Biological Activity of Brown Semidesert Soils of the Baer Knolls

Eurasian Soil Science - We have evaluated the biological activity of brown semidesert soils (Eutric Cambisols (Loamic, Protocalcic)) of the Baer Knolls (Astrakhan oblast) formed under different...     

Application of the Spectral Neighborhood of Soil Line Technique to Analyze the Intensity of Soil Use in 1985–2014 (by the Example of Three Districts of Tula Oblast)

The technique of separation of the spectral neighborhood of soil line (SNSL) makes it possible to perform quantitative estimates of the intensity of agricultural land use. This is achieved via calculation of the frequency of occurrence of bare soil surface (BSS). It is shown that the frequency of occurrence of BSS in 1984–1994 was linearly related to the soil type within the sequence of soddy strongly podzolic, soddy moderately podzolic, soddy slightly podzolic (Eutric Albic Glossic Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Differentic, Ochric)); light gray forest (Eutric Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Differentic, Ochric)), gray forest (Eutric Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Ochric)), and dark gray forest soils (Luvic Retic Greyzemic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric)); podzolized chernozems (Luvic Greyzemic Chernic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)) and leached chernozems (Luvic Chernic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)). The intensity of exploitation of the least and most fertile soils in this sequence comprised 28 and 48%, respectively. In the next decade (1995–2004) the relationship between the type of soil and the intensity of its exploitation drastically changed; the intensity of exploitation of the leas and most fertile soils comprised 14 and 43%, respectively. Nearly a half of agricultural lands in the zones of soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils were abandoned, because the cultivation of the soils with the natural fertility below that in the podzolized chernozems became economically unfeasible under conditions of the economic crisis of the 1990s. The spatiotemporal relationships between the character of the soil cover and the intensity of exploitation of the agricultural lands manifest themselves by the decreasing frequency of occurrence of BSS from leached chernozems to soddy strongly podzolic soils and from 1985 to 2014.     

Anthropogenic transformation of soils in the northern Ergeni Upland (studies at the first experimental plot of the Arshan’-Zelmen Research Station)

The results of soil studies performed in 2005–2009 at the first experimental plot of the Arshan’-Zelmen Research Station of the Institute of Forest Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences are discussed. The post-reclamation state (about 55 years after reclamation) of the soils under forest shelterbelts and adjacent croplands in the rainfed agriculture was studied. The long-term efficiency of forest reclamation and crop-growing technologies developed in the 1950s by the Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute and the Institute of Forest to reclaim strongly saline solonetzic soils was proved. In 55 years, strongly saline sodic solonetzes with sulfate-chloride and chloride-sulfate composition of salts were replaced by agrogenic soils with new properties. Under forest shelterbelts, where deep (40–60 cm) plowing was performed, the soils were transformed into slightly saline solonetzic agrozems with slight soda salinization in the upper meter and with dealkalized plowed and turbated horizons (0–20(40) cm). Under the adjacent cropland subjected to the influence of the shelterbelts on the soil water regime, strongly saline solonetzes were transformed into solonchakous agrosolonetzes with slight soda salinization in the upper 50 cm. In the plow layer, the content of exchangeable sodium decreased to 4–12% of the sum of exchangeable cations. An increased alkalinity and the presence of soda were found in the middle-profile horizons of the anthropogenically transformed soils.     

Changes in the agrochemical properties of major arable soils in the south of the Far East of Russia under the impact of their long-term agricultural use

Agrochemical properties of meadow-brown (Gleyic Cambisols (Clayic, Aric)) and meadow-chernozemic (Luvic Gleyic Chernic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)) soils under the impact of long-term application of mineral and organic fertilizers were studied. The investigations were performed at the agrochemical experimental stations of the Primorskii region and Amur oblast founded in 1941 and 1962, respectively. It was shown that the long-term crop cultivation without fertilizers or with great rates of mineral fertilizers and lime resulted in the soil dehumification, a rise in the soil acidity, and a decrease of the content of exchangeable bases. These processes were slowed down by the application of organic fertilizers. Agrochemical parameters of meadow-chernozemic and floodplain meadow (Fluvic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric, Oxyaquic)) soils of Amur oblast (Russia) and the Heilongjiang border province (China) were compared.     

