Salt and gypsum pedofeatures as indicators of soil processes

Pedofeatures of salts and gypsum in arid and semi-arid soils indicate the salinization process and its dynamics. Mineralogical and morphological features of these pedofeatures, their distribution in the soil profile as well as confinement to individual components of microstructure are indicators of soil processes, both modern and relict. The paper presents the results of a comprehensive morpho-mineralogical analysis of the newly formed salt and gypsum pedofeatures in saline soils in the south of European Russia and Cis-Baikal region as well as Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia

The history of the forming and the features of the soil, lithological and geomorphological structure of the Jizzakh steppe as the basais for its natural zoning

The paper provides initial materials characterizing the complicated history of formation, natural soils and lithological-geomorphological conditions of the Jizzakh steppe before the beginning of reclamation development. It is shown that on the basis of soil-lithological and geomorphological zoning, the Jizzakh steppe is divided into a number of natural regions belonging to different levels (altitude levels) of the piedmont plain. In total, 22 districts have been identified within the Jizzakh steppe, including the foothill margins. On the piedmont plain itself, the regions are combined into two high-altitude levels: the upper step and the lower step or blanket zone. These two levels differ sharply in terms of drainage conditions and soil salinity. The upper level, covering the upper and middle parts of the alluvial fan, the high interconal Zaamin-Sanzar plain and the Lomakino plateau, is characterized by a weak manifestation of salinity due to relatively good drainage, except for the sloping depressions of the Lomakino plateau. In contrast to the upper level, the lower level, located in the blanket zone of the piedmont plain, is characterized by active natural salinization because of the poor drainage. The saline sediments of the Zaamin cone delta are characterized by the greatest thickness. To a lesser extent, the rocks of the Sanzar cone delta, which are drained by deep gullies, are salinized. The Khavast sloping plain is characterized by a strongly saline upper two-meter layer, with salt and gypsum content decreasing with depth. Thus, it is shown that high salinity and gypsum bearing rocks, as well as high groundwater salinity of the cone delta zone are the source of modern salt accumulation in soils of foothill Golodnostepskaya plain, as well as in soils of the cone delta zone of Djizak steppe

On the works of the Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute in Uzbekistan

The article considers the history of the work of the Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute researchers in Uzbekistan, conducted jointly with soil scientists from Uzbekistan. These works were started in 1930–1940s. They were especially active during the Great Patriotic War, when the Soil Institute was evacuated to Tashkent. During these years, both Russian and Uzbek soil scientists participated in joint work. Outstanding scientists can be named among Russian researchers: V.A. Kovda, A.A. Rode, A.N. Rozanov and many others who contributed to the study of Uzbekistan soils. The work of the researchers from the Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, performed on the basis of a station in the Hungry Steppe (Mirzacho'l) in connection with the development of saline lands during the creation of new irrigation systems in Central Asia, is analyzed in particular detail. Various work areas of the station researchers are discussed in the article: issues of ameliorative development of saline soils, salinity mapping based on remote sensing methods, detailed study of the reclaimed soils properties using chemical, micromorphological, mineralogical and other research methods for the determination of salinity and gypsum content of soils in the New Irrigation Zone (NIZ) of Hungry and Jizzakh steppes. The results of the work were presented in a series of publications. In the 1990s, cooperation was temporarily ceased, but at the beginning of the 21st century it was resumed