Chemical Properties of Serpentine Soils from Kosovo

Ultramafics represent magmatic or metamorphic rocks which are characterized by high concentrations of Mg, Fe, Ni, Cr and Co and low concentrations of macronutrients. They contain less than 45% silica (SiO2). Throughout the territory of Kosovo there are many basic and ultra-basic rocks. The aim of this study was to determine the content of heavy metals and other macro elements in some of serpentine soils of Kosovo and finding out bioavailable Ca/Mg relationship as well, which is very important indicator for plants development. The sampling was conducted on June 2014. Three serpentine areas have been surveyed and 7 soil samples in total have been taken in different depth of soil profiles. The serpentine soils at all sites were characterized by elevated levels of heavy metals such as, Fe, Ni, Cr, Cd, Mn that show typical properties of ultramafic environments. Total Ni availability at studied areas varied from 1543 to 2570 mg kg^-1, whereas bioavailable Ni is on range of 37.71 mg kg^-1 and 101.04 mg kg-1 respectively. On the other hand concentration of bioavailable macroelements such as Ca, K is very low and varied from 874 up to 3822 mg kg^-1 for Ca and from 16.5 to 91.1 mg kg^-1 for K, which is also characteristics of ultramafic soils, while Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrations in analyzed serpentine soil samples fall within the ranges for normal soils. The Ca/Mg ratio varied from 0.63 to 3.17, which is one more indicator of ultramafic soils.