The first results of the study of soil cover patterns on the Tsna-Vorona interfluve of the Privolzhskaya Upland are presented. The poorly dissected topography and rocks with low filtration capacity predetermine the development of only semi-hydromorphic and hydromorphic variants of chernozems within the forest-steppe interfluve. These soils are formed under conditions of impeded surface and groundwater flows. Gley features were observed in the middle horizons even in the soils of the most drained areas, including eroded slopes of the ravines. The additional surface flow leads to the formation of albic material in the humus horizon and carbonate leaching beyond the lower boundary of the humus horizon at the depth of 20 cm and deeper. Texture- differentiated soils with different degrees of gleyzation are formed inthe depressions with a stagnant-percolative water regime. Iron-manganic concentrations and gley color patterns are detectedfrom the surface layers of the soilsformed in the non-drained parts of the interfluve with the groundwater table within the soil profile. The soil diversity, which was revealed during the detailed investigation of three key plots with contrasting moistening conditions, was subdivided into nine groups. These groups were named according to the substantive-genetic and factor-genetic classifications. The main difficulties in the genetic interpretation of soil morphological features were related to the seasonal and annual variability of atmospheric precipitation and additional surface and groundwater moistening and the accompanying elementary soil processes (metamorphic, eluvial, hydrogenic-accumulative, and illuvial-accumulative). The further development of soil classification for the forest-steppe zone depends on the improvement of the morphological and analytical diagnostic criteria of the soil water regime and water stagnationunder specific soil conditions, i.e., the intense coloring of the soil mass with humus and neutral reaction.

In conditions of the vegetation experiment with barley under the artificial illumination, we assessed the ability of lanthanum, which is one of the most widely spread lanthanons, to accumulate in leaves and stems of plants. Also we assessed its ability to affect the elemental composition, biomass and chlorophyll and carotinoides content of plants. The separate studies allowed us to investigate the impact of lanthanum on root length and coleoptiles of barley seedlings. It is shown that La³⁺ is able to depress significantly the growth of rootlet if its concentration will exceed 10 mg/l and simultaneously stimulate the growth of coleoptile at the concentration exceeding 50 mg/l. The vegetation experiment showed the significant accumulation of lanthanum in the leaves and stems beginning from the exceeding the concentration of 20 and 50 mg/kg of lanthanum within the soil. It is marked that the accumulation of lanthanum in leaves is higher than in stems. The significant decrease of the chlorophyll and carotinoides in the variant with the implementation of 100 mg/kg of lanthanum comparing to the control and the accumulation of ground biomass at the concentration of the implemented lanthanumof 100-200 mg/kg. Theaccumulationofbiomass, whichwasrevealed in the vegetation experiment, correlates with the stimulating impact of lanthanum on the elongation of coleoptile. Taking into account the simultaneous decrease of the root length, the elongation of coleoptile may be explained by the hormonal process. The results obtained may be useful for re-assessment of the security of the implementation of lanthanons in agriculture and the impact of lanthanum on the biochemical processes in plants.

A comparative analysis of the changes in the aggregate structure in various types of soils (Sod-podzolic, Gray forest, and Chernozems) during their postagrogenic evolution was carried out. The study plots included: sod-podzolic soils -plowland, laylands abandoned 8, 13, 35 years ago and a secondary forest (~100 years); gray forest soils -plowland, laylands abandoned 6,15 and 30 years ago and a secondary forest of 60 years; сhernozems-plowland and layland abandoned 10, 15, 26 and 81 years ago. The geobotanical studies have shown that the withdrawal of soils from agricultural use causes changes in species composition, increase of biodiversity, and a gradual recovery of climax communities, which are attributed for specific natural climatic zones. Along with vegetation succession, we observed the increase in the total carbon content in the upper part of the former arable layer (0-10 cm) in all studied soils. However, the trend becomes weaker from northern to southern climatic zones in the following sequence: Sod-podzolic soil > Gray forest soil >Chernozems ordinary. It was found that the content of macroaggregates increases authentically in the surface layers of all of the investigated soils from cropland to abandoned and forest soils during the self-restoration of Gray forest soils and Chernozems while the number of micro-aggregates, on the contrary, decreases. In all studied chronosequences, we observed the increase of the weighed mean diameter of the aggregates and the structure coefficients. The most pronounced changes in the aggregate structure were observed in the chronosequence, formed on Gray forest soils, while the weakest alterations were typical for the Sod-podzolic soils of the southern taiga.

