The trend of changes in soil organic carbon content in Poland over recent years

Abstract

The article analyzes soil organic carbon (SOC) content of in Poland from 2015 to 2021. The research aims to determine SOC levels and their dependence on soil agronomic categories and drought intensity. Soil samples from 1011 farms across 8 Polish voivodships were collected for analysis, all from the same agricultural plots. SOC determination was conducted using the Tiurin method. The results indicate a low SOC content nationwide (0.85-2.35%). Heavy soils exhibited higher SOC accumulation compared to light soils. Moreover, significant drought impact led to decreased SOC content in affected regions. Scientific evidence underscores a declining trend in organic carbon stock within agricultural soils, attributed to natural soil changes and unsustainable management practices. This decline is concerning given the crucial role of SOC in soil health, quality, and crop productivity. Therefore, it is imperative to monitor and address areas with low SOC levels to enhance SOC abundance. Furthermore, when used as a whole-cell biocatalyst in a low-cost upflow MFC, the Morganella morganii-rich SF11 consortium demonstrated the highest voltage and power density of 964.93±1.86 mV and 0.56±0.00 W/m3, respectively. These results suggest that the SF11 bacterial consortium has the potential for use in ceramic separator MFCs for the removal of penicillin and electricity generation.