The impact of the mountain barrier on the spread of heavy metal pollution on the example of Gorce Mountains, Southern Poland

The spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements in the mountain forest topsoils (the Silesian Beskids, southern Poland)

Progressive industrialisation and urbanisation in recent decades have dramatically affected the soil cover and led to significant changes in its properties, which inevitably affect the functioning of other components of the forest ecosystems. The total content of Pb, Cd, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, As, and Hg was studied in twenty-five plots at different heights in the topsoil (organic and humus horizons) formed from the Carpathian flysch in the area of the Silesian Beskids (Western Carpathians). The aim of this article is to analyse the spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements in the mountain forest topsoil in different types of plant communities and to determine the relationship between altitude and potentially toxic elements contamination. The soils studied are acidic or very acidic, with an average range of 3.8 (H2O) and 2.9 (KCl). Concentrations of the metals Cd, Zn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Hg on the plots that were analysed are within the range of permissible standards for forest ecosystems in Poland, while Pb and As exceed the permissible standards for this type of ecosystem. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed a high correlation between Fe-Cr (r(32) = 0.879, Pb-Hg r(32) = 0.772, Ni-Cr r(32) = 0.738, Zn-Cd r(32) = 0.734, and Cu-Hg r(32) = 0.743, and a moderate statistically significant positive correlation between Cu-Pb r(32) = 0.667 and As-Pb r(32) = 0.557. No correlation was found between altitude and the occurrence of potentially toxic elements. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) index, on the other hand, indicates that Pb, As, and Cd have the highest impact on soil contamination in all study plots: it classifies soils from moderately to strongly polluted. The enrichment factor (EF) obtained for As and Hg indicates significant-to-very high enrichment in all areas studied. The potential ecological risk index (PLI) calculated for the sites indicates the existence of pollution in all areas examined. The highest risk categories (considerable to very high) are associated with cadmium and mercury.

Soil Contamination with Metals in Mountainous: A Case Study of Jaworzyna Krynicka in the Beskidy Mountains (Poland)

The paper presents the content of six metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the soils of the southern slope of Jaworzyna Krynicka in Poland. Soil samples were collected in polygons, starting from an altitude of 500 m above sea level and ending at an altitude of 1100 m above sea level. Ten soil samples were collected in each polygon. The polygons were set at every 100 m of absolute altitude. The selected research area is an important natural area. The fertile mountain beech forests located there are the most important forest communities in the mountain areas of Poland. They are valuable habitats for plants and animals (especially for large predatory mammals). Every year, numerous tourists and health resort patients visit this place. The results of the research showed that soil contamination in the study area is not high, in particular for altitudes of 500 and 900 m above sea level. At these altitudes, the contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were similar to the concentrations of these metals in uncontaminated soils. The tests carried out showed very low cadmium content for all absolute altitudes. Zinc, the concentrations of which exceeded natural values, showed the highest content in the tested soils. All the metals tested showed a common tendency of increases in their content in the soils of Jaworzyna Krynicka up to 800 m above sea level. From an altitude of 900 m above sea level, the content of these metals decreased, except for Pb. Only Pb concentrations in Jaworzyna Krynicka soils also increased with the increasing altitude. The research significance of this work is that it is important for assessing the ecological balance in the selected area.