Agroecological Soil-Ameliorative Map of the Nonchernozemic Zone of European Russia on a scale of 1 : 1.5 M

The modern state of agroecological mapping is discussed. It is shown that the “Agroecological Soil-Ameliorative Map of the Nonchernozemic Zone of European Russian” belongs to a new type of maps with respect to the principles of its compilation and thematic contents. This map applies the systems approach to the analysis of the spatial differentiation of the territory and combines several information layers: the layer of landscape information differentiated into seven hierarchical levels, the layer showing the agroecological capacity of soils, the layer of soil reclamation and erosion-control measures, the layer of agroecological soil groups, the layer showing the areas that are unsuitable or low-suitable for their agricultural use, etc. The legend to the map is based on a hierarchical genetic classification of landscapes designed for the purposes of reclamation works and agriculture. The criteria applied in this classification reflect stable natural components of landscapes specifying crop growing conditions and the methods of their optimization. The map is designed for solving the problems of the ecological rationalization of agriculture.