VEGETATION AND MANAGEMENT EFFECTS UPON SOME PROPERTIES OF BLACK CHERNOZEMIC SOILS OF THE EDMONTON REGION

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Abstract
Characteristics and properties of Black Chernozemic soils were assessed after 17 yr of continuous forest, grass and grain cover as well as summerfallowing in order to determine the influence of habitat upon soil development. Of major interest were morphological and micromorphological changes although physical chemical and biological aspects are also included. Variations observed in many of the soil characteristics and properties within five different habitats were minor, reflecting a great deal of resiliency to changes imposed by new sets of pedogenic forces. The most notable changes in morphological features were associated with fabric rearrangement as reflected in increased compaction and decreased porosity under cropping and fallowing and development of banded fabric and breakdown of basic mullgranic fabric units under forest cover. Characteristics of surface soils within the grass plot closely resembled uncultivated grassland soils. Only slight variability was observed among chemical parameters. Soils were slightly more acidic and base unsaturated under forest canopy. Total percent O.C. values showed little variation among plots and were very close to values reported for Ah horizons of uncultivated Black Chernozemic soils in the region. H2SO4-hydrolyzable sugar content was markedly lower in the fallowed plot. Soil collembola and mites showed considerable variability with habitat. Their overall contribution to the pedogenic process is yet uncertain. Key words: Black Chernozemic; soil degradation; soil development; soil fauna