A stationary system for automated measurement of soil hydrothermal regimes has been theoretically substantiated and developed. This system was used to conduct regular experimental studies of layer-by-layer moisture and temperature, as well as the groundwater depth, in the Tver Region (VNIMZ Experimental Field) on agrosod-podzolic gleyed light loamy soils. These data were used to construct chronoisopleth maps of moisture and temperature using digital methods. Using layer-by-layer values of soilhydrological constants (SHC), determined from the main hydrophysical characteristics, the soil water regime was analyzed, identifying periods of gravitational runoff, swampiness and soil drought in the annual cycle. Throughout the year, the studied soil layer experiences periods of excess and deficiency of moisture for plants, as well as periods of rapid changes in moisture and temperature throughout the profile due to meteorological conditions, particularly in late October, early November, and late April. This requires appropriate agronomic and reclamation measures for the studied soils. Obtaining, accumulating, and processing quantitative digital data on soil water and temperature regimes enables the application of modern methods for analyzing dynamic soil properties within intelligent digital platforms, establishing strict quantitative correlation with meteorological data, identifying and predicting the onset of critical periods, and scientifically managing soil reclamation processes. 

Soil cover changes oftenly result in significant transformation of soil functions, and in some cases in their complete loss and soil degradation, which affects greatly the quality of the environmental conditions and soil services. Thus, studying the processes of soil and soil cover changes in dynamics is of greatest importance. The aim of the research was to identify the trend in longterm dynamics of soil cover in mountainous regions of Uzbekistan for the period from the 1980-ies to the 2020-ies through the analysis of multitemporal satellite data. The analysis was carried out for regions of Uzbekistan with an absolute altitude of more than 900 meters above sea level. Soil cover changes were identified by means of the analysis of Landsat TM5 satellite data (29 scenes) for 1985–1987 period and Landsat 8 OLI (32 scenes) for 2021– 2023 one. Based on the NDVI threshold values, individually determined for each scene, all images were divided into 3 land cover classes: vegetation cover, open soil surface and water surface. After that, channel-by-channel subtraction of the brightness values in each channel was carried out for both survey periods. The results were expertly interpreted in terms of soil changes. The developed map of soil cover changes was superposed over the updated geoinformation map of the soil cover of the mountainous regions of Uzbekistan. The main types of the found changes are associated with erosion processes, scree, rockfalls, secondary waterlogging and salinization of soils. These changes affect about 7% of the mountainous territory of the country for the period under study. A trend towards soil progradation is observed for 4% of the mountainous territory of Uzbekistan. Changes in the soil cover due to the dynamics of the water surface (flooding of soils, exposure of the soil surface after the water level in reservoirs has dropped or instead of intermittent water bodies) in the study area are observed on 0.1–0.3% of the mountain area. The conducted studies have shown the wide possibilities of using longterm archives of satellite data to assess the dynamics of soils and soil cover in hard-to-reach mountainous regions of Uzbekistan.  

This work is devoted to the study of changes in the typomorphic characteristics of the chernozems of the southern Volgograd region on the territory of the former landfill of the USSR Academy of Sciences “Belye prudy”. The studies were carried out along a transect crossing two agricultural fields from west to east, located between three ribbons of the “PenzaKamensk” State Forest Belt. For the analysis of medium-term dynamics of soil characteristics, samples taken in 1950 and in the same places after 70 years, taken in 2021, were used. Complex studies were carried out according to the following characteristics: density of addition, aggregate composition, pH, content of humus, carbonates, salts, exchange bases. It was revealed that long-term agricultural use did not lead to significant changes in the morphological structure, particle size distribution, as well as humus and salt profiles of the studied modern soils. Studies in 2021 showed an increase in soil density, and in modern soils there is a tendency to acidify the upper part of the soil profile and, on the contrary, to alkalize its lower part. To identify factors of change in typomorphic characteristics, data from long-term observations (100 years) of climatic indicators were analyzed. A complex relationship has been identified between precipitation and moisture reserves in soils. A retrospective analysis showed high resistance to long-term agricultural use of the profile-forming process, which is explained by the constant climatic norm of soil formation, deep occurrence of groundwater, flat terrain, the presence of forest plantations and favorable climatic conditions. If the current trends in the amount and seasonal dynamics of precipitation continue, no significant changes in soil properties are predicted.  

