Diagnosis of human-induced degradation of soils of the Azov-Cuban lowland

Abstract

The work presents the observational data of soil cover structure dynamics, changes in soil composition and properties under the influence of anthropogenic impact. A decrease of 6.0-7.4% in the share of black soils (Chernozem) over 50 years of observations and a corresponding increase in the area of waterlogged soils associated with closed depressions have been revealed. Due to the high dynamism of soil density with changes in its moisture content, a criterion has been sought to characterize this dependence and a method has been proposed to describe it using dynamic curves. The amplitude of density fluctuations and its dependence on the severity of anthropogenic degradation – 59 -78% – has been established. Correlation analysis confirmed a medium strength relationship (determination coefficient 0.39-0.42) between shrinkage and specific surface area of initial degradation soils and a strong relationship (determination coefficient 0.79-0.86) in meadow-chernozem compacted soils. A strong correlation has been found between the volumetric shrinkage and fines content in the size distribution (determination coefficient 0.84-0.96). A new diagnostic criterion (“T” criterion) for the intensity of hydrometamorphism and, in general, for the physical aspect of anthropogenic soil degradation has been proposed.