Historical charcoal production as a factor in soil cover heterogeneity in a fluvioglacial landscape − A case study from northern Poland
Jerzy Jonczak,
Vincenzo Barbarino,
Aleksandra Chojnacka,
Bogusława Kruczkowska,
Krzysztof Szewczyk,
Barbara Gmińska-Nowak,
Ewa Kołaczkowska,
Dominika Łuców,
Agnieszka Halaś,
Agnieszka Mroczkowska,
Sandra Słowińska,
Mateusz Kramkowski,
Anna Kowalska,
Michał Słowiński
Affiliations
Jerzy Jonczak
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science, Warsaw, Poland; Corresponding author at: Department of Soil Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
Vincenzo Barbarino
University of Pisa, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Pisa, Italy
Aleksandra Chojnacka
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Warsaw, Poland
Bogusława Kruczkowska
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science, Warsaw, Poland
Krzysztof Szewczyk
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Past Landscape Dynamics, Warsaw, Poland
Barbara Gmińska-Nowak
Nicolaus Copernicus University, Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Toruń, Poland
Ewa Kołaczkowska
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Geoecology, Warsaw, Poland
Dominika Łuców
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Past Landscape Dynamics, Warsaw, Poland
Agnieszka Halaś
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Past Landscape Dynamics, Warsaw, Poland
Agnieszka Mroczkowska
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Past Landscape Dynamics, Warsaw, Poland
Sandra Słowińska
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Climate Research, Warsaw, Poland
Mateusz Kramkowski
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Environmental Resources and Geohazards, Toruń, Poland
Anna Kowalska
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Geoecology, Warsaw, Poland
Michał Słowiński
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Past Landscape Dynamics, Warsaw, Poland
Although in situ wood thermal processing, as a common practice in European forests in historical times, has been confirmed in many studies, the environmental implications of that process remain poorly explored. In this study, we focused on evaluating the impact of that process on forest vegetation and soil cover heterogeneity in a fluvioglacial landscape dominated by Brunic Arenosols. This study covered three 70–95-year-old stands of Scots pine in northern Poland. Three soil profiles, including from the relict charcoal hearth (RCH), from the surrounding ditch and a control, were examined from each stand, as well as associated vegetation. The studies showed that 19th century charcoal production platforms were overgrown with 20–60% fewer plant species than control stands. The effect on soils varied according to their characteristics. The presence of anthropogenic horizons consisting of a mixture of burnt soil material, ashes, charcoal particles, and other products of wood pyrolysis was the most distinguishing feature of RCH soils classified as Spolic Technosols (Arenic, Dystric, Pyric, Protospodic, Transportic). Typically, these horizons were characterised by lower bulk density, and higher porosity, as well as higher contents of total organic carbon, nitrogen, and exchange cations than the control soils. The differences between the RCH and control soils were highlighted by a comparison between the pools of the components in a soil column (pedon). Clear tendencies were not recorded for pH, the phosphorus content and stocks, the forms of iron and aluminium, the saturation of the soil sorption complex with bases or the trophic index. This may be due to the long-term neutralising effect of forest vegetation, dominated by Scots pine. Moreover, the results of our study may indicate the problem of toxicity of the RCH soils, which should be undertaken, considering the utilitarian importance of the issue.