VARIOGRAM ANALYSIS TO MEASURE THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF BRIOGEOCHEMICAL FIELD OF NORTHERN UKRAINE

“Variogram analysis allows revealing the spatial structure of the biogeochemical data, to group elements according to their similarity of their biogeochemical behavior, and describe the mechanisms of their concentration in mosses. The concentration macroelements in moss make up a composite geochemical field that is determined by a combination of several factors: availability of mineral and chemical forms of elements for their assimilation, the presence and magnitude of the physic-biological barriers in the environment.

The most concentrated are the biophilic elements (S, P, K, Ca, Mg,) and B, which are capable of vigorous and strong biological adsorption. Excluding of K, their spatial size are beyond the limits of geostatistical study, meaning that they have an immeasurable scale. This is probably a reflection of the effect of the mineral substrate.

Such macroelements as Fe, Al, Na and K have a clear rank, which indicates the different size of the spatial factors and, probably, caused by a hydromorphic complex. The association of trace elements in moss have similar variogram with one rank, may be a reflection the territorial differences of the aerial fall-out of heavy metals.”