Trace metals in auto- and semihydrogenic soils found in three forest site types of Bialowieza National Park

The aim of this work was to determine the content of Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni and Cd in auto- and semihydrogenic soils of Bialowieza National Park and to find relationships between their occurrence and litho- and pedogenic features of these soils. Basing on geometric mean contents of the elements studied a quantitative series of their occurrence was established as follows: Mn (297) >Zn (29) >Cr (16) >Pb (12) >Ni (10) >Cu (8.0) >Cd (0.29) mg kg-1 d.w The distribution of the above trace elements in soil profiles is linked to the direction of progress of the soil forming processes and, to some extent, to the variability of soil texture (especially in not completely developed soils). In general, the mineral-organic (A) horizons were least abundant in Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd, followed by the illuvial (Eet) and bedrock (C) horizons of the soils studied. Statistical analysis shown a significant correlation between contents of Cr, Ni and Zn and clay and colloidal particle amounts as well as between the content of Pb and the amount of organic carbon