Variability of agrophysical properties of hillslope soils in the Cis-Salair region (West Siberia)

Abstract

The aim of the study. The aim of the study was to estimate heterogeneity of moisture-related soil physical properties in a sequence of degraded hillslope soils in the cis-Salair region. The main tasks were to examine spatial fluctuations and changes in morphological and agrophysical properties of soils, differing in erosion degree, and assess their variability. Location and time of the study. The study was conducted in the forest-steppe zone in the Bugotak Hills (Novosibirsk region, Russia). A sequence of arable soils located along the 411 m convex hillslope with south-eastern exposition was investigated since July 01 till August 15, 2016. Main results. The article describes the variation of soil density, moisture content and temperature in a sequence of hillslope soils. The variation in the ploughed layer was found to be quite high, depending on the sampling scale. Examination of the spatial variability of the soil hydrophysical properties showed that the non-eroded podzolised chernozem (Luvic Greyzemic Chernozem) and toeslope meadow soil (Gleyic Greyzemic Phaeozem, Colluvic)had the highest density. The lower temperatures were recorded in the slightly eroded dark-gray forest soil (Luvic Greyzemic Phaeozem) and in the toeslope meadow soil, accumulating soil material eroded from the topslope. The temperature difference range between the “cold” and “warm” soils was 1.8 °С. Conclusions. Such studies have important prospects in development and introduction of agricultural technologies that are landscape-adapted, especially in areas with diverse relief and eroded soils. The main focus of such research should be the anti-erosion landscaping. The problem needs to be further studied within the framework of targeting the anti-erosion measures to geographic regions and natural zones.