AGROPEDOGENIC TRANSFORMATION OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS OF MEDIUM-DRY STEPPE PEDO-ECOTONE IN THE NORTHWEST OF THE BLACK SEA REGION

Abstract

The anthropogenic transformation of soil physical properties of the transition stripe from the dry to the middle steppe in the Northwest of the Black Sea region is considered and analyzed on the basis of comparison of indicators characterizing the properties of the cultivable and subcultivable horizons. The signs of negative influence of agricultural use on the most important indices of physical properties of soils are investigated. Significant degradation of the physical properties of the arable horizons (in comparison with tillable and subcultivable horizons), as well as deterioration of the water resistance of the structure of the tillable horizons (compared to the arable) was revealed. The geographic regularities of agrogenic evolution of sodic and residual-sodic calcic chernozems and gypsic kastanozems are established.

Keywords: agropedogenic transformation of soils, calcic chernozems, gypsic kastanozems, pedo-ecotone, physical properties, steppe

 Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2017.184