Soils of Russia: types and map, table of the most common, characteristics

Soil is a special natural formation that is formed on the surface of the earth's crust as a result of the interaction of rocks with water, air and living organisms. Soil formation is influenced by a number of factors. However, their composition and structure are different. The soils of Russia are characterized by diversity. They differ in types, which have different degrees of fertility.

Features

Not all types of soil available in Russia are suitable for agriculture. Some of these soils are located in arctic and subarctic areas - in permafrost zones. The driest soils are also not suitable for growing crops.

The main agricultural land is located in the Central Black Earth region. At the same time, the land in the Far East is poorly plowed. Pastures and arable lands account for 13% of the total area. Hayfields and meadows occupy no more than 1% of the area. Human activity does not affect about 45% of all land resources. They represent the main forest resources of the country.

Permanent use of land resources leads to negative consequences. Common problems include waterlogging, salinization, acidification. There is also a risk of radioactive and chemical contamination.

What types of soils are typical for the territory of Russia

The soils of Russia are very diverse. However, they differ in composition and structure. Tundra-gley lands occupy the largest area of the country. However, many other types of soils are also found on its territory.

Arctic

Such soils are formed due to thawing of permafrost. They are thin enough. The maximum layer of humus does not exceed 1-2 centimeters. This soil is characterized by a low acidic environment. It is localized in areas with harsh climatic conditions, which negatively affects the recovery process.

Such soils in Russia are found only in the Arctic - on some islands of the Arctic Ocean. The classification of such soils includes 2 varieties - desert-arctic and arctic typical lands. The harsh climate and a small humus layer lead to the fact that there is practically no vegetation in such areas.

Tundra

These soil resources are in the tundra. They are also located along the shores of the Arctic Ocean. These areas are permafrost. In summer, lichens and mosses appear here, but they cannot be called good sources of humus.

Because these regions are characterized by permafrost, soils can only thaw 40 centimeters deep during the short summer. Salinization is often characteristic of such lands. In the tundra zone there is a minimum amount of humus. This is due to the weak microbiological activity. Such land is often used as deer pasture.

Podzolic

This type of soil is predominantly found in forested areas. It includes only 1-4% humus. Such soil is formed due to the process of podzolization. In this case, a reaction with an acid occurs. Because the soil is often called acidic.

Podzolic soils were first described by Dokuchaev. When using them as agricultural land, special attention should be paid to processing. To do this, it is recommended to properly feed the soil, introducing organic and mineral substances into it.

Podzolic soils are more useful in logging than in agriculture. The trees on them grow much better than other plants.

Sod-podzolic soils are considered one of the subtypes of such lands. In composition, they are in many ways reminiscent of podzolic soil. A distinctive feature of the land is considered to be slower leaching by water.

The main part of such soils is concentrated in the taiga - in Siberia. Up to 10% of the fertile layer is present on the soil surface. At depth, this amount drops sharply to 0.5%.

Grey Forest

Such soils are mainly concentrated in forests. An important condition for their proper formation is the presence of a continental climate, deciduous forests and herbaceous plants. Gray forest soils are characterized by high calcium content.Thanks to this component, water does not penetrate the soil structure and does not provoke its erosion.

The soils are gray in color. The content of humus in their composition is at the level of 2-8%, which corresponds to the average fertility. Such soils are divided into several categories - gray, light gray, dark gray. They stretch from Transbaikalia to the Carpathians. Gray soils are suitable for growing cereals and fruit crops.

Black Earth

Chernozem is located in the southern part of Russia - near the borders with Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The high content of humus in the structure is associated with a flat relief, low rainfall and a warm climate. This type of soil is considered the most fertile. At the same time, approximately 50% of the world's black soil reserves are located in Russia.

There is a lot of calcium in the structure of the soil. This helps to avoid washing out valuable substances. In the south, there is a lack of moisture.Despite the long history of cultivation, the soil remains fertile. The main part of the black soil is sown with wheat. Also, these soils are suitable for growing corn, sugar beets and sunflowers.

Chestnut soils

Such soils are mainly found in steppes and semi-deserts. The fertile layer accounts for 1.5-4.5%. This corresponds to average fertility.

Chestnut soils have several subtypes, which are represented by different colors. Plants can be grown on light chestnut lands only with abundant irrigation. Pastures are considered the main purpose of such lands.

Wheat, millet, sunflower, oats and barley can be grown in dark chestnut soil. At the same time, watering such plants is not required.

There are slight differences in the chemical composition of chestnut soils. They fall into several categories:

• clay;
• sandy;
• sandy;
• light loam;
• medium loam;
• heavy loamy.

