Journal of Environmental Biology

Comparative study on soil properties in a picnic and

undisturbed area of Belgrad forest, Istanbul

 

Meric Cakir*¹, Ender Makineci¹ and Meric Kumbasli²

¹Department of Soil Science and Ecology, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University - 34473,

Bahcekoy, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey

²Department of Forest Entomology and Protection, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University - 34473,

Bahcekoy, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey

(Received: March 18, 2009; Revised received: May 20, 2009; Accepted: September 18, 2009)

 

Abstract: The aim of this paper was to investigate the recreational impacts on some soil properties (sand, silt, clay, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, bulk density, fine soil weight, compaction and saturation capacity), and litter (unit weight-mass, organic matter content (%) and organic matter mass) properties in a picnic area by comparing an undisturbed area in Istanbul Belgrad Forest-Turkey. According to the results obtained in this study, the litter mass on the picnic area has been found considerably lower. There were some crucial changes in the characteristics of the soil which has been investigated in 0-5 cm depth. No important difference had been detected between the picnic area and the undisturbed area in terms of sand, silt and clay proportions. However, other investigated soil properties in 0-5 cm depth showed significant differences between undisturbed area and picnic area. Soil was significantly compacted by recreational activities in picnic area. Moreover, organic carbon content (1.328%) on the picnic area has found quite lower. Depending on the compaction of the soil and lessen quantity of soil organic matter, the value of saturation capacity (24.13%) in the picnic area was considerably lower, bulk density and fine soil weights significantly higher. Thus, the soil properties in the picnic area were negatively affected by recreational pressure.

Key words: Recreation, Visitors? pressure, Soil, Litter, Picnic areas

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