Soil Contamination Around the Copper Smelter and the Use of Soil Microarthropods as Bioindicators

ABSTRACT

Soil contamination from smelter emissions, including heavy metals (HM), rare earth elements (REEs), and sulfur, poses a significant threat to soil ecosystems. In the immediate vicinity of the Głogów Copper Smelter, HM concentrations were several times higher than in more distant forest stands. This study assessed the impact of pollutants on soil fauna in single‐aged pine forests, with detailed analyses for Mesostigmata, Oribatida, and Collembola, and broader soil arthropod communities evaluated using the QBS‐ar index. A total of 5819 individuals and 91 taxa of microarthropods were reported. Overall, 88 soil parameters were ultimately examined and analyzed. Results indicated that manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), uranium (U), and rubidium (Rb) had the greatest influence on soil organisms. In terms of abundance, species richness, and diversity, the environmental state was best reflected by Mesostigmata mites, particularly the species Zercon fageticola Halašková. Pollutant concentrations decreased with distance from the copper smelter, and responses of soil fauna varied among groups, reflecting differences in sensitivity to contamination. These results emphasize the value of combining taxon‐specific and community‐level approaches to monitor the ecological effects of industrial emissions.