Geostatistical investigation of a reclaimed dumpsite soil with emphasis onaluminum

Spatial heterogeneity of dumpsite soils differs from that of natural soils due to their anthropogenic origin, which makes description of their propert ies more complicated. In anthropogenic soil of a reclaimed dumpsite in Nort hern Bohemia, the spatial distribution and interrelations among basic soil properties and two aluminum forms were studied by a combination of factor a nalysis and geostatistics. Similar distribution patterns were found for soi l pH, exchangeable acidity, oxidizable carbon content, pyrophosphate-extrac table organic carbon and labile Al. Humus quality parameter (A(400)/A(600) ratio) and Al extractable with sodium pyrophosphate showed different spatia l distributions. Ranges of variogram models (spherical with nugget) for mos t of these variables were between 280 and 290 m; their distribution pattern s were related to topsoil reclamation management. In factor analysis, three factors explaining 83.8% of total variation were selected and their interp retation was facilitated by kriging. The first factor accounted for positiv e effects of soil reclamation, including decreasing soil acidity and labile aluminum content, whereas the influence of afforestation, especially on hu mus quality and content, was well pronounced in the second factor. The effe ct of depositing, indicated by elevation. was probably expressed in the thi rd factor influencing aluminum content extractable with sodium pyrophosphat e. Geostatistics proved to be useful for anthropogenic soils on reclaimed a reas where spatial distribution of soil properties is determined more by hu man activity than by natural evolution, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.