title: The variations of aluminium species in mountainous forest soils and its implications to soil acidification.
abstract: Aluminium (Al) speciation is a characteristic that can be used as a tool for describing the soil acidification process. The question that was answered is how tree species (beech vs spruce) and type of soil horizon affect Al speciation. Our hypotesis is that spruce and beech forest vegetation are able to modify the chemical characteristics of organic horizon, hence the content of Al species. Moreover, these characteristics are seasonally dependent. To answer these questions, a detailed chromatographic speciation of Al in forest soils under contrasting tree species was performed. The Jizera Mountains area (Czech Republic) was chosen as a representative mountainous soil ecosystem. A basic forestry survey was performed on the investigated area. Soil and precipitation samples (throughfall, stemflow) were collected under both beech and spruce stands at monthly intervals from April to November during the years 2008-2011. Total aluminium content and Al speciation, pH, and dissolved organic carbon were determined in aqueous soil extracts and in precipitation samples. We found that the most important factors affecting the chemistry of soils, hence content of the Al species, are soil horizons and vegetation cover. pH strongly affects the amount of Al species under both forests. Fermentation (F) and humified (H) organic horizons contain a higher content of water extractable Al and Al(3+) compared to organo-mineral (A) and mineral horizons (B). With increasing soil profile depth, the amount of water extractable Al, Al(3+) and moisture decreases. The prevailing water-extractable species of Al in all studied soils and profiles under both spruce and beech forests were organically bound monovalent Al species. Distinct seasonal variations in organic and mineral soil horizons were found under both spruce and beech forests. Maximum concentrations of water-extractable Al and Al(3+) were determined in the summer, and the lowest in spring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic. monika.bradova@vuchs.cz.|Agrovýzkum Rapotín Ltd., Výzkumníků 267, Vikýřovice, Czech Republic. monika.bradova@vuchs.cz.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bradová
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Václav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tejnecký
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Luboš
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borůvka
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Němeček
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ash
authors.affiliation: Laboratories of the Geological Institutes, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ondřej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Šebek
authors.affiliation: Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svoboda
authors.affiliation: Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jitka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zenáhlíková
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ondřej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Drábek
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D018153:Czech Republic; D029964:Fagus; D065928:Forests; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D028222:Picea; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D000535:Aluminum
keywords: Acidification; Aluminium species; Forest soils; Precipitation chemistry; Vegetation cover