ASSESSMENT OF BIOGENIC ELEMENTS CONTENT IN SOILS AT ROSTOV-ON-DON ZOO
The content of biogenic elements in soils is important for assessing their state, as it conveys information about the intensity of biological processes that regulate the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. Organic waste accumulating on the soil surface can not only reduce the aesthetic appeal of zoos, but also serve as sources of pathogenic microflora, biotoxins and unpleasant odors. The content of mobile forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soils of 12 plots of different functional zones of the Rostov-on-Don Zoo was studied. A significant excess of the content of nutrients, primarily exchange ammonium and mobile phosphorus in the soils of aviaries, was revealed. The accumulation of these compounds is associated with the ingestion of animal excrement contained in the enclosures of the zoo. The significant role in this process of the size and activity of animals, the area of aviaries, and also the introduction of ameliorants into the soil were revealed. The highest concentrations of mobile forms of nitrogen and phosphorus are observed in enclosures with large animals: Asian buffalo and red deer. The correlation coefficient of ammonium nitrogen with animal urine is 0.79-0.94.