A present status of knowledge and assessment of anthropogenic soils in Slovakia

The concept of anthropization of soils includes a lai ge number of individual phenomena, processes and changes induced by direct or indirect human activity on soils. The human influence on soils causes either cultivation or degradation or destroyment (cut and fill) of soil cover. There is 3 need in particular dealing with definitions of anthropogenic soils and characterization of anthropogenic diagnostic horizons in order to construct a criterial system of anthropogenic soil classification. In this paper we consider definitions and characteristics of some anthropogenic diagnostic horizons used in the world (Revised Legend of FAO-Unesco, World Reference Base for Soil Resources, US Soil Taxonomy) and compare with definitions introduced in the Morphogenetic Soil Classification System (MSCS). While world classifications are interesting in only positive cultivated human influence on soils except sulphuric horizon of US Soil Taxonomy, Slovak and German classifications consider degraded (toxic and imission) and destroyed (transported and primitive development on transported materials) impact on soil cover, too. Several pedologists in Slovakia deal with tasks of anthropogenic soil classification. There is a result of the current status of knowledge and assessment of soil anthropogenization and technogenization in Slovakia. We present some anthropogenic soil classifications made in Slovakia, and in the world, and introduce critical assessment of the anthropogenic soil diagnostic horizons and classifications. Also we suggest a new variant acceptable for the Slovak soil classification system. Kultizems are soils in situ with anthropic modified A-horizon in minimum soil depth more than 60 cm which are cultivated by gardening, riggoling and terracing. Anthrozems are soils with anthropic artificial A-horizon on artificially transported material which was made either by heaped activities or by primitive development on dredged materials, soil banks with artefacts occurrence (debris, waste, scrap, refuse, ashes). Finally, we suggest new anthropogenic soil type Degradozem for soils mainly affected by toxic and imission impact. They are soils in situ polluted by high heavy metal and imission concentrations. We distinguish toxic Degradozems which are dangerous and harmful for human-animal life and imission Degradozems without such dangerous impact (Tab. V).