Soil polygenesis in the northeast part of Vladimir opolie

Soil studies in cultural landscapes of the medieval epoch within the Vladimir opolie territory on the Russian Plain suggest that virtually all automorphic soils in this area were plowed in that period. The morphology of the profiles of studied soils depends on the composition of parent materials. If the parent material represents a pedocyclith that passed through the stage of periglacial pedogenesis in the Late Pleistocene, then the soil profile developed from this material is a heterochronous body with distinct features of polygenesis. If the parent material is a relatively homogeneous sediment that was not subjected to periglacial pedogenesis in the Late Pleistocene, then the soil profile developed from this material contains only the features of the Holocene pedogenesis, even in the case when the thickness of the homogeneous substrate does not exceed 0.5 m. It is hypothesized that the Holocene pedogenesis within the humid forest and southern taiga zones in the center of the Russian Plain cannot delete the features of the pre-Holocene pedogenesis and morpholithogenesis; these features are always inherited by the profiles of modern soils. The presence of these features ensures the development of a fully developed mature soil profile.     

Cooperation of pedology with other sciences upon studying soil evolution

Cooperative relationships between pedology and biology, paleogeography, cryolithology, Quaternary geology, and archaeology are discussed using the example of the study of the Holocene history of automorphic loamy soils in the center of the East European Plain. It is demonstrated that this cooperation is particularly fruitful upon studying the initial stages of soil formation.     

Effect of paleocryogenesis on the soil cover pattern and properties of chernozems in the Kamennaya Steppe Reserve

The paleocryogenic genesis of a polygonal-blocky microrelief is substantiated. This microrelief was formed at the end of Late Pleistocene and is preserved in the buried state; it is also pronounced in the surface microtopography. The modern development of chernozems is greatly influenced by the paleocryogenic microtopography, as the profiles of chernozems developed on elevated polygons, their slopes, and within interpolygonal microdepressions clearly differ from one another in their morphology, horizonation, and functioning. These differences are sufficient to subdivide the corresponding soils at the subtype level. The paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the early (paleocryogenic) stages of the development of chernozems and the study of modern soil functioning with due account for the effect of paleocryogenic phenomena have been performed for the first time.     

Stability and morphological and molecular-genetic identification of algae in buried soils

Living cultural strains of the green algae ‘Chlorella’ mirabilis and Muriella terrestris have been isolated from buried soils, and their identification has been confirmed by morphological and molecular-genetic analysis. It has been shown that the retention of their viability could be related to their small size and the presence of sporopollenin in cell walls. The effect of methods for the reactivation of dormant microbial forms on the growth of algae in paleosols has been estimated. The total DNA content has been determined in buried and recent background soils, and relationship between DNA and the presence and age of burial has been established.     

Spatial variations of the magnetic susceptibility in the profiles of paleocryomorphic soils

The distribution and variation of the magnetic susceptibility (MS) have been studied in the profiles of soils with paleocryogenic features. The MS values proved to be tightly related to the C_org content, the $pH_{H_2 O}$ (on the paleocryogenic microhighs (blocks)), and the pH_KCl (in the paleocryogenic microlows (interblock spaces)). The horizons of the buried soils were characterized by the high variability of the MS with the maximum variations at much smaller distances than those in the surface soils. This allows us to suppose that the soil-forming conditions in the ancient soils differed significantly from those in the recent soils. The differences in the spatial variability of the MS values are largely related to the presence of paleocryogenic features, which also considerably affect the current soil processes.     

Hydrothermic conditions of functioning of gray soils: Assessment and prognosis

The revealed trends of temperature and precipitation changes between 1932 and 2001 suggest that the nearest ten years in the southern Moscow region should be characterized by the fall in soil temperatures and the rise in the soil water content during the growing season in spite of the significant shift in the water and temperature regimes of plowed soils toward the aridity and higher continentality of their climate. The resulting situation can affect agricultural production by favoring the transition from high-input farming to grass farming in the southern Moscow region.     

Biological activity of chernozem on different elements of microtopography

A pedogenetic stratification of the physicochemical and biological properties has been studied in the profiles of chernozemic soils on different elements of the paleocryogenic microtopography under a shelterbelt within the Kamennaya Steppe Reserve. The biological activity of soil samples was determined in laboratory from the amount of CO₂ produced by the soil upon its incubation. It is shown that the soil properties vary considerably both in the vertical (along the soil profile) and horizontal (along the elements of the microtopography) directions. The methods of correlation and factor analyses have been applied to group the soil properties according to the three major factors and to study the relationships between these groups. A quantitative assessment of the particular factors of soil formation under given pedoclimatic conditions is suggested. The dominant role belongs to the biological factor (50% of the total factor load). This factor is reflected in the soil properties with the maximum degree of differentiation in the soil profile. The paleocryogenic microtopography (17% of the total factor load) specifies the differentiation of soil acidity and the content of carbonates.