Comparative morphological-genetic characteristics of podzolized soils on plateau and slope locations

Abstract

The article systematizes the results of comparative field and office studies and provides a detailed description and considers the factors influencing the morphological characteristics of genetic horizons of podzolized soils – dark gray podzolized heavy loam on loess and meadow podzolized heavy loam on deluvium, in slopes and plakor. The research conducted in the territory of the Kharkiv region of Ukraine in the Left Bank Forest-Steppe. In field and laboratory studies, the following indicators were determined using regulatory procedures and standardized methods: morphological characteristics of the soil; humus content; granulometric composition; soil temperature. It established that the studied soils have common and distinctive features, both in terms of the morphological structure of the profile and in terms of properties, which influenced by relief/microrelief, climate/microclimate, due to different levels of moisture accumulation and insolation on plakor and slope areas. The following are common morphological features of podzolized soil profiles: textural differentiation; compaction of illuvial horizons; dark gray color; nutty-prism-like shape of structural units. Differences were noted in the overall thickness of the soil profile, the depth of the humus part, the nature of the transitions between horizons, the presence of new formations and the depth of carbonate occurrence (by reaction to 10% HCl). Differences in the thickness of the humus part of the profile were found to be insignificant in the profiles of dark gray podzolized soils (except for strongly xeromorphic) with different levels of moisture, which indicates the same priority role of former woody vegetation in the previous stages of the soil formation process. In meadow podzolized soil, the depth of humus is much greater, which is a natural result of the action, in addition to good moisture, of meadow vegetation and alluvial processes. The absolute values ​​of humus content in individual soil layers confirm the conclusions made. In all soils, the particle size fraction of silt (< 0.001 mm), as well as the physical clay fraction (< 0.01 mm), redistributed with depth because of both eluvial-illuvial processes and claying in illuvial horizons, which led to the formation of texturally differentiated profiles. The identified differences in soil properties defined as those that are due to the difference in genetic processes of soil formation under different hydrothermal regimes in slope and plateau locations, which reflected in the profile features of soils, which should be taken into account for assessing their quality when forming scientific and production programs for soil conservation and restoration.