Assessment of the catalase activity of the soil profile by methods of multidimensional statistics (On the example of drained swamps of Western Siberia)

Weakly, moderately and intensively drained peat soils (Histosols) occupied by pine forests (Pinus sylvetris L.) were studied. According to seasonal observations catalase activity of soil profile was divided into two areas - 0-10 and 10-30 sm, using discriminant, canonical analysis, multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis methods (tree clustering and the K-means method). The surface zone is highly active, not homogeneous in reaction kinetics, in which the horizons 0-5 and 5-10 cm are grouped into three separate clusters depending on the depth of drainage. The lower zone, with relatively stable and reduced catalase activity, combined horizons of 10-20 and 20-30 cm of soils of different drainage levels into one cluster. The interdependent effect of environmental factors - soil temperature, soil bulk moisture, redox potential and pH on catalase activity was 98%. The greatest “weight” is brought by hydrothermal indicators with a dominant contribution of soil bulk moisture.