SOIL COVER AND SOIL PROPERTIES OF SMALL CATCHMENTS OF THE PRIDONSKY CRETACEOUS FOREST-STEPPE REGION OF THE CENTRAL RUSSIAN UPLAND

Abstract

On the territory of the Pridonsky cretaceous forest-steppe region of the forest-steppe province of the Central Russian Upland, a large area is occupied by eroded soils and soils of gully-beam complexes. Various agrophytocenoses play an important role in the formation of erosion-accumulative processes. Soil flushing is common mainly in plowed areas. Denudation, deluvial and proluvial processes occur on the banks and bottoms of beams occupied by natural phytocenoses. The influence of anti-erosion forest belts on the intensity of erosion and soil accumulation is noted. Under the forest belts and on the adjacent sections of the slopes, washed and buried soils are formed. The features of the composition of the soil cover and soil properties according to the relief elements and phytocenoses of the beam catchment are noted. The proportion of soils exposed to the simultaneous effects of erosion and accumulation in the soil cover of the beam catchment is determined. The changes in the agronomic and physico-chemical properties of the soil under the influence of erosion-accumulative processes on the elements of the relief of the catchment area of the Log Repny and various land plots are studied. The change in the content of humus and the main elements of mineral nutrition of plants in the soils subject to these processes has been established. The taxonomic levels of the identification of signs of erosion and accumulation, depending on their intensity and nature, are clarified. The expediency of allocating the degree of soil flushing at the species level is shown. It is recommended to consider the signs of deluvial and denudation processes on the banks of the beam at the level of the soil type. Proposals have been developed to improve the classification of gully-beam soils.