Impact of Nonylphenols on Biological Activity of Loamy Soddy-Podzolic Soil

Eurasian Soil Science - The effect of the endocrine disruptor nonylphenol on the biological activity of loamy soddy-podzolic soil (Eutric Albic Retisol (Abruptic, Loamic, Aric, Ochric)) was studied...     

Salt regime of post-irrigated soils at the Kislovsk irrigation system

The study of post-irrigated and virgin soils at the Kislovsk irrigation system has shown that the salt regime of the post-irrigated soils is determined by the (1) depth and salinity of the groundwater, (2) the litho-logical structure of the soil and subsoil, (3) the local microtopography, (4) the presence or absence of a solonetzic horizon in the post-irrigated solonetzes, and (5) the portion of solonetzes in the soil cover. The post-irrigated soil complexes on the Privolzhsk sand ridge with a groundwater depth of more than 4 m do not undergo secondary salinization. At the groundwater depth of 2.0–2.6 m, post-irrigated meadow-chestnut soils remain nonsaline, chestnut soils and solonetzes with an artificially destroyed (due to deep tillage) solonetzic horizon undergo desalinization, and solonetzes with a preserved solonetzic horizon undergo salinization in the subsolonetzic layers. The post-irrigated soils of the Khvalyn undrained sea plain used for rainfed farming have become saline in the deep part of the profile, and their plow layers remain nonsaline.     

Quantitative Estimate of the Heterogeneity of Solute Fluxes Using the Dispersivity Length for Mathematical Models of Pesticide Migration in Soils

Mathematical models of solute movement in soils are used as management means for assessing the migration of agrochemicals and calculating environmental risks. In these models, the soil block includes the soil values of dispersivity length or solute diffusivity as one of the main parameters. Under laboratory conditions, this parameter was determined experimentally in soil columns by recording the dynamics of the effluent concentration and solving inverse problems. A direct experimental method of field determination based on the movement of marker solution was tested. For the prediction, risk calculation, and management of pesticide application using physically based mathematical models, the following stepwise procedure is recommended: (1) model parameterization based on experimental soil properties; (2) use of the field dispersivity length, which was 3–11 cm for the 0- to 40-cm layer, exceeded 12 cm for deeper fissured BEL and BT (40- to 60-cm) horizons with prismatic structure, and had a median value of 21 cm in layers below 60 cm in experiments on an agrosoddy-podzolic soil (Eutric Albic Glossic Retisol (Abruptic, Loamic, Aric) (WRB, 2014) from Moscow oblast.     

Solonetzic process in postagrogenic and postameliorative conditions of the Kamennaya Steppe area

The physicochemical conditions and morphological features of solonetzic process in soils of chernozemic solonetzic complexes were studied in the area of solonetzic experimental station no. 1 in the Kamennaya Steppe area in 55 years after a single application of ameliorative measures (earthening, gypsuming, and manuring) and cessation of the annual plowing. It was found that the modern soil-forming factors favor the development of soil processes inherent in native chernozems and solonetzes prior to their plowing and amelioration. They cause the restoration of the humus horizon in chernozems and the morphological differentiation of solonetzes after the cessation of plowing. Active postameliorative and postagrogenic restoration of solonetzic features is related to the preservation of the physicochemical conditions (the low concentration of salts and the presence of exchangeable sodium) in the soil profile. The humus horizon of chernozems applied over the surface of solonetzes is characterized by the appearance of solonetzic features under hydromorphic conditions.     

Soils of cryogenic subarid steppe landscapes in the Terekhol intermontane Depression of the Sangilen Upland

The soil cover of the Terekhol intermontane Depression in the Tyva Region is poorly studied. The data obtained in the 1950s do not reflect the real genetic diversity of soils and their specific character. According to these data, the soil cover was dominated by meadow-chernozemic soils under virgin steppe-like meadows. The investigations of 2007–2009 show that the disperse-carbonate chernozems, which are often solonetzic and weakly saline; the specific polygenetic dark soda solonchaks-solonetzes; and the postagrogenic chernozems, solonetzes, and agrozems are the main components of the soil cover of the depression at the present time. The described chernozems correspond mainly to the central image of southern Siberia chernozems. The investigated solonetzes are characterized by a number of evolution-genetic features that distinguish them from previously described solonetzes of Tyva and from all the solonetzic soils in the current interpretation. The chernozems and solonetzes have cryogenic features due to the cold extremely continental climate and relatively shallow continuous permafrost.     

