Evaluation of Microbiological and Chemical Properties of Soils as a Result of Anthropogenic Denudation

Abstract

Excessive agricultural intensification adversely affects soil quality, particularly in hilly terrain, leading to increased erosion. Anthropogenic denudation, intensified by tillage erosion, results in the displacement of soil material from hilltops and shoulders to their bases. The research hypothesis posits that tillage erosion adversely affects the microbiological and chemical properties of soils, especially at the hilltops of intensively cultivated areas. The study aimed to assess the microbiological and chemical properties of Luvisols cultivated under conventional plowing in the moraine region of the Southern Krajna Lakeland, Poland. The evaluation focused on the results of soil sample analyses taken from the hilltops and foothills of eroded mounds. Microbiological investigations included determining the abundance of actinomycetes, filamentous fungi, heterotrophic bacteria, cellulolytic microorganisms, copiotrophs, and oligotrophs. Additionally, pH values and the contents of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, total organic carbon, and nitrogen were determined. A higher abundance of bacteria, actinomycetes, and copiotrophs was observed at the foothills. Statistically significant differences due to slope effects were noted for all chemical parameters, with higher concentrations of organic carbon, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus found in the foothill areas. Understanding denudation processes can contribute to sustainable soil resource use and agrocenosis conservation.