Soil changes after forty years of succession in an abandoned coppice in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Soil processes over forty years of woodland succession were studied in the abandoned coppices of the Děvín Nature Reserve, in the south-east of the Czech Republic. A total of 113 horizon samples from 34 profiles were taken in the 1960s and 2000s, following identical field and laboratory approaches, to characterize soil texture, contents of carbonates and organic matter, and soil reaction (pH/H2O, pH/KCl). Changes in the soil properties were discussed in relation to the gradual development of the mature woodland that replaced the former intensively managed ancient coppice. Four soil types (Luvisols, Regosols, Leptosols and Chernozems) and their horizons were statistically treated to identify distributions/shifts in the measured values from the past to the present. The following results were obtained: (1) The horizontal transport and sedimentation of sandy calcareous particles into the Leptosols topsoil led to increased acidity. (2) In Luvisols, the same was detected for fine clayey particles. This can be explained by the topographical occurrence of the two types — on the upper parts of slopes and under limestone cliffs for the former, and in the flat foothills for the latter soil type. (3) No acidification appeared except for Luvisols, whose luvic horizons E and Bt are, in contrast to the others, poor in calcium carbonate and relatively acidic. A decrease in acidity was recorded in KCl solution, but not in H2O. This is interpreted as the consequence of the buffering ability of the soil sorption complex. (4) Slightly improved humification was only detected in the surface horizons of Luvisols and Leptosols. (5) Contrary to expectations no illimerization, i.e. the migration of clay particles from topsoil to subsoil, was revealed.As forty years is apparently too short a time for significant vertical clay migration, it was concluded that i) horizontal migration and the accumulation of substrate particles was of at least the same importance asin situpedogenetic processes, and ii) soil property dynamics that could be linked with the changed woodland management were proved to act relatively slowly.