Termites are increasingly recognized as key ecosystem engineers with critical roles in regulating soil processes and nutrient cycling, particularly in tropical forest ecosystems. This study investigates the functional role of termite activity in influencing soil organic carbon (SOC) and essential macronutrients (N, P, K) under different vegetation stands within the Alas Bromo Educational Forest, Central Java, Indonesia. Employing a wood stake baiting method within PVC tubes, termite activity was quantified and classified into five damage classes. Sampling was conducted during both dry and rainy seasons across pine and mahogany stands of various ages, with subsequent analysis of soil samples for SOC, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), and soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC). Findings revealed significant seasonal and stand-type variation in termite diversity and activity, with higher termite abundance and diversity observed during the dry season, particularly in pine stands, which also exhibited higher palatability. Increased termite activity, as reflected by higher stake damage classes, was strongly associated with elevated levels of SOC, TN, TP, TK, and SMBC. Pearson correlation analysis confirmed positive and significant correlation between termite activity and each of the soil parameters studied, with the strongest correlation observed between termite activity and TN (r = 0.771) and SMBC (r = 0.487). These findings highlight the biological contributions of termites to soil fertility, mediated through mechanisms such as organic matter decomposition, bioturbation, and nutrient mineralization facilitated by symbiotic gut microbiota. The results demonstrate that termite activity not only enhances SOC content through stoichiometric shifts but also promotes nutrient accumulation, particularly under conditions of high wood consumption. Furthermore, the microbial biomass carbon content was significantly higher in areas with active termite presence, indicating synergistic effects between macrofauna and microbial communities in regulating soil carbon dynamics. This study underscores the ecological significance of termites in sustainable forest management and their potential utilization as bioindicators of soil health.

The article considers the transformation of physical, physicochemical and chemical properties of meadow-chestnut soils in a key area with various land use options: virgin – bogara – irrigation (field crop rotation, rice paddy). In all the studied variants, the soil is heavy in terms of granulometric composition and is represented by light clay and heavy loam with a predominance of silty and coarse-powdered fractions. In comparison with virgin soil in irrigation areas, there is an increase in deflation-hazardous dust of medium and fine dust, a decrease in the proportion of sand fractions, and a decrease in the content of physical clay in the arable horizon. All variants of the studied meadow-chestnut saline soils are characterized by high density of composition and low porosity. Tillage with agricultural machinery contributes to the deterioration of the physical properties of the soil in the sub-arable horizon. During the half-century of functioning of agrolandscapes under irrigation conditions, significant transformations of the chemical composition of soils have occurred, which are still observed today. The soils of the virgin area are deeply saline, and the soils of the post-irrigation area under field crop rotations have transformed into non-saline variants and have maintained this trend for 34 years. The situation is similar in the areas under the former rice paddy – the soil is leached of salts from the depth of the entire profile and secondary salinization processes are not observed.  

The assessment of soil contamination with mobile forms of Cd and Pb in agricultural lands is due to the need to introduce regional standards based on the principles of the limiting baseline (ULBL). The dependence of their content on the particle size distribution of soils is shown (1113 observations). The use of cluster analysis made it possible to establish the limits of background content of mobile Pb for loams (less than 5.53 ± 0.08 mg/kg). Clusters contaminated with mobile Pb have significantly higher contents of organic carbon (%), mobile phosphorus and potassium, pH_KCl. The threshold content of mobile lead (ULBL) is 11.5 mg/kg. It is higher than the maximum allowable concentration (6 mg/kg) and reflects the permissible anthropogenic impact. Exceeding the Pb threshold was noted on 6% of soils in the studied area. They are located across the northern, central, and southern regions of the Leningrad Region. The background value of available Cd is less than 0.05 and no more than 0.08, and the maximum threshold value for available Cd is 0.16 mg/kg (ULBL). Cd-contaminated soils exceeding the ULBL are distributed from north to south relative to the regional center and cover 6.2% of the total area. An increase in generalized land quality indicators, such as the cultivation index and the complex agrochemical indicator, is demonstrated with a transition from background values of Pb and Cd beyond the ULBL. In the case of fallow lands, an increase in the spread of Pb values and a significant increase in Cd relative to arable lands was observed.  

