THE MICROMORPHOLOGY OF AN SENSISITVE HILLY SOIL AS HABITAT FOR MICROBIOTA DELIVERING SOIL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Abstract

The paper investigated the aspects related to the intimate processes taking place in a slope soil, located in the hilly region of Buzău County (Aldeni), an area highly affected by erosion processes. The study was focused on a Cambic-Cumulic Chernozem, located in the lower part of a convex slope facing south. The results showed that the plasma leaching process is very high in the upper Apt-A/B horizons: emphasised by the abundance of the impure clay coatings, which practically coated many structural aggregates. The granulometry data weakly emphasized these aspects: the differences between the clay content in the top Ap and Aph horizons is 1.1%, while the physical clay ( 0.01 mm) showed a higher difference of 1.8%. In contrast, the hydro-physical analysis showed impressive differences, comparing to the granulometry: total porosity is 53.5% in Ap and 43.2% in Aph, while the hydraulic conductivity is 10.29 mm/h in Ap, dropping to 4.57 mm/h in Aph. These differences could be due to the impure (and rich in Fe gels) clay coating which coated and even clog many pores. In the Bv horizon the clay attended a maximum (35.9%, comparing to 30.4% in the upper and 33.5% in the lower horizons respectively), the groundmass plasma is relatively stable, while the clay coatings are rarely. In stead, the plasma from the humic coprolites "massively" leached in the void space. The macro- and mesofauna activity is very high, suggesting a friendly habitat, and showing good conditions for high level of cumulic soil services delivery.