Each variety has a unique composition. In general, chestnut soils differ in the content of various chemical elements. They include magnesium, calcium, easily soluble s alts.

A characteristic feature of such land is the ability to quickly recover. Its thickness is supported by fallen leaves and grass. Such soil allows you to get a good harvest, because it contains a lot of moisture. In Russia, chestnut soils prevail in Central Siberia, the Volga region and the Caucasus.

Brown and gray-brown soils

Brown and gray-brown soil types are found in the Caspian lowland. Their distinguishing feature is considered to be a porous crust on the surface.It is formed under the influence of high temperatures and low humidity. Such lands contain a minimum amount of humus. At the same time, they contain s alts, gypsum, carbonates.

Lands are characterized by a low degree of fertility. Most of the territories are used as pastures. Irrigated areas can be used for growing rice, melons and cotton.

Soils of Russia's natural zones

The natural complexes of Russia replace each other from north to south. In total, there are 8 zones on the map. So, in the south of the country, chernozems are represented, and in the European part - podzolic types of soil.

Each of the zones is characterized by a unique soil cover. Its position in the regions is presented in the table:

Soil type	Geographic location
tundra, gley	Chukotka
arctic	Arctic
podzolic	Far East, Eastern Siberia
gray forest	Transbaikalia
brown forest	Caucasus
chestnut	Volga region

Arctic desert soils

In this zone, there is an unexpressed soil cover. Small areas are covered with mosses and lichens. In summer, some grass may appear. Such areas are presented in the form of small oases. At the same time, plant residues are not enough to form humus.

The thawed layer of the earth in the summer is no more than 40 centimeters. Waterlogging and drying in the summer provoke the appearance of cracks on the surface. The soil contains a lot of iron, which gives it a brown tint. The Arctic desert has almost no lakes and swamps. In dry weather, s alt spots appear on the surface of the earth.

Tundra

Tundra is characterized by waterlogged soil. This is due to the close occurrence of permafrost and insignificant evaporation of moisture. This region is characterized by slow rates of humification. Plant residues do not rot, remaining on the surface in the form of peat. However, the nutrient content is low. The earth is characterized by a gray or rusty color.

Forest-tundra

This zone is distinguished by the transition from tundra to taiga soils. Woodlands already look like a forest. At the same time, plants differ in surface stones. Permafrost in this zone begins already at the level of 20 centimeters.

In the summer, the top layer warms up perfectly. This contributes to the formation of lush vegetation. Low temperatures lead to insufficient evaporation of moisture. Therefore, the surface of the forest-tundra remains swampy.The sites of this natural zone combine podzolic and peat-gley lands. They include a minimum of humus and are acidic.

Taiga

The taiga is characterized by the almost complete absence of permafrost. Therefore, the soils are podzolic. Under the influence of acids, the destruction of iron occurs. At the same time, it is washed out into the deep layers of the soil. Silica is formed in the upper structures. The taiga is characterized by weak undergrowth development. Fallen needles and moss are characterized by a long period of decomposition. The amount of humus in the taiga is small.

Broad-leaved and mixed forests

Sod-podzolic and brown soils are typical for this zone. Various trees grow here - oaks, larches, birches, faces. Fallen leaves form a lot of humus.

At the same time, the turf layer reduces the thickness of the soil. Therefore, sod-podzolic soil includes a minimum of nitrogen and phosphorus. Brown soil contains many nutrients. Thanks to humus, they acquire a dark color.

Forest-steppes

This zone is characterized by high evaporation of moisture. At the same time, dry winds and dry weather are observed here in summer. The forest-steppe is dominated by gray forest soils and chernozems. They are characterized by high humus content and slow mineralization.

Steppes

This zone contains ordinary and low-humus chernozems. There are also dark chestnut soils. The soil includes many useful elements.

Deserts and semi-deserts

These zones are characterized by chestnut soils. Moisture deficiency provokes the accumulation of s alts. At the same time, the vegetation does not form a continuous cover. It has deep roots that help extract moisture. There is quite a bit of humus in such soil.

The most fertile Russian soils

The most fertile soil is chernozem. It accounts for 10% of the country's territory. The soil contains a lot of humus and calcium. It is found in the Central Black Earth economic region.

If the agrotechnical rules are observed, podzolic soils also bring a good harvest. They are found in the European part of the country and in the east of Siberia. There are such lands in the Far East.

The soils of Russia are diverse. They differ in composition and structure. The use of soils in agriculture directly depends on the humus content in them.

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