Redistribution of phosphorous is very important problem. Naming phosphorous “immobile” soil element is inaccurate, because it easily washing away due to erosion proses. In our research we observed, that the point of soil particles accumulation are not points of phosphorous accumulation. We examined different forms of phosphorous in soil: mobile, mineral, organic and total. Mobile phosphorous, mineral phosphorous and total phosphorous mostly accumulated at the top of the slope. Down the slope, their content decreases considerably, without significant differences between the soil at the slope and at the foot of the slope (p-value < 0.05). Moreover, the examination of waterstable aggregates leads to the conclusion, that water-regime on the slope and in the bottom of the slope is the main reason of phosphorus removal. The airdry different sized aggregates mostly contain approximately equal amounts of mobile and total phosphorous. They are aggregates measuring 5–2 millimeters in diameter which predominantly accumulate mineral phosphorus, so agronomically valuable aggregates play the key role in mineral immobile phosphorous compounds accumulation.  

Soils subject to salinization occupy 18.2% of agricultural land in Russia (including Crimea). There is no information about the area of saline lands in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Russia for the period 20222024. In Kherson, 46.16% arable land was saline, and 20% in Zaporizhizhia.

The phyto-remediation effect of green fertilizers includes their ability to accumulate humus and purify soil from harmful substances, including salinity. Green fertilizers are key resources for restoring soil fertility and adding organic matter to the soil. Different types of green fertilizer have different cultivation requirements depending on climate, soil type, and research goals. Their effectiveness lies in their ability to improve the structure of soil, increase the level of organic matter and enrich it with essential nutrients. Prolonged use of such fertilizers leads to positive changes in soil characteristics: the supply of nutrients increases, acidity decreases, calcium and other alkaline components increase, and parameters such as absorption capacity, buffering, moisture content and porosity increase. The classification of green fertilizers depends on their function in crop rotation, processing methods and use as nutrients. Green fertilizers can be classified according to their role in agriculture and their impact on soil conditions. For the saline soils in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, the following phytomeliorants have been proposed: mustard, amaranth, barley, and sweet clover. 

Reclamation of disturbed lands is aimed at restoring the ecological functions of the soil or man-made surface formations replacing it. In the process of eliminating oil pollution on an area of 0.73 hectares, dark humus soil was destroyed and a loamy carbonate lithostrate was formed. It is of interest to study the properties of the lithostratum, which ensure the fulfillment of environmental functions. The agrochemical properties of the lithostrate (slightly alkaline reaction of the environment, increased supply of mobile phosphates, potassium, calcium) indicate satisfactory potential for the restoration of the grass ecosystem. Reduced activity of soil enzymes (urease and invertase) is associated with a lack of organic matter in the lithostrate. The phytotoxicity of the lithostrate was established, due to the residual content of petroleum products in the amount of 60–140 mg/kg and manifested in the physiological and biochemical parameters of the test culture. A comprehensive assessment based on the calculation of optimization coefficients showed that the resource (agrochemical) and environmental potential of the surface layers (0–20 and 20–40 cm) of the lithostratum is inferior compared to dark humus soil.  

The paper outlines the calculations for the minimum number of individual and combined samples required for control and inspector measures to detect a statistically significant change in the soil organic matter content, as determined according to GOST 26213-91 (the Tyurin's method). The threshold for this change is a decrease of the organic matter content in the arable soil layer by 15%. The paper also considers the impact of analytical error and spatial variation on the final result. Spatial variation was analyzed for sod-podzolic soils, southern chernozems, and ordinary chernozems. It was found that for low values of the substance content (up to 3%), the analytical repeatability should be at least n = 2. For higher values, the analytical repeatability may be reduced to a single sample. The number of individual samples needed to estimate the average organic matter content with a confidence level of 0.95 can vary widely, ranging from a few to several dozen, depending on the extent of spatial variation, which is characterized by the coefficient of variation. By combining samples, the number of analytical repetitions can be significantly reduced, but this approach also requires more careful consideration of mixing requirements. The primary samples must be of the same volume, and the mixing process must be carefully controlled to ensure uniformity.