Effect of heavy metals on soil nematode communities in the vicinity of a metallurgical plant in North Slovakia

Abstract

The effect of industrial pollution from chromium ferroalloys production on soil free-living nematode assemblages, c-p groups and generic composition was investigated along 7-km transect. From trace elements (Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb), only chromium exceeded the thresholds for uncontaminated soils (10 mg.kg-1) near the pollution source. In contrast mobilizable fraction of Cr has increased with the distance from the pollution source and was found to be positively correlated with Cox, soil pH, and moisture. Generic richness (nematode diversity) was also higher at remote sites. The low contamination has no significant impact on the nematode communities as illustrated by the c-p groups composition and balanced community structure. Widely applied ecological indices SI and EI also proved maturing ecosystem without any significant stress responses