pH and the content of macroelements in soils after the flood in the central Vistula River valley

Abstract

In a field experiment conducted in the Lublin region (central Vistula River valley), we evaluated the pH_KCl and the content of available forms of P, K and Mg in the soil after the 2010 flood. We obtained the soil samples from a 0–20 cm layer of 1,466 plots of arable land. The study concerned an area of 6,927 ha. pH_KCl fluctuated between 5.1 and 6.7. We found the most acidic soil in Łaziska commune, and the least in Józefów and Janowiec communes (pH neutral). The content of available phosphorus in the communes of Puławy, Łaziska, Stężyca and Wilków, was average, while in Józefów and Janowiec it was high; it depended on the agronomic category and the pH. The content of available potassium in the soil fluctuated from 107.5 to 129.2 mg K kg^-1. It was the lowest in light soil, and the highest in average and heavy soil. It was substantially higher in light acidic, neutral and alkaline soil than in very acidic and acidic soil. The content of available magnesium in the soil ranged from 90.4 to 160.7 mg Mg kg^-1. Availability of magnesium in a very light soil was high, and very high in light, average and heavy soil. Acidic soil contained the least amount of available magnesium, and neutral soil the most. We found that the content of available forms of P, K and Mg depended significantly and positively on the agronomic category (except for available P), and the soil pH. The assessed properties of the soil after the flood did not significantly differ from the values before the flood. The present study may become the basis for a comparison of similar events in the future.