Interaction Between Atmospheric Deposition of Mineral Nitrogen, Structure of Ground Cover and Soil Properties in Forests of Izhevsk

Abstract

The aim is to study atmospheric deposition of mineral nitrogen (Nmin) in the forests of an industrial region to assess the relationship between these ones, changes in soil properties and the structure of terrestrial vegetation. The relationship between the studied parameters was assessed using principal omponent analysis. Materials and methods. The coniferous and deciduous forests (n = 21) on sod-podzolic soil were studied in theIzhevsk City and Zavyalovsky districtof the Udmurt Republic. The studies were conducted based on the assessment of atmospheric deposition of N min by snow survey, soil sampling from the humus-accumulative horizon and geobotanical description of vegetation. The content of ammonium and nitrate was determined in the snow and soil. The contents of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, Р2О5, Сd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni and рН were determined in the soil. Results and discussion. The atmospheric deposition of Nmin in the study area ranged from 0,15 to 20,6 kg N ha-1/year -1, in which the ammonium form prevailed. Analysis of main components showed a correlation between the atmospheric deposition of Nmin, the content of N-NO3, P-P2O5, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni in the soil and G. Ellenberg’s score on the ecological scale of soil supply with mineral nitrogen.