HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATION IN FOREST SOILS

The aim of the study was to determine total contents of lead, zinc, cadmium, nickel and copper in forest soils-in Mogilski, Wolski and Zawada forests. The content of Cd, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Zn in the soil of the stands was investigated using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS Cole-Parmer, BUCK 200A). The range of metals content in soils (mg.kg(-1) dry mass) amounted to properly 0.57-0.81 mg Cd, 34.29-40.13 mg Pb, 30.45-40.22 mg Zn, 9.04-11.42 mg Cu, and results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations did not exceed the standards set out for the soils of Poland. The analysed metal contents in the studied habitats did not correlate with the abundance and the biodiversity of the studied fauna. The density and biodiversity of pedofauna was affected probably by other factors (soil moisture content, organic matter content).