Soils of sinkholes on the western macroslope of the southern Urals: Properties, catenary relationships, and regional specificity

A series of microcatenas on the slopes of sinkholes were studied on the western macroslope of the southern Urals in the Shulgan-Tash Reserve. The morphological, chemical, physical, and physicochemical characteristics of the soils were analyzed. In order to reveal their regional specificity, the soils of the sinkholes under broadleaved forests in the southern Urals were compared with analogous soils under the northern taiga of the Belomorsk-Kuloi Plateau. It was shown that the full-profile vertically differentiated soils in the upper parts of the microcatenas are replaced by weakly developed and slightly differentiated soils in the lower parts of the microcatenas crossing sinkholes of different diameters in both natural zones.     

Soils and the soil cover of the taiga zone in the northern Urals (upper reaches of the Pechora River)

The territory in the upper reaches of the Pechora River is characterized by the predominance of Al-Fe-humus and metamorphic soils with gley features developing under the middle taiga fir-spruce forests rather than gley-podzolic soils as had been considered before. Some of the described soil profiles represent intergrades between brown taiga soils (burozems) and gleysols; these soils are absent in the new Russian soil classification system. General regularities of the soil cover are controlled by the geomorphic position of the soils on slopes and by the conditions of ground moistening and lateral soil water flows. The development of modern soil cover patterns is determined by the impact of herbaceous and woody vegetation, bioturbation of the soils by windfalls, the presence of dead tree trunks on the soil surface, and other factors.     

Soils of mountainous forest-steppe in the southwestern part of Khentei Ridge (Mongolia)

The study of soil cover in the mountainous forest-steppe on the southwestern macroslope of Khentei Ridge has shown that the spatial distribution of soils is controlled by the ruggedness of topography, slope aspects, geocryological conditions, and the thickness of loose deposits. The soils belong to the orders of lithozems and organo-accumulative soils (Mollic Leptosols) of the postlithogenic trunk of pedogenesis. Dark-humus and mucky–dark-humus horizons of the organic matter accumulation are characteristic features of these soils. The investigated area is differentiated according to the soil moistening conditions on the slopes of different aspects. Favorable growth conditions for dwarf birch and Siberian larch at the southern boundary of the boreal forests in Mongolia are explained by the relatively high moistening of mucky–darkhumus lithozems and mucky–dark-humus soils developed on windward northern slopes and on mountain terraces in places of the local snow accumulation by wind. An important role in preservation of forest vegetation belongs to permafrost in small cirque-like depressions.     

The influence of pine forests of different ages on the biological activity of layland soils in the middle Angara River basin

The influence of pine forests of different ages (from 25 to 85 years) restoring on old plow land soils is reflected in the biological processes proceeding in them. The drastic decrease in the absolute and relative number of actinomycetes, along with an increase of the fungal population in the microbial complexes of the soils (within the whole profiles), indicates that the microbocenoses acquire “forest” properties. In the soils under the younger pine forests, the processes of microbiological mineralization and specific respiration activity are more active than in the soils under the older pine forests. With the age of the pine forests, the soil profiles become more differentiated according to the eluvial-illuvial type.     

Post‐fire forestry management and nutrient losses in eucalyptus and pine plantations,Northern Portugal

The impact of different logging techniques on nutrient losses in burnt eucalyptus and pine forests in northern Portugal was investigated. A variety of logging techniques is used in the region resulting in varying amounts of slash debris on the slopes. The efficacy of this litter in reducing soil erosion is well established but less is known about the impact on nutrient losses. Small bounded plots were used to examine the impact of varying amounts of slash debris and pine‐needle cover on nutrient losses in overland flow and adsorbed to eroded sediment over 19 months during the first two–three years after fire. Nutrient losses in solution and adsorbed to eroded sediment were substantially higher on burnt terrain due to increased erosion and overland flow generation and high nutrient concentrations at the soil surface in the burned forests. Post‐fire logging techniques in eucalyptus forests resulting in large amounts of litter debris on the slopes are effective at reducing eroded sediment nutrient losses but less effective at reducing losses in solution. In pine forests, litter is largely ineffective in reducing solute and sediment nutrient losses. However, a covering of pine needles was shown to be highly effective in reducing eroded sediment nutrient losses and to a lesser extent solute losses. Conservational methods of logging are suggested for both eucalyptus and pine forests in the region. In the absence of such measures, the sustainability of short‐rotation eucalyptus forestry is questioned in northern Portugal. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitative assessment of pedodiversity and soil erosion within a karst sinkhole in the dry steppe subzone

