The Influence of Soil Quality on Trees’ Health in Urban Forest

Urbanization leads to a higher degradation of soil quality and trees’ health in the parks. A comprehensive assessment of the green spaces state and soil properties in the recreational zone of urban forest fund was carried out. The research work included chemical (pH, K₂O and P₂O₅ content and heavy metals) and physical (bulk density) composition of urban soils, visual trees assessment with a species diversity description. It was found that the concentrations of trace elements in the soils located in different parts of the park differ depending on their localization. Therefore, two sample points with the same functional component produce various results. Correlation analysis did not reveal the effect of potassium on trees’ health. The phosphorus content in the soil was insufficient. The Nemerow Pollution Index showed heavy pollution of soil. High levels of cadmium and arsenic in the soil were observed in comparison with the backgrounds. The topsoil horizons (0–10 cm) are more polluted, but have less impact on generative trees’ quality. Other factors can also influence the ecology of parks, for instance, location, proximity to highways, filling functional zones, etc.