Nyugat-Dunántúl szántóinak talajviszonyai regionális összehasonlításban a LUCAS talajfelvételezés alapján Soil properties of West-Transdanubian croplands in a regional comparison based on the LUCAS Topsoil Survey.

The LUCAS Topsoil Survey, the first harmonised soil sampling and analysis – based on standard analytical methods in the same laboratory - was carried out in the European Union, including Western-Transdanubia and its six surrounding regions in 2009. Based on the analytical results of 208 samples from cropland soil in the seven regions a comparative study was performed. Results of the assessment of main soil properties, including sand-, silt- and clay content, pH, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, CaCO3 content, cation exchange capacity and nutrient (NPK) content suggest no major difference in the cropping conditions in the observed regions. The well-known differences in soil conditions were not mirrored in the examined individual soil properties. In fact, all regions have quite large varieties of cropland soils. As far as the soil conditions of the West-Transdanubian region is concerned, it has relatively lower SOC than its surrounding areas. Probably in relation to the SOC levels, lower cation exchange capacities were detected as well. The carbonate content is the most variable in the cropland soils in the West-Transdanubia, mirroring the large diversity of soil forming conditions in the region. In close correlation to the carbonate content, the pH values of the soil samples from the region cover quite wide range as well. Particle size distribution analysis shows the dominance of medium to medium fine texture categories in all the seven investigated regions. Based on the analysis of the LUCAS Topsoil samples we might assume no major difference in the cropping potential among cropland of the seven investigated regions. However, the assumption based only on the topsoil samples might be misleading. Further studies on cropping potential need to consider deeper soil layers and climatic conditions too. Nevertheless our current comparative study suggest the possibility for enhancing soil organic carbon level in the cropland soils of West-Transdanubia, which could not only benefit plant production, but the performance of a series of other soil function as well.

JRC.D.6 - Knowledge for Sustainable Development and Food Security