Assessment of the Current State of the Soil Cover of the Verkhnebalkarsky Gorge

Abstract

At present, there are fewer undisturbed reference soils and in this regard, it is becoming increasingly important soil reserves, remaining relatively intact and acting as references. The study of soil Kabardino-Balkar State Reserve is considered as an observing system in space and time, giving information about the state of the soil cover. Mountain soils the territory of Kabardino-Balkarsky state nature reserve, namely Verkhnebalkarsky gorge has been insufficiently studied, so the aim of the study was the organization of the study characteristics of the soil cover of the area and the future implementation of the soil monitoring programme background areas in the reserve. Study area the soil cover is located in the upper reaches of the right Bank of the Cherek-Balkarsky River on the territory of Kabardino-Balkar High-Mountain State Nature Reserve and partly in the protected zone. Selected sites for more information about the initial state of the soil, as for this purpose selected the most typical for this region of the soil landscapes and soil. Soil characteristics were studied in the soil section, having a depth of 0-3 cm, 3-16 cm and below to the parent rocks. Soils were sampled under different vegetation: mixed forest, alder, willow, shrubs in the family birch and meadow. In each of the items selected soil horizons A and B, where the determined parameters characterizing the soil: depth of sampling, the humus layer, pH water, рНsalt, acidity, ions Ca2+ and Mg2+, SO4–, Cl–. A common property of soils is the low severity of horizons, shortening the soil profile, the presence of small stones of various diameters and below the weak humus layer of larger stone inclusions. The soil cut failed to pass by only 10-13 cm, below is a dense layer small fragments material in which the cracks and gaps between the stones penetrates the soil. The results of soil research on the content of sulfate-, chloride-, calcium-, magnesium-ions showed that the highest concentration of sulfur-containing component of the soil, the equal of 68.16 mg/kg, was observed in the layer 0-3 cm of the forest soil. The concentration of chlorine is quite high in the upper layers of the soil and is 15.98-31.95 mg/kg. Less chlorine is contained in the second layer in meadow soils (3.9-6.4 mg/kg), and in the horizon B in forest soil, its content has increased almost 3 times (from 30.2 to 88.75), which indicates a trend of accumulation of chlorine in the lower layer. The content of calcium and magnesium in forest soils is higher, both in horizon A and horizon B, compared to meadow soils. The obtained indicators are background and can be important for analyzing general patterns and regional features of soil structure, as well as for obtaining quantitative estimates of the relationship between soil components.