Changes in Microbial Activity Associated with the Nitrogen Biogeochemical Cycle in Differently Managed Soils, Including Protected Areas and Those Reclaimed with Gangue

The proximity of ecologically valuable areas to industrial zones indicates a strong need for monitoring their condition. Soil assessment involves both molecular techniques for studying microbial biodiversity, such as PCR, sequencing, and metagenomics, as well as parameters of biochemical and enzymatic activity of soil microorganisms. The authors studied the activity of microorganisms responsible for the nitrogen cycle to compare the condition of soils under different uses (wastelands and arable fields) located in the ecologically valuable areas of the Polesie National Park (PNP, protected area) and its surroundings. Additionally, they assessed the suitability of gangue for reclamation and its effectiveness depending on treatment duration (2 and 10 years). In most of the activities analyzed, their levels were lower in the park. A higher intensity of ammonification and nitrification was observed in the soil sampled from the field in the park; however, a reduced N 2 O emission was also recorded after incubation in the lab of soil samples collected in the autumn, which may indicate that nitrogen loss from the soil does not occur in this particular habitat, which requires further, long-term and cyclical field trials. These observations confirm the potential protective role of the park in relation to soils and atmosphere in the context of the nitrogen cycle. The activities under study in the reclaimed soils were in both cases lower than in soils from the fields. The current results prove that this method of reclamation is not entirely effective; however, long-term reclamation yielded better results. The present study provided valuable information on the effectiveness of the protective role of the PNP in relation to soils and air. Additionally, these results may be helpful in making decisions regarding the use of waste, such as gangue, for reclamation.