The aim of this study was to characterize soil organic matter in the Nature Reserve Žitavský wetland. The area is located on a fluvial plain of Žitava River. Soil pits were trenched on Mollic Fluvisol, Eutric Fluvisol and Histi-Umbric Gleysol. Since the average CT pool in topsoil of Histi-Umbric Gleysols in Slovakia is around 15.8 g.kg-1, we assume, that high content of organic carbon in A horizon (72.54 g.kg-1) occur due to sedimentation of organic particles from water. Based on results of organic carbon content and its stability, but mainly on sharp increase of humus quality (HA : FA increased from 0.82 to 1.72) we concluded, that in depth of 0.6 m started A horizon of buried Mollic Fluvisol. The highest pool of hot water extractable carbon (Chws) and labile carbon (CL) in Histi-Umbric Gleysol indicate the great amount of organic matter available to microbial oxidation in this soil.
