Agrogenic transformation of soils in the dry steppe zone under the impact of antique and recent land management practices

Virgin, cultivated, and old-arable soils have been studied in the area of Olbia, one of the antique poleis in the northern part of the Black Sea region. It is shown that the soils cultivated during the antique time still preserve some features differing them from their virgin analogues. In the course of agrogenic evolution, progressive changes in the morphology of dry steppe soils are not accompanied by the improvement of soil aggregation at lower levels. Macromorphological indices attest to the enhanced development of humification processes and leaching of carbonates and soluble salts in the soils cultivated during the antique time. At the same time, a number of soil degradation processes are vividly manifested in the cultivated soils. It is suggested that this process can be referred to as the soil allopseudomorphosis.