Inclusion of soils and soil-like bodies of urban territories into the Russian soil classification system

The results of the Internet discussion on the classification of urban soils aimed at evaluating their possible inclusion into the modern Russian soil classification system adopted by a wide range of specialists are presented. The first step was to address the urban diagnostic horizons as the basis for identifying soil types according to the rules of the Russian soil classification. New diagnostic horizons were proposed for urban soils: urbic (UR), filled compost-mineral (RAT), and filled peat (RT). The combination of these horizons with other diagnostic horizons and layers of technogenic materials correspond to different soil types. At the subtype level, the diagnostic properties (qualifiers) that may reflect both natural phenomena (gley, alkalinity) and technogenic impacts on the soils (urbistratified; phosphatic; or poorly expressed urban—ur, rat, rt) are used. Some corrections were proposed for the system of parent materials in urban environments. Urban soils formerly described in another nomenclature—urbanozems, urbiquasizems, and culturozems—are correlated with the taxa in all the trunks of the system. The proposals accepted can be used for the next updated version of the new Russian soil classification system.     

亚热带山地草甸土性态的变异及其在中国土壤系统分类中的地位

为了解我国亚热带地区山地草甸土性态的变化和成土特点,从福建、浙江、江西、安徽、湖南和贵州等省采集了20个代表性山地草甸土剖面,详细观察了土壤剖面形态特征,分析了土壤颗粒组成、有机质、阳离子交换量(CEC)、酸度、氧化铁形态和黏土矿物类型等指标,并从诊断分类的角度探讨了它们在中国土壤系统分类中的地位。结果表明:这一地区的山地草甸土表层有机质积累均非常明显,颜色普遍呈黑色和深褐色,土壤酸化明显,土壤氧化铁游离度多在40%以下,土壤CEC较高。但研究也发现,不同样点之间土壤的土体厚度、剖面构型、黏化状况、有机质垂直分布、氧化铁含量、矿物类型及其诊断层和诊断特性均有较大的差异。土体构型大致有Ah-C、Ah-Bw-C、Ah-Bt-C和Ah-G-C等4类。根据中国土壤系统分类的诊断标准,可把研究的20个剖面归并为均腐土、潜育土、淋溶土、雏形土和新成土等5个土纲,下续分为6个亚纲、10个土类和15个亚类。研究认为,在地理发生分类中笼统地把这些土壤归为一个土类存在边界不明确等问题。     

Anthropogenic Soils on the Territory of the New Jerusalem Monastery,Moscow Region

The soil cover inside the walls of the New Jerusalem Monastery (in the city of Istra, Moscow region) has been completely transformed during the long history of anthropogenic loads on the local landscape. Specific anthropogenic soils have been formed from the technogenic deposits on the top and slopes of the monastery hill. These soils contain numerous artifacts; in their upper part, horizons with characteristic features of the modern humus-accumulative process have been developed. The major types of anthropogenic soils on the territory of the monastery—urbiagrostratozems, soddy urbistratozems, and soddy-calcareous urbistratified soils—have been described. The composition of technogenic deposits determines the shift of pH values towards the alkaline reaction, the high content of available phosphorus compounds, and the soil contamination with heavy metals. The post-alluvial gray-humus soils close in their morphology and chemical properties to the natural soils of the floodplain predominate in the soil cover of the park zone adjacent to the walls of the monastery in the Istra River valley.     

Microfabrics of desert soils of Mongolia

The mineralogical composition of coarse fractions and the specificity of micro- and submicromorphology in the zonal sequence of desert soils of Mongolia (pale brown, gray brown, and extremely arid soils) were studied. A comparative analysis of analytical characteristics and macro- and micromorphological features of these soils made it possible to specify diagnostic criteria of elementary pedogenetic processes in the automorphic desert soils developed from the Quaternary slightly saline alluvial fan deposits. The microfabric of the soil mass near the pores in the crust horizons of desert soils and the microfabric of recent and relict calcite and calcareous-clay coatings on the surface of pebbles were described.     

