1st International Conference of Soil and Agriculture:
TOWARDS SOIL SUSTAINABILITY
11–13 June 2024 • Lublin–Nałęczów, Poland

https://doi.org/10.24326/ICSA1.PP.07
Published online: 4 October 2024

Usage of soil enzymatic indicators to evaluate
the environmental effects of active protection of calcareous grasslands
Barbara Futa*

Institute of Soil Science, Environmental Engineering and Management, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author:

Abstract
The calcareous xerothermic grasslands of the Festuco-Brometea class provide a habitat for a diverse array of rare and threatened flora and fauna species. These communities are among the most endangered habitats within the European ecological network Natura 2000. The principal threat posed to these habitats stems from secondary succession. This process is typically instigated by an absence of habitat usage, such as mowing or grazing. If left uncontrolled, this succession may compromise biodiversity within open areas, potentially affecting species residing therein. Secondary succession within xerothermic grasslands could potentially lead to the decline of naturally valuable habitats and induce transformations within the soil environment. Common practices for preserving these crucial grasslands include grazing by domesticated animals, regular mowing, and the elimination of bushes and tree seedlings. However, the implications of these management practices on the biochemical processes within grassland soils are inadequately understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of active conservation strategies on the biochemical status of soils in calcareous grasslands. Specifically, the study focused on determining the activity levels of three hydrolase class soil enzymes: urease, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase. These hydrolases play crucial roles in nitrogen (urease) and phosphorus (phosphatases) circulation processes. The geometric mean of soil enzymatic activity (GMea) was calculated for each habitat type, and was utilized as a comprehensive indicator of soil enzymatic activity. The study was conducted on soils of the calcareous xerothermic grasslands of the Lesser Poland Upland. The research focused on Natura 2000 habitats, subjected to various modes of active treatments, such as mowing, tree and bush removal, and moderate sheep grazing, with an adjacent uncultivated area serving as the reference point. Soil samples for the laboratory tests were gathered from the 0–20 cm layer in May 2023. The study shows a positive correlation between protective treatments and improved biochemical status of the soil across all the habitats analysed. However, the most significant growth of enzymatic activity was observed in the intervened habitat treated by mowing. The comparative environmental impact of protective measures as deduced from the GMea index follows this hierarchy: mowing > sheep grazing > deforestation > no treatments.

Keywords: soil enzymes, removal of bushes and trees, mowing, grazing, Natura 2000

How to cite
Futa B., 2024. Usage of soil enzymatic indicators to evaluate the environmental effects of active protection of calcareous grasslands. 1st International Conference of Soil and Agriculture: Towards Soil Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICSA1.PP.07