Phytotoxicity of Heavy Metals in Contaminated Podzolic Soils of Different Fertility Levels

Eurasian Soil Science - We have compared the impact of heavy metals (HMs: Cu 660 + Zn 1100 + Pb 650 mg/kg) on agrosoddy-podzolic soils (Albic Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic, Ochric)) of two arable...     

Morphogenetic features of soils in the Cat Tien National Park,southern Vietnam

Morphogenetic features of soils on the selected plots in the Cat Tien National Park in southern Vietnam have been studied with the use of a set of morphological, analytical, and instrumental methods. The lithological factor and topographic position play the leading role in the development of the particular genetic soil features. The soils can be subdivided into four groups according to these factors. The soils developing from volcanic deposits with a predominance of tephra can be classified as thin clayey brown tropical soils (Dystric Skeletic Rhodic Cambisols (Clayic)), and the soils developed from less weathered colluvial derivatives of basalts with some admixture of tephra can be classified as dark-humus clayey tropical soils (Skeletic Greyzemic Umbrisols (Clayic)). Very poor soils developed from the eluvium of argillites are classified as thin weakly developed clayey tropical soils (Dystric Regosols (Clayic)). The soils forming from the alluvial sediments of different textures are classified as alluvial loamy sandy soils (Dystric Fluvisols (Arenic, Drainic)) and as alluvial clay loamy soils (Eutric Fluvisols (Episiltic, Endoclayic)).     

Changes in the soils of solonetzic associations in 30 years after their reclamation with the use of moldboard plowing,deep tillage with a three-tier plow,and deep rotary tillage

Changes in the properties of solonetzic soil associations (chestnut solonetzic soils and chestnut solonetzes) in the dry steppe after their reclamation have been studied for 30 years. The reclamation included the deep three-tier plowing and the approach of rotary tillage. A single rotary tillage operation resulted in the formation of fine aggregates of equal sizes in the plow layer; any morphological features of the restoration of solonetzic pedogenesis are absent. The atmospheric moisture easily penetrates into the soil, and soluble salts are leached off to a great depth. In 30 years since the soil amelioration with the use of a PMS-70 rotary tiller, the humus content has increased up to 3.3% in the upper 20-cm-thick layer and up to 2.4% in the layer of 20–40 cm. The content of adsorbed Na⁺ in the 20- to 30-cm-thick layer has decreased to 10.6% of the cation exchange capacity (in comparison with 19.8% in the nonreclaimed soil). The spatial heterogeneity of the soil cover has decreased in comparison with that prior to the reclamation. During the entire observation period, crop yields gained from the fields reclaimed with the use of the rotary tiller have been by 25–60% higher in comparison with those on the fields with traditional treatments.     

Transformation of soil organic matter in leached chernozems under minimized treatment in the forest-steppe of West Siberia

Changes in the contents of total organic carbon and the carbon of easily mineralizable fractions of organic matter (labile humus, detritus, and mortmass) in the layers of 0–10, 10–25, and 0–25 cm were studied in leached chernozems ((Luvic Chernozems (Loamic, Aric)) subjected to deep plowing and surface tillage for nine years. In the layer of 0–25 cm, the content of Corg did not show significant difference between these two treatments and comprised 3.68–3.92% in the case of deep plowing and 3.63–4.08% in the case of surface tillage. Tillage practices greatly affected the distribution of easily mineralizable fractions of organic matter in the layers of 0–10 and 10–25 cm, though the difference between two treatments for the entire layer (0–25 cm) was insignificant. Surface tillage resulted in the increase in the contents of mortmass (by 59%), detritus (by 32%), and labile humus (by 8%) in the layer of 0–10 cm in comparison with deep plowing. At the same time, the contents of these fractions in the layer of 10–25 cm in the surface tillage treatment decreased by 67, 46, and 3%, respectively. The estimate of the nitrogen-mineralizing capacity made according to the data on the uptake of soil nitrogen by oat plants in a special greenhouse experiment confirmed the observed regularities of the redistribution of easily mineralizable organic matter fractions by the soil layers. In case of surface tillage, it increased by 23% in the layer of 0–10 cm; for the layer of 0–25 cm, no significant differences in the uptake of nitrogen by oat plants were found for the two studied treatments.     