The structure of micromonoliths from eluvial horizon (EL), transitional horizon (BEL) and iluvial horizon (BT1) of agro soddy-podzolic soil developed on clay loam mantle, underlain by non-calcareous moraine was studied. The following methods were applied: microtomography, x-ray diffractometry analyses, laser diffractometry, and soil particles sedimentation method. The objects are located on the experimental field of Zelenograd stationary related to Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute (Yeldigino village, Moscow Oblast). The method of computer tomography helped to determine the zones, from which the silty and clayey fragments of transitional horizon were extracted. The method of sedimentation allowedustomark the differences in the amount of fractions with sizes <1, 1-5, 5-10, >10 mm. The method of x-ray diffractometry allowed us to determine the correlation of minerals in fractions with different particles sizes and also their qualitative composition. The minimal content of the clayey fraction is set is set in the sample from the eluvial part of the profile. The maximal content was set in the sample of separated clayey material from the transitional horizon. The most significant differences in the mineralogical composition are observed in the fraction lower than 1 mm. The eluvial part of the profile is characterized by the prevailing of hydromicasand chlorite vermiculite mixed-layer minerals. The same correlation of minerals is observed within the sample of silty part from the transitional layer. The iluvial part of the profile is characterized by the decrease of compounds with rigid structure (hydromicas, chlorite vermiculite). The clayey part of the transitional horizon is characterized by the highest content of silt and mica smectite within it. The distribution of fractions of fine (1-5 mm) and medium (5-10 mm) silt and their mineralogical content is less informative in relation to the differentiation of the soil profile during the podzolization.

The morphologic, physical, mineralogic and chemical specificities of solonetzic process occurrence are studied in the arable layer from the non-meliorated solonetz for 50-year period of its post-agrogenic evolution. The mineralogic analysis of the separate grain fractions (<1, 1-5, 5-10, >10 mm) from microhorizons was conducted. Morphologically these grain fractions were specific for the crust horizon. It is revealed that the silty fraction of the soil forming clay loam is dominated by unordered complex mica-smectite formations, and in lesser concentrations there occur hydromicas, chlorites and caolinite. The former arable layer in the profile is characterized by the different correlation of the same mineral phases than in the other layers. The content of silty particles is dominated mostly by hydromicas. It is revealed that in all fractions <1 mm the content of quartz, potassic feldspar and plagioclases is determined. There is also observed relative decrease of chlorite and caolinite in the former arable layer comparing to the lower layers of solonetz from the old layland. The conducted studies showed that after 50 years of postagrogenic evolution the deformation of mineralogical indices from the former arable horizon occurred. The most significant changes occurred within the surface microhorizons AJ1el and AJ2el (within the upper 3 cm). There is observed a depletion by silty fraction, and with it, by mica-smectitic formations. There is also observed relative enrichment by fine-dispersed quartz, plagioclases and potassic feldspars. The uppermost microhorizon AJ1el contains the highest amount of quartz and the lowest amount of chlorite and caolinite. In the lower part of the arable layer (Psn,pa) the insignificant increase of silty fraction content and mixed layer mica-smectites is revealed. The obtained specificities of differentiation of mineralogic composition of initially non-meliorated soils within the former arable layer stipulate about the initial states of solonetz microprofile forming during the 50 years of its postagrogenic evolution.

The short history of the steppe forestry is considered. The priority of Russia in dealing with this issue is marked. In this work, the long process of the development of forms of forest plantations, their structure, width and range of species is presented. The most significant completed projects on their construction are marked. The most attention is paid to the largest project of 1948, which consequently was called as The Plan of Nature Transformation. The purpose and role of different types of forest plantations is shown. Also, there was marked the impact of forest plantations on microclimate, soil water regime and their resistance to the unfavourable climatic conditions. The numerous data obtained stipulate that the yield of crops, protected by the forest plantations, is increased. The areas demanding the creation of new forest plantations for different purposes, calculated by All-Russia Research Institute of Agroforestry are presented. We suggest to increase the total area of additional forest plantations to 4.2. mil. ha.

The interpretation of soils as multifunctional objects of natural and cultural heritage is stipulated. The soils are also considered as the bank of biodiversity and information about the evolution of natural environment and dynamics of ecosystems. The necessity of giving the status of specially protected sites to the objects from The Red Book of Soils is shown. Theoretical, scientific and research, organization and practical issues of soil preservation as an object of natural and cultural heritage were determined. The effective preservation of natural resources is characterized as a system of closely related in place, local, regional and global measures. Three basic correlated to each other and equal ways of nature preservation and soils recultivation will be used in a framework of the presented system: 1) the preservation from the factors of destruction and degradation; 2) the rational use of soil and natural resources; 3) the recultivation of soils and nature, compensating the anthropogenic degradation of natural zones. The necessity of manifestation of recovering zonal specificities, for the territories withdrawn from agricultural use is shown. This is actual for the purposes of soil preservation.