Paleogeographic Conditions of Formation of the Opillia landscapes of Sumy Region

Abstract

Opillia is a special type of natural complexes of the mixed-forest zone of East European Plain, which are natural treeless spaces formed on drained watersheds, bordering with sandy and wooded swampy lowlands – polissias. Within the limits of the Sumy region, the main part of the opillia fields is confined to the high landscape-hypsometric layer of the southern part of the Shostka Polissya (Ret’-Shostka, Shostka-Ivotka, Ivotka-Svyga interfluves). This stage is characterized by less swampiness, wide development of stepped forests and suborums, and a significant increase of erosion processes at higher (from 150 to 200 m) locations. The combination of an elevated drained relief and a loess-like subsoil substrate made it possible to form fertile soils here, and in the ancient Slavic historical era it led to the appearance of the first centers of arable land.

Keywords

• polissya landscapes
• opillia
• pleistocene
• holocene
• shostka polissya
• sumy region