Gorokhova I.N., Pankova E.I. Calcareous Soils: Their Properties and Definition of Different Soil Classifications // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 3. 2024. P. 67-80. | Abstract | PDF | Reference
А – morphological profile of fallow light chestnut soil in dry steppe (Volgograd Oblast, Volga Upland, “Oroshayemaya” experimental station, 2022), B – morphological profile of modern irrigated soil (Volgograd Oblast, Khvalynsk clay plain, Svetloyarsky irrigated massif, 2016)
In this article we describe the main mechanisms of carbonate penetration into soils, processes of calcareous soils formation (including those caused by anthropogenic impact), and their positive and negative properties. We have noted that the carbonate occurrence in soils depends on their initial occurrence in the soil-forming rocks, zonal and regional nature of soil-forming processes, anthropogenic impacts, and even crops. Therefore, it is crucial to take into account the features of each territory when studying calcareous soils.
We explored various approaches to calcareous soils in different Russian classifications, as well as their peculiarities and general features. “Classification and Diagnostics of Soils of the USSR” (1977) uses the concept of “soil type”, i.e. a group of soils that have similar soil-forming conditions and regimes, similar profile structure, and a key soil-forming process. “Classification and Diagnostics of Soils of Russia” (2004) (and its expansion, “Field Identifier of Soils of Russia” (2008)) identifies soil types using the system of diagnostic horizons that form a soil profile. Those horizons are defined by a set of morphological and analytical indices, reflecting the genesis of said horizons. Natural and anthropogenically transformed diagnostic horizons allow to take into account natural and anthropogenically transformed soils in a unified soil classification. However, unlike the multi-leveled Russian ones, the international classification system “World Reference Base for Soil Resources” (IUSS Working Group WRB, 2022) has a 2-level non-hierarchical approach.
Each classification separates calcareous soils that were formed on calcareous rocks and those created in the soil-forming process. However, they all have a different opinion on how to divide calcareous soils by the amount of carbonates and the depth of calcareous horizon. Therefore, to achieve a complete description of calcareous soils it is recommended to use all three classifications together.
Funding. This work was carried out as part of the state task No. 0591-2019-0023 “To study Transformation, Evolution and Degradation of Soil Cover of Agrolandscapes at Different Organization Levels, Including Intra-field Heterogeneity and Using a Combination of Ground Surveys and Digital Technologies”, and No. FGUR-2022-0009 (122022800220-5).
Keywords: semi-arid soils, arid soils, diagnostic soil horizon, factor and genetic classification, substantive classification.
DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2024-3-67-80
EDN: LNNNJH