Bibliogr.

The aim of the study was to present the diversity of folisols occurring in the Polish part of the Tatra Mountains. Morphology, basic properties and classification of the folisols were taken into consideration. The presented material was collected in a soil survey conducted on the forest research plots (regular grid 500×500 m) in the Tatra National Park. During this research, 22 folisols from a total of 668 soils were described. Typical pedons of folisols were selected for this study. The basic properties of soils were determined using standard laboratory methods. The studied folisols occurred at various altitudes and were covered with different vegetation (spruce forests, dwarf pine thickets, grasslands). The occurrence of these soils was associated with very specific locations, such as: (1) outcrops of various rock types with relatively high resistance to weathering – in such places rocky folisols (Leptic Folic Mawic Histosols) were formed, and (2) rock debris and slope cover consisting of large rock fragments – in such places mainly debris folisols (Skeletofolic Mawic Histosols) were formed. The properties of the studied folisols depended primarily on the bedrock. Vegetation affected morphology of the folisols but has no significant effect on their properties. These soils were acidic, but the occurrence of even a low amount of carbonate rock fragments (limestone, dolomite) caused soil alcalization. Therefore, the implementation of the subtype ‘calcareous folisol’ to the Polish soil classification is justified.