Agricultural production area and soil organic matter balance in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship

Abstract

The article presents an assessment of the environmental potential of agricultural production area and regional differentiation of soil organic matter balance (2019-2020) against the background of habitat conditions in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Podkarpackie is a region with variable potential of environmental conditions, which affects the spatial differentiation of the level of development of agriculture and rural areas.

The greatest variability of environmental elements characterizing agricultural production area was noted in the terrain. Lower variability was demonstrated by the quality and agricultural suitability of soils, agroclimate, and the lowest by water conditions. The soil organic matter balance in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship showed that in 14 districts, soil organic matter degradation occurred in the range from -0.01 to -0.38 t∙ha^-1, while in the remaining 7 districts, the degree of organic matter reproduction ranged from 0.05 to 1.09 t∙ha^-1. The intensification of crop production favoured the mineralisation of soil organic matter and the occurrence of a definitely negative balance in 4 districts located in the central-eastern part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, where in order to balance it, annual ploughing of straw in the amount of 1.29 to 1.81 t∙ha^-1 would be necessary.

Currently, agricultural production area is perceived more broadly, which, in addition to production functions, also performs landscape and protective functions, as important for the development of rural areas. Therefore, agricultural production area should be managed in such a way as to slow down the degradation of its environmental factors.