Chemical and Biological Properties of Agricultural Soils Located along Communication Routes

Elżbieta Zawierucha, Monika Skowrońska () and Marcin Zawierucha
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Elżbieta Zawierucha: Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Medicine, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
Monika Skowrońska: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Marcin Zawierucha: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, The Marshal Office of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Al. IX Wieków Kielc 3, 25-516 Kielce, Poland

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the quality of agricultural soils, which accumulate additional amounts of heavy metals from fertilization and modify their bioavailability, with the use of interdependencies between their biological and chemical properties conditioned by the distance from communication routes. Our results indicated that heavy metals had an impact on enzyme activity in soils and their accumulation was significantly related to the distance from the edge of the road, location of sampling sites, date of soil sampling, and years of research. It was found that the greatest amounts of zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper were accumulated at a distance of 5–20 m from the edge of the road. The highest enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index values were recorded for Pb, followed by Zn, Cu, and Cd. Principal component analysis and regression models showed that the activities of phosphatase and dehydrogenases seem to be the best bioindicators of contamination of roadside soils used for agricultural purposes. Since their activity is related to soil’s organic carbon content, inputs of organic fertilizers and crop residues should be ensured in the agroecosystems along roadsides.

Keywords: agroecosystems; zinc; copper; lead; cadmium; enzymatic activity; dehydrogenases; neutral phosphatase; urease; proteases; organic carbon; pH; enrichment factor; geoaccumulation index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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