The Significance of Buffer Forest Stands in the Function of the Protection of Degradation Process of Alcalization of the Primary Agricultural Soils in Vojvodina
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Abstract
The possibility of the establihment of buffer forest zones on the border line between the most fertile principal agricultural soils and halomorphic soils in the flat parts of Vojvodina, i.e. the zone of the most intensive agricultural production, considering their protection from numerous degradation processes was analysed in this work. Alkalization, as a degradation process endanger circumferential parts of principal soils, consisting of: 17 474 ha chernosem, or 0.81%, 957 ha semigley, or 0.05%, and 16 270 ha of humigley soils, or 0.75%, that makes 34 701 ha in total, or 1.61% of the total area of Vojvodina. The selection of trees and shrubs for the afforestation of these areas must be primarily in compliance with particular soil characteristics of the habitat. Results of this research suggest that in the ecological zone of alkalized chernozem, in the zone of trees the xerophilic and thermophilic species from geni: Robinia, Quercus, Prunus, Morus and Pinus could be conductive, in the ecological zone of alkalized semigley that would be mesophilic and higrophilic species from geni: Quercus, Fraxinus, Ulmus, Populus, Sorbus, Morus, Prunus and Malus, and in the ecological zone of humigley that would be species from geni: Quercus, Fraxinus, Ulmus, Populus and Salix. In thes buffer zone forests, below the zone of trees, a high abaundance of shrub species, adapted to particular soil conditions is necessary. By the establishment of buffer forests, the zone of intensive agriculture production would be protected from invasive degradation influences, on one hand, while the long-term meliorative effect on salt soils in Vojvodina would be achieved, on the other hand.
Keywords: principal agricultural soils, alkalinization of soils, buffer forests, Vojvodina