CHANGES OF CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FOREST SOIL AND BIOMASS OF PICEA ABIES (L.) KARST. SEEDLINGS AFTER SINGLE WOOD ASH APPLICATION.

Wood ash produced by heating plant which incinerate only chemically noncontaminated dendromass, is possible to use in forests to improve soil characteristics and input elements back to the soil. The paper is focused on changes in nutrients (Ca, P, Mg and K) and heavy metals content (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb and Cd) in forest soil as well as biomass of juveniles of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) after single wood ash application. Needles and stems of 2 - 3 years old spruces were analyzed. Wood ash was applied in autumn 2010 in the central Slovakia. In the forest was used grate ash in amount of 5 t.ha-1. Spruce biomass as well as soil samples were collected during vegetation period 2011. Results show increased content of all analyzed nutrients in spruce juvenile biomass and no significant input of heavy metals to forest soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]