HEAVY METALS IN SOILS AND VASCULAR PLANTS OF THE BELLSUND AREA (SPITSBERGEN)

The basic properties of soils in major physiographic units of the area were examined. The content of several heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Co) in soils and selected vascular plants were determined, also. The relationship between the content of metals in plants and the content of metals in soils was determined. The content of metals in both soils and plants had a particular order, although not the same all the time. It usually opens with manganese and closes with cadmium. The plants of the Silene acaulis (L.) type are characteristic of high values of manganese. Positive correlations were observed between the content of copper in soils and the Saxifraga cespitosa (L.) and Saxifraga oppositifolia (L.) plants. A negative correlation was observed between the content of copper in soils and the Dryas octopetala (L.) plants. There are generally few publications written on the presence of heavy metals in the soils of polar areas (4, 14, 16, 20). Even fewer of these can be found on the content of these metals in soils and plants. The Spitsbergen area explicitly differs in this matter, the Bellsund region in particular, where JoŸwik and Magierski undertook some research (5-7), and JoŸwik as regards plants (8). Our research was aimed at further development of the above publications by including whole soil profiles, and by also using a reagent specifically for micronutrients during extraction. Hence, this paper presents the relation between heavy metals in selected vascular plants of the Bellsund area and their content in the major soils of the region, taking into consideration the above assumptions.