Skip to main content
Log in

Assessment of the Heavy Metal Pollution Effects on the Soil Respiration in the Baix Llobregat (Catalonia, NE Spain)

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A main goal of investigations is to determine could a soilrespiration be an indicator of the soil pollution. In this case a measured levelof the soil oxygen consumption depends of its pollution. It alsomeans that the pollution reduces biological processes in edaphon.Investigated soil samples were taken from polluted andnon-polluted places in the Baix Llobregat near Barcelona (Catalonia, NE Spain). Soil samples were taken from the top ofsoil (0–5 cm) without a litter. Soil analysis were done, determining percentage shares of coarsefragments, coarse sand, fine sand, coarse silt, fine silt, clay,CaCO3, organic matter as well as water pH and conductivityCE (1:5 [mS cm-1]). Also were determined (in mg kg-1)quantities of heavy metals, as Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cr, Ni, V, Cu, Cd, Pb.The soil respiration was investigated in temperatures15 and 30 °C and with controlled humidity.The respiration in 30 °C is number of times greater thenin 15 °C both for polluted and non-polluted soils.Particularly high coefficients of correlation between the soilrespiration and soil pollution in polluted soils were obtainedfor Pb: r = 0.75 in 15 °C and r = 0.98 in30 °C; for Ba: 0.90 and 0.57; for V: 0.99 and 0.81. In non-polluted soils highest correlation coefficients are for Pb: r = 0.70 in 15 °C; Fe: 0.60 and 0.72; Al: 0.68 and0.64; Mn: 0.51 and 0.66; Ba: 0.63 and 0.61; Cr: 0.94 and0.70; Ni: 0.64 and 0.65; Cu: 0.69 and 0.48; as well as V: 0.62in 15 °C; and Cd: 0.69 in 15 °C.This way the soil respiration could be a good indicator of the soil pollution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, J. P. E.: 1982, ‘Soil Respiration’, in: Page, A. L., Miller, R. H. and Keeney, D. R. (eds.), Methods of Soil Analysis: 2 Chemical and Microbiological Properties, Am. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisconsin, pp. 467–476.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bech, J., Tobias, F. J. and Zimakowska-Gnoińska, D.: 1994, ‘Comparison of Heavy Metals in polluted and unpolluted soils at the NE edge of the Garraf Massif (Catalonia, Spain)’, Abstracts of the 15th International Congress of Soil Science, Acapulco, Mexico, 152–153.

  • Edwards, N. T.: 1974, ‘A moving chamber design for measuring soil respiration rates’, OIKOS 25, 97–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elmholt, S.: 1992, ‘Effect of Propiconazole on Substrate Amended Soil Respiration Following Laboratory and Field Respiration’, Pestic. Sci. 34, 139–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, Z.: 1996, ‘Ecological equilibrium disturbances in the soil exposed to simulated acid rain. Part VI’, Environ. Monit. Assess. 41, 61–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, B. and Hutchinson, T. C.: 1980, ‘Effect of smelter pollutants on forest litter decomposition near a nickel-copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario’, Can. J. Bot. 58, 1722–1736.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, B. and Hutchinson, T. C.: 1980, ‘Pollutant inputs from the atmosphere and accumulation in soils and vegetation near a nickel-copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario’, Can. J. Bot. 58, 108–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gildon, A. and Rimmer, D. L.: 1993, ‘Soil respiration on reclaimed coal-mine spoil’, Biol. Fertile Soils 16, 41–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klekowski, R. Z.: 1975, ‘Constant Pressure Volumetric Microrespirometer for Terrestrial Invertebrates’ in W. Grodziński, R. Z. Klekowski and A. Duncan (eds.), Methods for Ecological Bioenergetics, IBP Handbook Blackwell Sci. Publ., Oxford-London-Edinburgh-Melbourne, 24, pp. 212–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakadai, T., Koizumi, H., Usami, Y., Satoh, M. and Oikawa, T.: 1993, ‘Examination of the method for measuring soil respiration in cultivated land: Effect of carbon dioxide concentration on soil respiration’, Ecological Research 8, 65–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordgren, A., Baath, E. and Soderstrom, B.: 1983, ‘Microfungi and microbial activity along a heavy metal gradient’, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 46, 1829–1837.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordgren, A., Baath, E. and Soderstrom, B.: 1985, ‘Soil microfungi in an area polluted by heavy metals’, Can. J. Bot. 63, 448–455.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordgren, A., Kauri, T., Baath, E. and Soderstrom, B.: 1983, ‘Soilmicrobial activity,mycelial lengths and physiological groups of bacteria in a heavy metal polluted area’, Environ. Poll. (Serie A) 41, 89–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strojan, C. L.: 1978, ‘Forest litter decomposition in the vicinity of a zinc smelter’, Oecologia (Berl.) 32, 203–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witkamp, M.: 1969, ‘Cycles of temperature and carbon dioxide evolution from litter and soil’, Ecology 50, 922–924.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zimakowska-Gnoińska, D., Bech, J. & Tobias, F.J. Assessment of the Heavy Metal Pollution Effects on the Soil Respiration in the Baix Llobregat (Catalonia, NE Spain). Environ Monit Assess 61, 301–313 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006105329210

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006105329210

Navigation