In April 1996, we collected soil samples in the vicinity of a magnesite pla
nt at Lubenik, southern Slovakia, and screened them for soil microbial biom
ass and activity. Six investigated sites were chosen along a transect, with
distances ranging from 600 to 8000 m from the plant, to represent a gradie
nt of intoxication. Soil microbial cellulase activity, respiration, biomass
, metabolic quotient of the soil microbiota, and numbers of platable fungi
increased with increasing distance from the plant, i.e. decreasing degree o
f intoxication. The observed gradients of soil microbial characteristics of
the investigated sites reflect the physico-chemical soil parameters and th
e floristic characteristics of these sites, and may be used to predict tran
sitory changes during amelioration.