Morphometric profiles of pore space in loamy soils of the forest and steppe zones of European Russia

A computer-based image analysis of vertically oriented thin sections was applied to study changes in the shape and orientation of fine soil macropores (d = 0.2−2.0 mm) in the profiles of soddy-podzolic soils and typical (migrational-mycelial) chernozems. Generalization of the obtained morphometric data was based on the theory of mereology, a scientific discipline studying the structure (part-whole relationships) of classified objects. As a first approximation, generalized data characterized archetypes of morphometric porespace profiles of the studied soils. The archetype of the pore-space profile of the soddy-podzolic soil consists of four components (meronyms) corresponding to the humus-accumulative, eluvial, textural (clay-illuvial), and transitional to the parent material (BC) horizons. Sharp boundaries between the upper horizons specify sharp changes in the studied meronomic indices of the shape and orientation of soil pores. The pore-space profile of the migrational-mycelial chernozem consists of two major components: specific pores in the granular dark-humus (AU) horizon and complex pore space of the BCA and BCca horizons that are poorly differentiated with respect to the shape and orientation of their fine macropores despite clear genetic differences between these horizons. Pore-space patterns in the lower (transitional to the parent material) horizons of the studied soils are characterized by the high degree of similarity (>75%). Pore-space patterns in the upper horizons of the studied soils are different; the level of their similarity does not exceed 24–41.5%. The results obtained in this study hold promise in the use of morphometric characteristics of the pore space in separate genetic soil horizons as meronyms composing archetypes of the pore-space profiles of different soils. Such archetypes may be used for diagnostic purposes as reference pore-space profiles of the particular types of soils.     

Etude de la nutrition potassique du sorgho II‐ incidence du remplacement du potassium par le sodium sur la teneur en acides organiques des feuilles

Abstract

An Investigation was conducted to determine the content and distribution of total and DTPA‐extractable Zn in the genetic horizons of 72 agriculturally important soils from the six major mineral soil areas in Louisiana.

The concentration of total Zn appeared to vary more with the clay constituents of the soils and the amount of the element in the parent materials than with soil depth. The majority of the soils had the largest amounts of total Zn in the subsurface horizons. The range in total Zn for all soils and horizons was from 7.0 to 150.0 ppm.

The DTPA‐extractable Zn in all of the soils and horizons ranged from 0.08 to 4.22 ppm. In the majority of the soil profiles the highest concentration of extractable Zn was in the surface horizons. There was a decrease in the extractable Zn with increasing soil depth. The alluvial soils along the Ouachita and Mississippi Rivers, and the Mississippi Terrace soil areas contained relatively large amounts of DTPA‐extractable Zn.

In some soils the extractable Zn significantly correlated with total Zn. There was also a close relationship between extractable Zn and organic matter content, especially in the Ap horizons.     

Radioactive Contamination of Alluvial Soils in the Taiga Landscapes of Yakutia with <Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs, <Superscript>226</Superscript>Ra,and <Superscript>238</Superscript>U

The concentrations and distribution of ¹³⁷Cs in alluvial soils (Fluvisols) of the upper and middle reaches of the Markha River in the northwest of Yakutia and ²²⁶Ra and ²³⁸U in alluvial soils within the El’kon uranium ore deposit in the south of Yakutia have been studied. It is shown that the migration of radiocesium in the permafrost-affected soils of Yakutia owing to alluviation processes extends to more than 600 km from the source of the radioactive contamination. The migration of ¹³⁷Cs with water flows is accompanied by its deposition in the buried horizons of alluvial soils during extremely high floods caused by ice jams. In the technogenic landscapes of southern Yakutia, active water migration of ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra from radioactive dump rocks. The leaching of ²³⁸U with surface waters from the rocks is more intense than the leaching of ²²⁶Ra. The vertical distribution patterns of ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra in the profiles of alluvial soils are complex. Uranium tends to accumulate in the surface humus horizon and in the buried soil horizons, whereas radium does not display any definite regularities of its distribution in the soil profiles. At present, the migration of ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra with river water and their accumulation in the alluvial soils extend to about 30 km from the source.     

Morphological diagnostics of pedogenesis on the anthropogenically transformed floodplains in Moscow

At present, many parts of river valleys, including floodplains, are being actively used for urban construction. This leads to the disturbance of normal functioning of the valleys; alluvial deposits and soils become buried under the thickness of various anthropogenic materials. Four profiles of typical urban soils (urbanozems) developed on the floodplain of the Moskva River and its small tributaries have been studied. The macro- and micromorphological characteristics (including data of submicroscopic studies) and the chemical and physicochemical properties of these soils are analyzed. It is shown that the influence of ground-water on the anthropogenically transformed soils of floodplains and low terraces is preserved even upon the cessation of regular flooding. The substitution of urban pedosedimentogenesis for alluvial pedosedimentogenesis has a gradual character with a transitional stage of simultaneous occurrence of both processes. Clayey and clayey-calcareous infillings in the middle-profile horizons and newly formed phosphates of iron and calcium in the lower horizons affected by the groundwater can be considered typical diagnostic features of the urban-alluvial pedogenesis.     

