Abstract

Soil erosion is a serious environmental problem and a threat to the sustainable agriculture production. Little information is available on enzyme activities of eroded soils in Bulgaria, especially on their relations to the degree of erosion and soil properties. In this work, slightly, moderately and severely eroded Chromic Luvisols under different land use (pasture, crop field and virgin) were studied. Enzyme activities (invertase, catalase and phosphatase), total nitrogen, total carbon, available phosphorus contents and soil particle distribution were determined and possible relations between them were examined. Data showed that enzyme activities tended to lower with increasing the degree of erosion. This was better pronounced for invertase and phosphatase in pasture and virgin soils. Depending on land use, all enzyme activities decreased in the order pasture > virgin > crop field soils, showing positive impact of soil cover and negative effect of cultivation practices. Soil invertase and phosphatase activities were in close relations with soil carbon content. The activities of catalase and phosphatase correlated positively with soil clay. Invertase only was in positive relation with soil silt and in negative relation with the sand content. Data obtained are intended to contribute to development of biological indicators of eroded soils.

Keywords: Enzymes, eroded soils, degree of erosion, land use, soil properties.

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