Gley soils: types and characteristics, properties and classification, application

Gley soil types have formed on marshy and waterlogged areas. This is one of the types of soils, like others, it has its own characteristics. Consider their main characteristics, the conditions that contributed to their formation, the type of profile, properties and classification. In what regions are gley soils common, as well as how and where this type of soil is used.

Key Features

Gley soils are formed under the influence of various soil factors. Soils of this type are common in a certain area. They have a characteristic structure, a distinctive feature is the presence of a gley horizon.

Formation conditions

Gley horizons are present in waterlogged areas, swamps and wetlands. They are formed under the influence of a large amount of moisture from ground and sedimentary waters, and under the influence of anaerobic bacteria. Glue is formed as a result of a complex of biochemical and microbiological processes that include:

recovery of organic and mineral substances, resulting in the formation of mobile forms of aluminum oxide, manganese, iron;
conversion of humic acids to fulvic acids;
soil oxidation;
destruction of aluminosilicates, from which clay minerals are formed, which contain ferrous iron.

The microflora of this soil is made up of actinomycetes, mold fungi, mycobacteria. All of them are anaerobic microorganisms. Gley soils have such a feature as the impossibility of fixing the nitrogen element due to poor aeration.The stock of organic matter in gley soils is quite large, despite the rather weak humus layer.

Gley soils have a predominantly heavy mechanical composition (loams and clays). Thaw to a depth of 0.5-1.5 m.

Profile type

Gley horizon has a characteristic color - bluish, greenish, gray-gray, with rusty spots, it has low porosity, the horizon is structureless. Such a layer can develop in waterlogged conditions, in wetlands where there is a lack of oxygen. Gley soils are thin, have a simple structure, the top layer, where mosses, lichens, willows, sedges and alders, grasses grow, is thin.

Sod-gley soils are formed in the taiga taiga zone under coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests dominated by mosses and grasses. Soils are formed on poorly drained plains and lowlands, on carbonate rocks.Formation conditions - stagnation of sedimentary water, high level of groundwater. The same soils can also form on the territory occupied by meadow vegetation.

Distribution

Formed in cold climates, with excess moisture and a small amount of organic matter. Characteristic of the belt that stretches along the Arctic Ocean, from the Kola Peninsula to the Bering Strait. In the south, soils with a gley horizon pass into the taiga-forest zone.

Properties and classification

For gley soils, the most important determining factor is the gley thixotropic horizon. Thixotropy - the ability of waterlogged soil under mechanical action to switch from a viscous-plastic mass to a quicksand and after some time go back to its previous state without loss of moisture. Thixotropy and gleying increase from north to south.

Gley soils are characterized by strong leaching, they have little soluble s alts and carbonates.The soils are distinguished by the presence of humus and weathering products. The composition of humus is dominated by fulvic acids, they are associated with sesquioxides and have mobility. At a depth of 0.6-0.7 m there is little humus - 0.3 to 3.0%.

The acidity of soils in different subtypes varies from acidic to slightly acidic. The highest acidity is in the soils of the southern part of the tundra and in the soil of the forest tundra. The absorption capacity of gley soils is usually low, but the level of s alt saturation is high (up to 98%), excluding layers with a predominance of organic matter. From south to north, the saturation level rises. In terms of bulk composition, differentiation of silt particles and mineral elements, the differences in the layers of gley soils are small.

Where gley soil is used

Territories under tundra soils are pastures for reindeer herds. In these regions, up to 40% of the entire territory of reindeer pastures is located. Animals graze in the tundra with mosses, lichens and shrubs.

Agriculture is also developing on gley soils. Greenhouses have been built in the subarctic zone, where vegetables, root crops, and potatoes are grown. Vegetables and fodder crops can also be grown outdoors. On such land, grasses grown for dairy cattle are sown. Of course, all crop varieties in cold regions are selected to be cold tolerant and early ripening.

Ways to improve gley soils - strengthening biochemical, aeration processes, improving the thermal regime and mandatory fertilization. Soils need increased doses of nitrogen and phosphorus mixtures.

Incoming phosphorus in such a land is retained more than other elements, it also combines into hard-to-reach forms, therefore the amount of phosphorus that needs to be applied to northern soils should be 2-3 times more.Nitrogen is recommended to be used in ammonia form, it should also be applied in increased doses.

Gley soils are widespread in the north of Russia. They are formed in accordance with the conditions of soil formation, under the influence of high humidity, low temperatures and a small amount of plant residues. The fertility of such soils allows them to be used for pastures and even for growing plants with the use of large doses of fertilizers.