.23±3.10

Valuation of critical acid deposition loads of SBC : Al (A) and Ca : Al (B) of forest soils of centralnorthern Poland in 2007–2017

A
Risk assessmentSBC : AlPercentage of samples (%)
20072017
Very High<0.4050.050.00
High0.40–0.8014.5812.50
Medium0.81–2.008.334.17
Low>2.0127.0933.33

Non-parametric Spearman correlation between the properties of forest soils in Poland

Soil typeLayerSandSiltClayTexturepHTOCTNC :NSBCSBC : Al.CECBSCa : Al.
TSL–0.361 (*)0.343 (*)
Tree species0.539 (***)–0.367 (*)–0.466(**)
Layer0.743 (***)–0.618 (***)–0.637 (***)–0.6680.338 (*)
Sand–0.913–0.775 (***)–0.557 (***)–0.333 (*)–0.396 (*)–0.702 (***)–0.853 (***)
Silt–0.9130.449(**)0.576 (***)0.374 (*)0.523 (***)0.679 (***)
Clay–0.7750.449(**)0.326 (*)0.727 (***)0.816 (***)
Texture–0.5570.576 (***)0.326 (*)0.362 (*)0.358 (*)0.396 (*)
pH0.743 (***)–0.609 (***)–0.599 (***)–0.620 (***)0.570 (***)–0.424(**)0.602 (***)0.506 (***)
TOC–0.618–0.333 (*)–0.6090.982 (***)0.416(**)0.618 (***)
TN–0.637–0.396 (*)0.374 (*)–0.5990.982 (***)0.316 (*)0.656 (***)
C :N–0.668–0.6200.416(**)0.316 (*)–0.455–0.436(**)–0.608 (***)
SBC–0.7020.523 (***)0.727 (***)0.362 (*)–0.455(**)0.531 (***)0.720 (***)0.661 (***)
CEC0.396 (*)0.602 (***)–0.6080.661 (***)0.767 (***)
BS0.506 (***)0.905 (***)0.528 (***)0.528 (***)
Ca :Al0.338 (*)0.570 (***)–0.436(**)0.531 (***)0.767 (***)
SBC : Al–0.8530.679 (***)0.816 (***)0.358 (*)–0.424(**)0.618 (***)0.656 (***)0.720 (***)0.905 (***)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ffp-2026-0005 | Journal eISSN: 2199-5907 | Journal ISSN: 0071-6677
Language: English
Page range: 46 - 64
Submitted on: Jul 11, 2025
|
Accepted on: Aug 8, 2025
|
Published on: Mar 17, 2026
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2026 Krzysztof Sztabkowski, Irena Burzyńska, Wojciech Gil, published by Forest Research Institute
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.