Location
The Pluhuv Bor catchment is situated in the western part of the Czech Republic in the mountain area of the Slavkov Forest, covers an area of 22 ha and range in elevation from 690 to 804 m a.s.l. Mean slope is 13%. Average precipitation and runoff is 850 and 226 mm, respectively. Mean annual temperature is 6°C. The bedrock is ultramafic serpentinite, with occasional tremolite and actinolite schists and amphibolite outcrops. Serpentinite is characterized by extremely high concentrations of Mg, Ni and Cr. The dominant type of soil is eutrophic brown earth. The catchment is planted by almost 110-year old Norway spruce (Picea abies; 88%), with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris; 11%) at the upper part of the site. Tree growth is very slow because of special soil geochemistry (Mg oversupply, K deficiency and Ni toxicity). In the 1970s and 1980s, the area suffered by elevated atmospheric deposition of sulfur. The geochemistry of the catchment makes possible to cope with acidification much better comparing to the other catchments (e.g. Lysina that is only seven km apart). Mineral weathering and atmospheric deposition generate near-neutral magnesium-bicarbonate-sulfate streamwater with a high concentration of Ni. A relatively rich community of bentic macroinvertebrates characterizes the stream. Since 1992, regular hydrologic and hydrochemical monitoring has been provided (bulk and throughfall precipitation, monthly). Runoff is measured using a V-notch weir with a water level recorder. Stream water quality is measured weekly, soil water monthly. Since 1994 site belongs to GEOMON network of 14 monitored catchments, coordinated by Daniela Fottova from the Czech Geological Survey. Since April 2010 it is part of the International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network.
Pavel Krám (pavel.kram@geology.cz)