福建主要土壤的粘粒云母含量和供钾潜力

利用X射线衍射法估算了福建省221个土壤样品中粘粒云母含量并讨论了与粘粒云母含量变化有关的因素。结果表明母质是影响粘粒云母含量的主要因素。海积物、河积物及页岩上发育的土壤粘粒云母含量一般较高;基性岩上发育的土壤粘粒云母含量一般较低。风化度较高的赤红壤、红壤、黄红壤和黄壤等土类的粘粒云母含量一般较低。风化度较低的C层的粘粒云母含量一般较B层和A层高,但异源母质的堆积可以使A层粘粒云母含量高于B层和C层。     

Chrono-toposequences of soils on the river terraces in Transylvania (Romania)

A sequence of surface soil profiles and buried soils described on the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st terraces of different rivers in Transylvania is presented as part of an attempt to perform a paleopedologic interpretation of the dominant soil types of this area. Excepting the first terrace, the described soils were formed from Pleistocene slopewash deposits of Würm, or possibly of Riss age, which overlay alluvial terrace deposits. On the basis of fossil animal remains, periglacial cryostructures, prehistoric artifacts (Coţofeni culture of the transition period from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age) and Scythian graves an approximate age of different soil horizons, as well as the polycyclic nature of soils was established. There is no essential difference between a Würmian buried soil horizon and the argic Bt horizon of the surface soils; moreover, in some cases, the buried paleosols become the Bt horizon itself of the surface soils, through the thinning of the overlying deposits. Even if the possibility of formation of the argic Bt horizons during the postglacial until the end of Neolithic, cannot be excluded, from the presented situations it seems that these horizons in the Transylvanian Basin are Würmian relics, formed in the periglacial interstadials. In most of the cases Bt horizon has nothing in common genetically with the topsoil.     

河南省典型土系的特定土层特征与分类研究

根据土壤发生学理论,在土壤景观相似的土壤中(如相同母质、相似气候、相同地形以及相似的植物类型和动物活动),土壤的属性具有相似性;然而由于地理环境中复杂的成土因素的影响,土壤绝无完全相同的土壤个体。在划分土壤地理发生分类基层单元土种和系统分类基层单元土系时,特定土层被用于反映土体构型差异。但特定土层类型多样,目前尚处于模糊状态,随着土系划分研究的深入,有必要对其进行分门别类与归纳整理。本文以河南省典型土系为例,梳理和总结了土系划分时涉及的主要特定土层,从特定土层形成根源上将其分为现代成土环境下土壤发生过程形成的、地质成因或地质时期土壤环境下发育形成的和人类活动产生的三个类型,并提出了基于土系概念的特定土层分类与检索体系,旨在使特定土层的概念更为系统、全面、开放,以便于使用。     

Suprapermafrost Horizons of the Accumulation of Raw Organic Matter in Tundra Cryozems of Northern Yakutia

In the profiles of cryozems (Oxyaquic Turbic Cryosols) developing in tundra of northern Yakutia under conditions of shallow active layer, suprapermafrost horizons of the accumulation of raw organic matter are formed. Taking into account their genesis, stable and regular position in the soil profile, paragenetic links with the overlying horizons and neighboring soil profiles, and a set of diagnostic features and properties, these horizons can be separated as a new type of genetic soil horizons—the organomineral accumulative suprapermafrost horizon (CRO). Its qualitative composition (the ratio of organic and mineral matter in the material) can be reflected at a lower level. In relation to the separation of the new genetic horizon within the framework of the new Russian soil classification system, a new genetic types of soils—cryozem with suprapermafrost accumulation of raw organic matter (suprapermafrost organo-accumulative cryozem)—can be established. Its diagnostic profile has the following horizonation: (O, AO, T)–CR–CRO–┬C.     

