ABSTRACT
Surface sealing is one of the main causes of soil degradation in the European Union, together with erosion, decrease in the soil organic matter (SOM) content, and compaction. The systematics of urban surface deposits developed by the aforementioned research team defines Ekranosols as one of the urban soil types under the road foundation, asphalt, concrete, and others. The contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil microbial carbon (MBC), and soil microbial nitrogen (MBN) were significantly lower in sealed soils than in open soils. The biological properties of urban soils are mainly affected by the vegetation, especially the accumulation of plant litter at the topsoil layer of lawns and forest, which are selected mostly as reference soils. The reduced availability of carbon and substrates may be the main cause of the reduced MBC content and activity.