A detailed study of the soil cover of a sinkhole (300 m²) in the dry steppe landscape of the Bogdinsk–Baskunchak Natural Reserve in Astrakhan oblast has been performed, and the factors of its differentiation have been analyzed. The indices of pedodiversity have been calculated and compared for karst sinkholes in the dry steppe and northern taiga landscapes. Quantitative parameters of the lateral migration of solid soil substances on the slopes of the sinkhole have been determined. The rate of soil erosion decreases from the slope of southern aspect to the slopes of western, northern, and eastern aspects. On the average, it is estimated at 0.4 mm/yr. The average rate of accumulation of solid substances on the lower parts of the slopes and in the bottom of the sinkhole reaches 0.74 mm/yr. A comparative analysis of the soil properties attests to their dependence on the particular position of a given soil within the sinkhole. Downward the slopes of the sinkhole, full-profile brown arid soils (Cambic Calcisols) are replaced by sierozem-like soils (Haplic Calcisols), light-humus poorly developed soils (Luvisols), lithozems (Leptosols), and stratified soils (stratozems, or Colluvic Regosols). The soils within the upper ring-shape soil microzone are more diverse and contrasting with respect to their morphological, physical, chemical, and physicochemical properties. The degree of soil contrasts decreases down the slopes of the sinkhole towards its bottom. The studied sinkhole is characterized by considerable pedodiversity. Quantitative parameters of pedodiversity for the sinkhole in the dry steppe zone are higher than those form the sinkholes in the northern taiga zone.     

Soil cover patterns and land assessment in the Baikal region of Buryatia using the example of the Kabansk district

The soil cover patterns in the Kabansk district (the Baikal region of the Buryat Republic), including the Selenga River delta, are analyzed. A soil map of this area has been developed on a scale of 1 : 500000. Stony organic soils are widespread in the tundra zone. Mountain-meadow soddy soils and tundra podburs (under dwarf pine) are formed at lower heights around lakes and in glacial valleys. Kabansk district includes taiga landscapes on the northern slopes of the Khamar-Daban Ridge with the predominance of podburs, podzols, soddy-taiga soils, and burozems. Agrolandscapes occur in the Nizhneselenginsk meadow-bog and forest-steppe natural region with a predominance of soddy forest, soddy gray forest, meadow, alluvial, meadow-bog, and bog soils. Data on the land evaluation in the agricultural part of the studied region are given.     

Soil cover pattern on the northern macroslope of the Tsagan-Daban Ridge in the Transbaikal region

Regularities of soil distribution in the basin of the Vorovka River on the northern macroslope of the Tsagan-Daban Ridge are discussed, and the grouping of soil cover patterns in this area is suggested. Dissected middle-mountain areas covered by taiga forests are characterized by a combination of predominate soddy podburs with small homogeneous areas of podburs and lithozems. Within the piedmont part of the basin, components of soil combinations are different. The major areas are occupied by sandy soils under dry grassy pine forests; poorly developed soils are formed on recent alluvial and colluvial deposits in the depressions and hollows.     

Regularities of the distribution of eroded and aggraded soddy-podzolic soils on slopes

The distribution of differently eroded soddy-podzolic soils on slopes of different gradients, lengths, and aspects has been studied with the use of a quantitative parameter of slope erodibility K. The latter is calculated as a product of slope gradient in the power of 1.3 and the length of the flow line (m) in the power of 0.5. It is shown that moderately eroded soddy-podzolic soils appear on the slopes of northern and northeastern aspects with K equal to 0.4; on the slopes of southern aspect, this parameter is somewhat lower (0.24). Moderately eroded soils prevail on the slopes of northern and northeastern aspects with K equal to 0.7.     

Transformation of peat horizon in swampy southern taiga forests under the impact of surface drainage

The results of stationary studies of swampy southern taiga forests in Yaroslavl oblast are presented. Estimates of changes in the thickness of peat horizon in peat podzolic gley soils (Folic Albeluvisols) of forests subjected to clearcutting and further intensive forest management in the past 30 years are given. The mean annual precipitation in these three decades has been 116 mm higher than that during the preceding three decades, which has led to a progressive swamping of spruce stands on heavy loamy soils within virtually flat (with slopes up to 0.0035) surfaces and an increase in the organic matter storage in the peat soil horizon with the mean annual rate of 22–68 g/m². On more pronounced slopes (0.0050), no swamping of spruce and pine stands growing on sandy soils has taken place. Surface drainage of swampy forests through the network of shallow ditches has led to an increase in the productivity of forests; in most cases, the pool of organic matter in the peat horizon has been decreasing with the mean annual rate of 32–46 g/m². This attests to the reversible character of swamping in dependence on climatic fluctuations and forestry measures. Changes in the carbon pool of swampy soils during short (several years) excessively wet or excessively dry periods may be significantly higher than the average values for 30 years in different types of forests. This allows us to consider swampy forests as the source of significant errors in the estimates of the current contribution of biota to the carbon cycle, because their role (as well as the role of other forests) is assessed without taking into account considerable short-term fluctuations in the carbon pool of their soils.     