Application of cluster and discriminant analyses to diagnose lithological heterogeneity of the parent material according to its particle-size distribution

Particle-size distribution in soddy-podzolic and light gray forest soils of the Botanical Garden of Kazan Federal University has been studied. The cluster analysis of data on the samples from genetic soil horizons attests to the lithological heterogeneity of the profiles of all the studied soils. It is probable that they are developed from the two-layered sediments with the upper colluvial layer underlain by the alluvial layer. According to the discriminant analysis, the major contribution to the discrimination of colluvial and alluvial layers is that of the fraction >0.25 mm. The results of canonical analysis show that there is only one significant discriminant function that separates alluvial and colluvial sediments on the investigated territory. The discriminant function correlates with the contents of fractions 0.05–0.01, 0.25–0.05, and >0.25 mm. Classification functions making it possible to distinguish between alluvial and colluvial sediments have been calculated. Statistical assessment of particle-size distribution data obtained for the plow horizons on ten plowed fields within the garden indicates that this horizon is formed from colluvial sediments. We conclude that the contents of separate fractions and their ratios cannot be used as a universal criterion of the lithological heterogeneity. However, adequate combination of the cluster and discriminant analyses makes it possible to give a comprehensive assessment of the lithology of soil samples from data on the contents of sand and silt fractions, which considerably increases the information value and reliability of the results.     

Soils of floodplains in arid regions of Inner Asia (the Zavkhan River,Mongolia)

The environmental conditions of soil formation and the diversity and classification position of soils developing on the Zavkhan River floodplain are considered, and the morphogenetic and agrochemical properties of these soils are characterized. It is shown that the conditions of soil formation on the floodplain of the Zavkhan River are specified by the mountainous topography, the effect of the large Mongol Els sand massif, the character of the alluviation processes, the groundwater level and salinity, and the regime of floods. The position of the floodplain in the system of altitudinal zones largely dictates the character of the soil cover pattern. In terms of the new Russian soil classification system, the soils studied belong to three trunks, four orders, and seven types: stratified humus alluvial soils, light-humus alluvial soils, light-humus quasigley alluvial soils, light-humus stratozems, and solonchaks. The soils of floodplain ecosystems in arid regions are characterized by low fertility. For their efficient use for pasturing and crop growing, the ecologically balanced differentiated application of manure, mineral fertilizers (NPK), and some microelements is required.     

冀北地区盐碱化土壤系统分类的归属研究

采用《中国土壤系统分类（第三版）》和《中国土壤系统分类——土族与土系建立原则与标准（试用稿）》对冀北地区7个盐碱化土样进行了分类,共划分了4个土纲,6个亚纲,6个土类,7个亚类,建立了平地脑包系等7个土系。研究结果表明,系统分类亚类与发生分类亚类参比并无对应关系;部分盐碱化土壤并未在系统分类高级单元中体现盐碱特征,而在基层分类中对盐分含量和积累位置进行补充,表明系统分类的划分指标要求更严格,分类更标准。最后讨论了盐碱化土壤诊断层、诊断特性和土壤分析方法的确定等问题。     

Soils of the Southwestern Part of the Pacific Coast of Russia

The diversity of soils in the southwestern part of the Pacific coast of Russia (Primorie region) is discussed. Overall, 17 soil types belonging to 8 soil orders have been described in this region, and their morphology and properties have been studied. The diversity of plant communities, geomorphic conditions, and parent materials and relatively mild (as compared with other parts of the Far East region of Russia) specify the great variability of soil cover patterns. Low sea terraces are occupied by various peat, organo-accumulative, and gley soils; poorly drained medium-high terraces are the areas of various dark-humus and darkhumus gleyed soils. Typical and gleyic dark-humus podbels, dark-humus, and dark-humus gleyed soils formed on the high sea terraces. Residual elevations are occupied by brown forest (burozemic) soils, including typical burozems, dark-humus burozems, and gleyic dark-humus burozems and by dark-humus podbels. Various alluvial, gleyic gray-humus, and mucky gley soils are developed on riverine plains. On general, darkhumus soils with the high (>10%) humus content predominate; the area of dark-humus podbels us estimated at about 20%, and the area of dark-humus burozems is about 12%. All the soils in this region are specified by increased acidity values. The exchangeable sodium content is often high in the upper soil horizons with maximum values (0.71–1.19 cmol(c)/kg) in the peat gleyzems, peaty dark-humus soils, mucky-gley soils, and eutrophic peat soils of sea terraces. The grouping of the soils with respect to their physicochemical and agrochemical properties is suggested.     

