TY - JOUR N2 - The aim of this study was the application of the geo-accumulation index and geostatistical methods to the assessment of forest soil contamination with heavy metals in the Babia Góra National Park (BGNP). For the study, 59 sample plots were selected to reflect all soil units (soil subtypes) in the studied area and take into account various forms of terrain. The content of organic carbon and total nitrogen, pH, hydrolytic acidity, the base cations and heavy metals content were determined in the soil samples. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) was calculated, enabling estimation of the degree of soil pollution. The tested soils are characterized by strong contamination with heavy metals, especially with lead. The concentration of heavy metals in the surface horizons of the tested soils exceeds allowable concentration. The content of heavy metals was related to the content of soil organic matter, soil acidity and altitude. Higher altitudes are dominated by coniferous tree stands, which are accompanied by acidic, poorly decomposed organic horizons. Our study has confirmed the impact of pollutants transported from industrial areas on the amount of heavy metals in soils of the BGNP. L1 - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/117975/Archives%20vol%2046%20no%203_69_79.pdf L2 - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/117975 PY - 2020 IS - No 3 EP - 79 DO - 10.24425/aep.2020.134537 KW - forest ecosystem KW - soil quality KW - topography KW - geostatistic KW - heavy metals KW - multivariate analysis A1 - Łyszczarz, Stanisław A1 - Błońska, Ewa A1 - Lasota, Jarosław PB - Polish Academy of Sciences VL - vol. 46 DA - 2020.09.30 T1 - The application of the geo-accumulation index and geostatistical methods to the assessment of forest soil contamination with heavy metals in the Babia Góra National Park (Poland) SP - 69 UR - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/dlibra/publication/edition/117975 T2 - Archives of Environmental Protection ER -