Effects of tillage technologies and application of biopreparations on micromycetes in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of spring wheat

The population density and structure of complexes of soil microscopic fungi in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), plant damage by root rot and leaf diseases, and crop yield were determined in a stationary field experiment on a silty loamy soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Retisol (Loamic, Aric)) in dependence on the soil tillage technique: (a) moldboard plowing to 20–22 cm and (b) non-inversive tillage to 14–16 cm. The results were treated with the two-way ANOVA method. It was shown that the number of fungal propagules in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of plants in the variant with non-inversive tillage was significantly smaller than that in the variant with plowing. Minimization of the impact on the soil during five years led to insignificant changes in the structure of micromycete complexes in the rhizosphere of wheat. The damage of the plants with root rot and leaf diseases upon non-inversive tillage did not increase in comparison with that upon plowing. Wheat yield in the variant with non-inversive tillage was insignificantly lower than that in the variant with moldboard plowing. The application of biopreparations based on the Streptomyces hygroscopicus А4 and Pseudomonas aureofaciens BS 1393 resulted in a significant decrease of plant damage with leaf rust.     

Minerals in the three-component combination of agrochernozems in the Kamennaya Steppe

Properties and mineralogy of fine fractions separated from agrochernozems forming a three-component noncontrasting soil combination in the Kamennaya Steppe have been characterized. The soil cover consists of zooturbated (Haplic Chernozems (Clayic, Aric, Pachic, Calcaric)), migrational-mycelial (Haplic Chernozems (Clayic, Aric, Pachic)), and clay-illuvial (Luvic Chernozems (Clayic, Aric, Pachic)) agrochernozems. All the soils are deeply quasi-gleyed because of periodical groundwater rise. The mineralogy of the fraction <1μm includes irregular mica–smectite interstratifications, di- and trioctahedral hydromicas, imperfect kaolinite, and magnesium–iron chlorite. The profile distribution of these minerals slightly varies depending on the subtype of spot-forming soils. A uniform distribution of clay minerals is observed in zooturbated agrochernozem; a poorly manifested eluvial–illuvial distribution of the smectite phase is observed in the clay-illuvial agrochernozem. The fractions of fine (1–5 μm) and medium (5–10 μm) silt consist of quartz, micas, potassium feldspars, plagioclases, kaolinite, and chlorite. There is no dominant mineral, because the share of each mineral is lower than 35–45%. The silt fractions differ in the quartz-to-mica ratio. The medium silt fraction contains more quartz, and the fine silt fraction contains more micas.     

Soils and plant nutrition on a serpentinized ridge in South Germany. I. Soils

The soil association is described for a serpentinized ridge and its adjacent upper slopes in Northeastern Bavaria (Germany). On gentle and moderately inclined parts of the relief medium to deeply weathered Eutric Cambisols dominate. Specific properties are the unusually high Mg saturation values (35 – 85 %) and Mg/Ca (exchangeable) ratios (1.6 – 10.8) in the mineral soil horizons. Steeper parts of the slopes are characterized by Rego-Eutric Cambisols and Eutric Regosols. Eutric Leptosols dominate the footslope of a quarry.     

Alkalinity of virgin solonetzes in northern Kalmykia (the Arshan-Zel’men Experimental Station)

The alkalinity of virgin solonetzes of the Ergeni Upland, Ergeni Plain, and Sarpinsk Lowland has been studied. These soils are characterized by the neutral salinization and the high alkalinity of the solonetzic and subsolonetzic horizons. The analysis of the soil water extracts demonstrated that the highest alkalinity is typical of the subsolonetzic horizons containing calcium carbonates (the B2 and BCca horizons). In the solonetzic horizons without CaCO₃, the alkalinity is lower despite the high exchangeable sodium percentage (up to 42%). The alkalinity of the solonetzic and subsolonetzic horizons may be conditioned by two processes: (a) the hydrolysis of the exchange complex (EC) containing sodium (EC-Na + H₂O ↔ EC-H + Na⁺ + OH⁻) and (b) the reaction of the ion exchange with the substitution of calcium for sodium in the exchange complex (EC-2Na + CaCO₃ ↔ EC-Ca + 2Na⁺ + CO₃²⁻). Calculations performed on the basis of the thermodynamic equations of the physicochemical equilibria according to the LIBRA program indicate that soda is absent in the solonetzic horizons, whose alkalinity is related to the carbonatecalcium equilibria. The high alkalinity of the calcareous subsolonetzic horizons is related to the presence of soda in combination with CaCO₃. The formation of soda in these horizons is due to the reaction of ion exchange described by Gedroits.     

