The characteristics of forest soils from Covasna county

Abstract

Forest soils represent an important resource for Covasna County, characterized by a large surface of both private and national forests. The forest soils (that differ from agricultural soils) were analysed based on the following chemical characteristics: soil’s solution reaction, base saturation degree, humus and total nitrogen content and the total cationic exchange capacity. A total number of 15 soil types were analysed in Covasna County. The most widespread ones are eutric cambisol and dystric cambisol, which cover together 77% of the surface. At the same time, the most acid soils are entic podzols, while the most alkaline are rendzic leptosols. The majority of soils are mezobazic, moderately or intensely humiferous, well and very well supplied with nitrogen. Entic podzol has a very large cationic exchange capacity, while all other soils have high capacities. The chemical characteristics of forests soils from Covasna County are favourable to forest vegetation, a fact that can be observed by the stands’ productivity.