Impact of the Degradation of Chestnut Soils in the Dry Steppe Region of Mongolia on their Stability and Humus State

Ya. Baasandorzh¹, R. Delgertsetseg¹, G. Bayarbat¹, O. Bilguun¹, N. Zolzaya¹, E. A. Gurkova², V. A.Androchanov², S. I. Zherebtsov^3
1Institute of Geography and Geoecology MAS, ul. Baruun Selby, 15, Ulaanbaatar, 15170, Mongolia
²Institute of Soil Science and Argochemistry SB RAS, prosp. Akademika Lavrent’eva, 8/2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation
³Institute of Coal Chemistry and Material Science of the Federal Research Center of Coal and Coal Chemistry of the SB RAS, prosp. Sovetskii, 18, Kemerovo, 650000, Russian Federation

Abstract. The article presents the results of determination of the humus content and thickness of the humus horizon in the Mongolian chestnut soils prone to wind erosion. Deflation, being the leading natural-anthropogenic factor of arid areas degradation, inflicted serious damage to the soil cover due to the blowing of fine-dispersed particles and loss of organic matter and humus in the arable layer. The rate of recovery and a set of protective measures were determined by the stability of soils and their degradation degree. The purpose of the work was to assess changes in the indicators of soil humus status depending on the deflation degree. We assessed 508 soil samples from pasture and 719 soil samples from arable lands. With a low humus content (up to 4%) and shallow humus-accumulative horizon (20 cm), chestnut soils were characterized by low deflation resistance, which increased from sandy loam and sandy shallow soils to loamy soils with a thicker humus-accumulative horizon. Increased soil displacement resulted from wind erosion caused a significant decrease in the humus content compared to non-displaced lands (by 2.68%). In the soils mildly displaced by deflation, the humus content decreased by 0.19%; in moderately displaced soils, it reduced by 0.53%; in the soils strongly displaced by wind erosion, it decreased by 1.22%. The results obtained were relevant in the framework of comprehensive studies of the specificity of land degradation and the development of measures to ensure the balance of soil fertility in the face of climate aridization.

Keywords: chestnut soil; rangelands; dehumidification; wind erosion; stability; Mongolia.

Author Details: Ya. Baasandorzh, D. Sc. (Agr.), head of division (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); R. Delgertsetseg, senior research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); G. Bayarbat, research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); O. Bilguun, senior research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); N. Zolzaya, research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); E. A. Gurkova, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), senior research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); V. A.Androchanov, D. Sc. (Biol.), head of laboratory (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); S. I. Zherebtsov, D. Sc. (Chim.), head of laboratory (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.).

For citation: Baasandorzh Ya., Delgertsetseg R., Bayarbat G., Bilguun O., Zolzaya N., Gurkova E. A., Androchanov V. A., Zherebtsov S. I. Impact of the Degradation of Chestnut Soils in the Dry Steppe Region of Mongolia on their Stability and Humus State. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2019. Vol. 33. No. 7. Pp. 29–32 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.24411/0235-2451-2019-10707.