Rheological Properties and Tomographically Determined Pore Space of Undisturbed Samples of Typical Chernozems and Soddy-Podzolic Soils

Coupled studies of pore space and rheological behavior of undisturbed samples from soddypodzolic soils (Albic Glossic Retisols (Loamic, Aric, Cutanic)) of Moscow oblast under forest and under cropland and from typical chernozems (Haplic Chernozems (Loamic, Aric, Pachic)) of Kursk oblast under oak forest, shelterbelt, and cropland were conducted. Soil pore space was investigated using a Bruker SkyScan 1172 G (Belgium) microtomograph, and 3D models of pore space were constructed. The total pore space (in percent of the volume of analyzed samples) and the volumes of open and closed pores were determined from these models. The nondestructive tomographic method made it possible to analyze the rheological properties of soils for the same samples using the amplitude sweep method on an MCR-302 (Anton Paar, Austria) rheometer. The following parameters of the rheological behavior were determined: storage modulus in the range of linear viscoelastic behavior, the range of linear viscoelastic behavior, and the range of plastic behavior. A joint analysis of the rheological properties and morphometric characteristics of the undisturbed samples of soddy-podzolic soils and chernozems demonstrated the dependence of the rheological behavior of these soils on their physicochemical properties and pore space structure reflecting the differences in the genesis and physical and chemical properties of soil horizons. The correlation analysis attested to direct (positive) relationships between the values of the total and open tomographic porosities, the range of linear viscoelastic behavior, and the deformation upon the destruction of soil structure. Negative relationships were found between the values of open and total porosity and the structural strength of the soil monoliths. A hypothesis about an increase in the range of plastic behavior of soils and a decrease in the strength of soil structure with an increase in porosity was suggested.     

Use of empirical Bayesian kriging for revealing heterogeneities in the distribution of organic carbon on agricultural lands

Empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK) is a modern mapping method, which accounts for the uncertainty of parameter estimates in functions describing the changes in property variance with increasing the survey area (variograms). Cartograms plotted using ordinary kriging and EBK have been compared for the data on the content of organic carbon in an isolated land with agrogray soils (Greyzemic Phaeozems (Loamic, Aric)) located in the Bryansk Opol’e region. It is shown that the cartograms of EBK errors reveal the structure of the spatial variability of the property, which cannot be revealed by other methods. Thus, the EBK method can be recommended for revealing heterogeneities in disputable cases.     

Changes in the salinity of solonetzic soil complexes of the Ergeni Upland under long-term anthropogenic impact (soil studies at the Arshan’-Zel’men Experimental Station of the Russian Academy of Sciences)

Unique experiments performed since the 1950s at the Arshan’-Zel’men Experimental Station have formed the basis for afforestation in the dry steppe and semidesert zone without irrigation on the salt-affected soils of solonetzic soil complexes of the Ergeni Upland. Ameliorative measures favored the accumulation of productive moisture in the upper 2-m-thick soil layer, which ensured the growth of trees and the partial leaching of soluble salts to a depth of 1–1.4 m. However, no complete desalinization of the soil profiles took place. The degree of removal of exchangeable sodium from the exchange complex (soil dealkalization) was smaller. The monitoring of changes in the salt status of the soils upon agroforest reclamation was performed until the early 1980s. Our investigations of 2005–2006 showed that the soil amelioration is still in progress: the salt maximum in the profile of the solonetzes descended to a depth of 2.2 m, and the exchangeable sodium was lost from the plow layer (0–40 cm). Plowed soils between forest shelterbelts were also subjected to desalinization and dealkalization of their soil profile, though less intensely than those under the shelterbelts.