Population and biomass of microorganisms in soils of pyrogenic succession in the northern taiga pine forests

In the organic horizons of the Al-Fe-humus podzols under the old pine forests of the northern taiga, the biomass of all the groups of microorganisms, the length of the fungal and actinomycete mycelium, the number of fungal spores, and the bacterial population were maximal (13 mg/g) irrespectively of the stage of pyrogenic succession. The share of fungi (mainly, of basidiomycetes) exceeded 90%. In the mineral root-inhabited soil horizons, the biomass of microorganisms was not greater than 1.0 mg/g. The soil under the lichen pine forest had the smallest biomass of microorganisms as compared to the soil under the pine forests that were not exposed to fire for a long time. At all the stages of the pyrogenic succession, the most favorable conditions for the functioning of microorganisms were in the root-inhabited horizons of the soils in near-stem sites due to the accumulation of nutrients there. In the soils of these zones, the basidiomycete biomass was greater than that in the soils of the gaps. In the mineral soil horizons, buckleless micromycetes demonstrated the same trend. No distinct parcella differences, with respect to the soil nutrient regime, were found only for the prokaryotes. The fungi in the Al-Fe-humus podzols may be used as indicators for the pyrogenic succession stages of forest ecosystems. At the early stages, micromycetes without buckles prevailed, and, in the course of succession, the share of basidiomycetes clearly increased. The density and structure of mycorrhiza were tightly related to the nutrient regime of the soils. The increase in the concentration of available biogenic elements in the root-inhabited soil horizons did not cause the necessity of developing complex mycorrhiza forms.     

陕北黄土区山杏林下草本层植物群落特征研究

根据陕西省吴起县不同立地类型25龄以上山杏人工纯林和山杏沙棘混交林林下草本层植被调查数据,采用时空互代的方法,探讨了在不同立地山杏林下草本层植物群落演替方向及其生态恢复效果.结果表明,阴向缓坡、阴向陡坡和阳向缓坡山杏纯林下草本层由铁杆蒿、达乌里胡枝子群落演替到大披针苔草或铁杆蒿、大披针苔草群落,群落整体由旱生型向中生型转变,盖度和生物量增大,多样性略有降低,呈正向演替;且山杏-沙棘混交林下草本层上述指标均优于纯林.而在阳向缓坡山杏林下由星毛委陵菜、铁杆蒿群落演替到甘草、大披针苔草群落,群落整体向旱生型转变,多样性、盖度、生物量均随林龄增加显著降低,呈逆行演替.建议在阴向缓坡、阴向陡坡及阳向缓坡配置山杏这类低耗水,生长慢乔木树种,其中与沙棘等乡土灌木树种混交的模式更优;在阳向陡坡以营造生长速度适中的灌木林或自然恢复草地植被为宜.     

Influence of Vegetation on the Lability Characteristics of Sandur Areas of the Bryansky Les Nature Reserve

We have assessed the influence of vegetation on the labile characteristics (acidity, total carbon and nitrogen content, and available nutrients) of automorphic soils of polydominant coniferous–broadleaf forests and dwarf-shrub–green-moss pine forests of the Bryansky Les Nature Reserve. Despite the comparable gross and grain size compositions of soil-forming rocks, the differences of soils of these forest types are determined by the influence of vegetation, mainly by its ability to form litters of different quality and to regulate the amount of precipitation percolating through the forest canopy and contributing to the nutrient removal. Soils of pine forests have a higher acidity and lower contents of total nitrogen, organic carbon, and available nutrients than do soils of coniferous–broadleaf forests. The stand of pine forests has a low crown density, which leads to more intensive nutrient removal by atmospheric precipitation infiltrating through the soil.     

Forest-growing properties of soils under young Siberian stone pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sibirica</Emphasis>) forests in Western Siberia

The results of studying the forest-growing properties of the iron-illuvial podzols under purposefully formed young Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica L.) forests are presented. The sufficient supply of these stands with moisture and the high content of nitrogen in the soils make the soils favorable for the regeneration, growth, and development of dark coniferous forests. The soils of the test objects exposed to sanitary cutting were compared to those under the control stand. The silvicultural procedures were shown to promote more efficient use of the soil resources by Siberian pine trees.     

Soils of beech forests in the Moldovan Kodry Hills

In the northwestern part of the Kodry Hills, within the Central Moldovan Upland, on certain steep slopes disturbed by ancient slumps, small areas of virgin beech stands are preserved. These beech groves are developed on specific intrazonal lithomorphic soils that originated from marly clay. The mineralogical composition of this substrate impedes the development of eluvial-illuvial processes and leaching of carbonates typical of the zonal soils that form under broad-leaved forests. The soils under study belong to the group of rendzic soils and can be referred to as marly rendzinas (or pseudorendzinas).     