Higher levels of description—approaches to the micromorphological characterisation of Russian soils

Several attempts were made in the past to identify high-level soil microfabrics, following the ideas of Kubiëna. They resulted in proposals to identify specific fabric types, soil materials, somas, formations, or morphotypes, based on the combinations of micromorphological characteristics of the studied horizons of soils. These units present complex (integrated, typical, and central) micromorphological images of soil horizons or materials. Using the available information on Russian soils, the author defined the “micromorphotypes” of soil horizons by illustrating this approach by two examples of simple and complicated genetic horizons. Emphasis was put on genetic and diagnostic aspects of micromorphological interpretations, which is traditional for Russian micromorphological studies. Moreover, the definition of “micromorphotypes” was derived from the ideas of diagnostic horizons, which serve as a base for the new Russian soil classification system. Examples of “micromorphotypes” are discussed for a Chernozem and major mineral horizons of loamy soils with textural profile (correlated with Albeluvisols in the WRB system). They illustrate the morphogenetic principles applied, and also bring to light some problems concerning the choice and hierarchy of criteria used for a number of soils.This “micromorphotypes” approach may contribute to the diagnostics of horizons for soil classification, for detection of human impacts, and for the identification of paleosols and their diagenetic changes. To facilitate contacts with nonprofessionals in micromorphology, a simple terminology and a priority of pedogenic principles seem to be preferable.     

Hydrocarbon Status of Alluvial Soils in the Istra Morphostructural Node (Moscow Oblast)

The effect of the current block structure of the earth’s crust and its most active sites (morphostructural nodes) on the natural hydrocarbon status of alluvial soils has been considered. Studies have been performed in the Istra district of Moscow oblast within the Istra morphostructural node. The node represents an area of increased geodynamic activity of the earth’s crust located at the convergence or intersection of block boundaries: mobile linear zones following large river valleys with alluvial soils. Soil cover mainly consists of alluvial humic-gley soils (Eutric Gleyic Fluvisols) of different depths and alluvial mucky-gley soils (Eutric Gleyic Histic Fluvisols). Some soils manifest stratification. Two factors forming the hydrocarbon status of soils are considered: soil processes and the effect of geodynamic activity, which is manifested within the morphostructural node. The contents of bitumoids and retained methane and butanes in alluvial soils appreciably increase at the entry of river valley into the node. The occurrence frequency of 5–6-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (perylene and benzo[ghi]perylene) in mineral horizons increases. It has been concluded that alluvial soils within the Istra morphostructural node are characterized by the biogeochemical type of hydrocarbon status with signs of emanation type at sites with the highest geodynamic activity.     

Phosphate retention on soils in the central valley of Chile

The retention of phosphate and the content of available phosphate were estimated by a new method with monobasic sodium phosphate (pH 4.5) and the Olsen's method, respectively, on the Principal soils in the central valley in Chile. Trumaos (Andosols) are, in general, distinctly in the value of P-retention than other soils with the exception of trumaos of alluvial origins. This characteristic of trumaos can be employed for the identification of trumaos among r soils and alluvial trumaos among ordinary ones. The P-retention value of volcanic ash soils of decreases with the crystallization of the amorphous inorganic materials. According to the data of P-retention, certain rojos arcillosos (red clays) are presumed to have surface horizons of volcanic ash origins. Granitic rojos arcillosos are notably low in P-retention compared with other arcillosos. The organic matter content and P-retention value of soils are closely related to each other, suggesting that both organic matter and phosphate are retained by soils on the same a erials though by different mechanisms.

The content of available phosphate in surface horizons varied from soil to soil and no difference was noticeable among the soil groups of trumaos, rojos arcillosos, and paddy soils. Also no relation was found between the P-retention value and available phosphate content. However, in lower horizons where plant roots are scarce or absent, no available phosphate was found in trumaos in contrast to the presence of an appreciable amount of phosphate in rojos arcillosos. Phosphate of native trumaos appear to be practically insoluble. The surface soil rich in available phosphate was limited to cultivated fields, suggesting that the available phosphate was largely due to the remnant of applied fertilizers and partly to the remains of organic phosphorus from plants and soil organisms. The content of available phosphate tends to decrease with time after application of phosphates, and a significant negative correlation coefficient was obtained between the amount of available phosphate and the P-retention value of soils at least by three months after application of phosphate. The higher the P-retention value of soils, the less the content of available phosphate, and the faster the fixation of phosphate.