THE CONTENTS OF SELECTED TRACE ELEMENTS IN THE SOILS OF BELLSUND, SPITSBERGEN

摘要

Abstract. The aim of the study was to estimate some of the microelements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb and Cd) in the form available to plants and extracted from the soils of the Bellsund seaboard with DTPA-TEA and to estimate the level of connection between thesemetals and the soil properties. The study of the microelements was conducted during the polar expeditions of the Institute of Earth Sciences (UMCS, Lublin) to Spitsbergen in the years 1987-2002. The research embraced Gelic Leptosols, Gelic Regosols, Gelic Gleysols, Gelic Cambisols, Gelic Histosols soils occurring in the major physioagraphic units (Dunderdalen, Logne, Dyrstaddalen, Tyorndalen, Blomlidalen, Lyellstranda, Calypso-stranda, Tomtoden, Chamberlindalen) of the Bellsund area. The research enables us to draw some general conclusions: (i) the contents of the analysed heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd) as well as the properties of Bellsund soils are diversified; (ii) statistical analysis shows a negative correlation between the Pb and Cu content with the content of sand 1-0.1 mm fraction, positive correlation of the Cd and Mn contents with the fine fraction, and of the Pb and Zn contents with organic carbon; (iii) the tested soils are not contaminated with any DTPA-TEA extractable microelemets.