Composition of the microbial communities in the mineral soil under different types of natural forest

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) patterns were used to describe the composition of the soil microbial communities under 12 natural forest stands including oak and beech, spruce-fir-beech, floodplain and pine forests. In addition to the quantification of total PLFAs, soil microbial biomass was measured by substrate-induced respiration and chloroform fumigation-extraction. The forest stands possess natural vegetation, representing an expression of the natural site factors, and we hypothesised that each forest type would support a specific soil microbial community. Principal component analysis (PCA) of PLFA patterns revealed that the microbial communities were compositionally distinct in the floodplain and pine forests, comprising azonal forest types, and were more similar in the oak, beech and spruce-fir-beech forests, which represent the zonal vegetation types of the region. In the nutrient-rich floodplain forests, the fatty acids 16:1ω5, 17:0cy, a15:0 and a17:0 were the most prevalent and soil pH seemed to be responsible for the discrimination of the soil microbial communities against those of the zonal forest types. The pine forest soils were set apart from the other forest soils by a higher abundance of PLFA 18:2ω6,9, which is typical of fungi and may also indicate ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with pine trees, and high amounts of PLFA 10Me18:0, which is common in actinomycetes. These findings suggest that the occurrence of azonal forest types at sites with specific soil conditions is accompanied by the development of specific soil microbial communities. The study provides information on the microbial communities in undisturbed forest soils which may facilitate interpretation of data derived from managed or even damaged or degraded forests.     

Post-pyrogenic Evolution of Sandy Soils under Pine Forests in the Baikal Region

Eurasian Soil Science - The development of sandy soils under pine forests and the influence of forest fires on the soil properties have been studied in the Baikal region, The profile of background...     

Fire-induced soil water repellency under different vegetation types along the Atlantic dune coast-line in SW Spain

The distribution and variation with soil depth of water repellency has been studied in fire-affected sand dunes under three different vegetation types (pine forest, shrubland and sparse herbaceous vegetation) in SW Spain. The persistence and intensity of water repellency at the exposed surface of soil was measured using the water drop penetration time test and the contact angle method, respectively, in surface samples (0–3 cm) collected at burned and unburned areas. The variation of water repellency with depth in burned areas was studied in soil profiles every 5 cm between 0 and 40 cm depth. None or slight soil water repellency was observed at unburned soil sites, whereas burned soil sites showed a high degree of repellency, especially under pines and shrubland. The spatial pattern of fire-induced soil water repellency was found to be associated to vegetation types, although it was modulated by soil acidity and the soil organic carbon content. Soil water repellency was generally higher at the soil surface, and decreased with depth. Dense pine forests and shrublands showed strong and/or severe water repellency in depth, but it was rare and limited to the first five centimeters under sparse herbaceous vegetation. The heterogeneity of moisture patterns under dense pine forests or shrublands showed the existence of wetting and water repellent three-dimensional soil patches.     

太行山区不同人工林林冠截留降水的比较研究

林冠截留降水是林地水分循环中重要的水文过程。通过穿透降雨和树干径流自动采集系统对太行山区油松和侧柏两种典型人工林在天然降雨条件下林冠截留降水的生态水文过程进行了分析。结果表明,两种林分林冠截留和树干径流的过程都与林外降雨呈正相关关系。油松林冠截留降水的能力明显强于侧柏,而截留降水转化为树干径流流量则小于侧柏。油松林冠次降雨截留降水率约为18.9%,其中大约3.5%的截留降水转化为树干径流,大约81.7%的降水到达地面;侧柏林冠次降雨截留降水率约为13.3%,其中大约8.9%的截留降水转化为树干径流,大约88.9%的降水达地面。从林冠截留功能的角度分析,在太行山区进行人工造林时,坡度较缓山丘地区适宜种植侧柏,坡度较陡的山岭地区适宜种植油松。     

Factors affecting the nutrient status of forest sites in a mountain watershed in Nepal

Soil and foliage samples were collected from 136 sample sites in forested areas of the Dhulikhel Watershed, Nepal. Analyses showed that the soils have small values for pH, base saturation, total nitrogen, carbon and available phosphorus. Sample sites were stratified on the basis of aspect and elevation, soil type, forest type and management and the strata were compared to determine the influence of site factors on forest soil fertility. Soils on south-facing slopes at low elevation contained significantly less total nitrogen and organic carbon compared with soils from north-facing slopes at high elevation. Foliage of both sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) and chir pine (Pinus roxburghii Sargent) growing on red soils (Rhodustults and Haplustults) contained significantly less phosphorus compared with non-red soils (Ustochrepts and Dystrochrepts). Soils under stands of sal have the poorest soil fertility levels in comparison with chir pine and hardwood sites. The continuous removal of base-rich litter from sal sites may account for the poor fertility conditions. Soil fertility levels are greater on sites which have been protected from biomass removal for at least 15 years relative to sites which have come under protection in the past 7 years.