Soil research and their description was carried out by the scientist V.V. Dokuchaev, who gave them a definition. He described their genetic horizons, the dependence of development on factors of abiotic and biotic origin, as well as on geographical location. Dokuchaev devoted all his life to these studies. The scientist put forward the theory that the soil is a natural body that has a color, morphological structure and age. The conditions for its formation are subject to regular changes in the evolution of the world.
A feature of tundra-gley soils in Russia is their geographical location in permafrost. Their overmoistening and chemical composition depend on this.
Soil formation process
The soils under our feet do not immediately turn out the way we see them. They underwent complex and multicomponent transformations of the substances of which they consist. The main processes involved in soil formation are:
- Change in organomineral matter with its complete or partial destruction and synthesis.
- Interphase interactions in the soil. The phases are liquid, solid, gas, and living.
- Migration of matter and energy in the process of soil formation.
From the foregoing, it is clear that many factors determine the duration and intensity of such processes that provide a variety of soil forms. Changes in the soil occur gradually, but this process cannot be stopped. The characteristics of tundra-gley soils also depend on its activity.
Soil profile
This is one of the important characteristics that is of interest to researchers. A morphological study of the structure of the soil begins with a study of its slice. It is considered from the top layer to the parent breed. The resulting surface reflects soil horizons that overlap. Genetic horizons are the result of various processes in the environment, as well as the migration of substances and energy, which in the time and space interval contribute to their formation. Humidification conditions and other climate features affect all changes occurring in genetic horizons.
Each layer is assigned its own letter index:
1. A is the top layer of the soil profile, which includes three horizons:
- And 0 is the upper one, which includes fallen leaves and forest litter.
- And m (H) is a layer that includes the organic part of plants or their processed deposits.
- And 1 is the humus horizon, which includes humified organic substances and mobile compounds. This is a transition layer. Opposite processes occur in it, the migration of mobile compounds to deeper layers of the soil profile or to the upper horizons.
2. A 2 (E) is the eluvial layer or the leaching horizon. It has no structure, contains silty complications. Its shade is lighter than the color of the layers that lie above.
3. B is the illuvial layer, which is a transition between the humus horizon and parent rock. It distinguishes several intermediate layers, which are independent horizons with transitional and weakening processes of humification. In each such sublayer there are cationic anionic compounds and their precipitates in the form of nodules, pseudomycelia, films and others.
4. G - glue horizon. It is characteristic of waterlogged soils. Its color is light with a blue, rusty or ocher hue. The layer is viscous and cohesive.
5. C - parent rock. She does not participate in the process under consideration, but contains its traces in the form of compounds brought from the upper horizons.
6. D (R) - a rock that differs from its mother in its properties.
There are automorphic and hydromorphic soils, which is determined by the location of groundwater.
Research
We repeat that the study of tundra-gel soils was carried out by the scientist V.V. Dokuchaev. Later studies were carried out by Yu.A. Liverovsky, E.N. Ivanova. They studied soil formation, physical and chemical properties, their classification varieties.
Currently, there are several types of soils:
- Arctotundra gley.
- Tundra illuvial-humus. Found in the forest-tundra and shrubbery.
- Typical tundra-gley soils.
- Peat gley.
- With the top peat layer 20-30 cm.
Tundra-gley soils are characteristic of the zone with the most severe climate. The tundra zone is characterized by treeless space with an uneven distribution of vegetation of different life forms. The main regions that are characterized by similar landscapes are the shores of the northern seas and oceans (the Arctic Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk), Kamchatka, the Chukchi Peninsula and other areas.
Features of soil formation
This process is influenced by many factors. Tundra-gley soils, which are characteristic of the tundra, formed in the subarctic climate. Its main features are light snowy and rather severe winters, a short summer period with moderate ambient temperatures, and frequent winds. Soil-forming basis are deposits of glacial, marine or alluvial rocks. They are characterized by low-power properties and acid reaction of the soil solution due to the low humus content. Deposits are formed on clay and loamy rocks. With erosive processes and environmental factors, they are subjected to various geological influences, which include:
- Cracking. It is observed with a sharp difference in temperature of the surfaces of the environment and soil. This contrast leads to the formation of frost cracks. They arise in a single copy, and whole vast systems.
- Solifluction processes. They occur during thawing of the upper layers and a violation of their structure. Heaving leads to the formation of slopes, elevations that cause the sliding of the upper layers of the soil. It is observed during thawing and subsequent freezing of the soil with the formation of an ice crust.
These processes occur many times, have a seasonal nature of development. Also, the upper layers of tundra-gley soils are exposed to the following natural influences:
- Humus formation.
- Gleying
- Cryogenesis
Gleying occurs at various stages of the soil formation process. Scientists are studying the degree of fuzziness and severity of the glue horizon.
Characteristics
As mentioned above, tundra-gley soils are formed in difficult climatic conditions, which are accompanied by low temperatures and a lack of oxygen. The activity of microorganisms is hindered by scarce vegetation and a high degree of moisture. The microflora of such soils is represented by mycobacteria, actinomycetes and mold fungi. Their characteristic features are the lack of nitrogen fixation due to poor aeration. Soil microorganisms are specific, adapted to anaerobic conditions.
Soil profile
This concept means a combination of different genetic horizons. The profile of tundra-gley soils is characterized by the presence of the following weakly differentiable soil horizons:
- And p - moss-peat. It has a capacity of 6-10 cm.
- In - glue. Its power reaches 50-60 cm, and the color can be different shades of rusty and gray-blue. Glue horizons are structureless, contain ice particles.
This soil profile is underlain by permafrost, which is a residual manifestation of the ice age.
Chemical composition
Tundra-gley soils include coarse humus with a predominance of fulvic acid. Its percentage ratio is from 1-7%. With increasing depth, only trace fragments of the presence of humus remain.
Vegetation
Tundra-gley soils, the natural zone of which is predetermined by the conditions of the Far North, cannot boast of a variety of flora and fauna. This climatic zone is characterized by short summers and long winters with low average annual and average daily temperatures. Snow cover here is quite powerful. In some places, he holds almost all year. These conditions become critical for the development of plants and animals. Tundra has its own types of plant communities, which are:
- Lichen-mossy (most characteristic of tundra-gley soil types).
- Shrubbery.
- Forest Tundra.
Tundra-gley soils, whose vegetation is caused by waterlogging, create an environment for the development, growth and reproduction of spore plants - mosses, lichens, and some types of grasses.
Farm use
Permafrost and harsh climate do not allow the rational use of tundra lands. Under these conditions, agricultural livestock farming (mainly deer husbandry) is widespread, which is provided by the feed base of natural origin. One of the features of tundra-gley soils is that their use is possible only in the southern regions of the climatic zone in which they are common.