The impact of heavy metals on the soil fauna of selected habitats in Niepołomice forest

Abstract

Pollution of soils with heavy metals is particularly dangerous to living organisms. Invertebrates are sensitive to changes in soil conditions, and, therefore, may be considered invaluable indicators of soil disruptions. This study has been undertaken to determine heavy metal content in the in soil and extracted soil fauna in two types of forest habitats of Niepołomice Forest and to establish their impact on pedofauna– their density, diversity and trophic structure. The investigated sites varied in the soil or humus type, and the composition of forest stand and ground cover. The analysis of the pH value showed that the studied soils had acidic (pH 4.45-4.85). Small differences were observed in the content of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, nickiel, zinc and copper) in soil humid forest  and fresh mixed forest. It results from the studies that the heavy metal content did not exceed the standards set out for the soils of Poland. The bioconcentration factor shows that both saprophytes and predatory invertebrates collected the largest amounts of zinc and smaller amounts of cadmium, and the remaining metals were collected in the following order: Cu> Ni> Pb. The results obtained show that the tested heavy metals could have an impact on the density and diversity of meso-and macrofauna. Probably soil fauna affected by other factors (soil moisture, organic matter content, type of humus).