ORIGINAL PAPER
Principal component analysis of soil thermal regimes in Luvisols on contrasting slopes in the Wieliczka Foothills, south Poland
1
Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Polska
2
Faculty of Geography and Geology, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management,, Jagiellonian University, Polska
Submission date: 2025-12-02
Final revision date: 2025-12-22
Acceptance date: 2025-12-30
Online publication date: 2025-12-30
Publication date: 2025-12-30
Corresponding author
Tomasz Zaleski
Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 21, 31-120, Kraków, Polska
Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza 21, 31-120, Kraków, Polska
Soil Sci. Ann., 2025, 76(4)216247
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Soil temperature profiles are key indicators of microclimatic conditions and subsurface energy fluxes, and they are strongly controlled by slope aspect. Despite their importance, quantitative assessments of how contrasting slope exposures influence soil thermal regimes remain limited. In this study, we applied principal component analysis to a multi-year soil temperature dataset collected at several depths on north- and south-facing profiles Fragic Albic Endostanic Luvisol (Cutanic, Siltic) (IUSS Working Group WRB, 2022) in the Wieliczka Foothills (Outer Carpathians). The soils exhibit a typical sequence of genetic horizons, including humic, eluvial, illuvial, and parent material layers. The profiles were located on north- and south-facing slopes, both with comparable inclinations of approximately 10–12°. Temperature was measured using 5TM moisture and temperature sensors, with data recorded by an EM50 data logger (Decagon Devices, USA). Measurements were collected from 2015 to 2019 at 10-minute intervals from five sensors installed at depths of 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 cm. Principal component analysis of soil temperature profiles revealed two dominant sources of thermal variability. The first principal component captured the seasonal dynamics expressed as annual temperature cycles across soil depths on both slopes. The second component clearly differentiated between slopes, showing a persistent, year-round thermal advantage and greater heat storage below 0.6 m depth on the south-facing slope. These results demonstrate that soil thermal profiles effectively capture microclimatic variability governed by slope aspect and provide a robust framework for evaluating landscape-scale thermal heterogeneity.
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