Micromorphological soil assessment in abandoned quarry dumps of the Central Caucasus, Russia

Yıl 2023, , 127 - 140, 01.04.2023

Rustam Tembotov Evgeny Abakumov Xiaowen Ji

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.1212167

Öz

This study compared the micromorphological and agrochemical metrics in soils from the quarry dumps and zonal soils, the Central Caucasus. Soil micromorphological investigations are important tool for evaluation of soil dynamics after anthropogenic impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. The results showed that the carbon content in the primary soil of the sand and gravel quarries was lower than that in the reference soil. The differences detected were statistically significant for both the Urvan plot soils (t = 11.95; p = 0.000) and the Progress plot soils (t = 18.73; p = 0.000). In contrast, in the quarry with clay bottom substrate (Gerpegezh), no significant difference was found between the reference and postmine soils. The reference soil around the sand and gravel quarries was slightly more acidic than the primary soil. In the clay quarry, the primary soil was more acidic with a strong acidic value, while the reference soil was neutral. The difference of nutrients (P, K, NH4+, NO3-) between the primary and reference soils were negligible. The only exception was the NO3- content in the reference soil of Progress settlement, where it was significantly higher (t = 4.19; p = 0.002) than in the original soil of the site. No difference was observed for the mineral component of the primary soil. Investigation of key zonal soils of the region. Zonal Caucasus soils: Phaeozem Gleiyc, Phaeozem and Umbric Retisol are different in terms of micro texture. Thus, Phaeozem Gleiyc characterizes by microstructure composed by primary angular mineral forms. Phaeozem and Retisol demonstrated formation of biogenic structure with alteration of mineral particles. Data obtained show that rapid self revegetation of the quarries results in initialization of primary soil formation and transformation of the soil microstructure and organization on the micro level.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Central Caucasus, primary soil, soil micromorphological feature, quarry dumps, zonal soil

Kaynakça

• Abakumov, E.V., Gagarina, E.I., Lisitsyna, O.V., 2005. Soil and Land Reclamation in the Kingisepp Phosphorite Deposit. Soil Science 6: 731-740. [in Russian].
• Abakumov, E.V., Gagarina, E.I., 2006. Soil Formation in Post-antropogenic -affected Quarry Ecosystems in the Northwest Russian Plain. St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg University Publishing. 208p. [in Russian].
• Abakumov, E., Tembotov, R., Kushnov, I., Polyakov, V., 2022. Micromorphology of cryoconite of Garabashi and Shkelda glaciers and soil of Baksan gorge, Mt. Elbrus, Central Caucasus. Polish Polar Research 43(1): 1-20.
• Acosta, J.A., Martinez-Martinez, S., Faz Cano, A., van Mourik, J.M., Arocena, J.M., 2011. Micromorphological and chemical approaches to understand changes in ecological functions of metal-ımpacted soils under various land uses. Applied and Environmental Soil Science Article ID 521329.
• Ageeb, G.W., Taalab, A.S., Siam, H.S., Mahmoud, S.A., 2019. Micromorphological study of pedological soil features: a review. Plant Archives 19: 2368-2372.
• Alexandrovskiy, A.L., Sedov, S.N., Shishkov, V.A., 2014. The development of deep soil processes in ancient kurgans of the North Caucasus. Catena 112: 65-71.
• Arinushkina, E.V., 2013. Manual on soil chemical analyses. Moscow. Moscow State University. 489 p. [in Russian].
• Arocena, J.M., van Mourik, J.M., Schilder, M.LM., Faz Cano, A.F. 2010. Initial soil development under pioneer plant species in metal mine waste deposits. Restoration Ecology 18: 244–252.
• Arocena, J.M., van Mourik, J.M., Faz Cano, A., 2012. Granular soil structure indicates reclamation of degraded to productive soils: A case study in southeast Spain. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 92(1): 243-251.
• Bagarello, V., Ferro, V., Keesstra, S., Rodrigo Comino, J., Pulido, M., Cerdà, A., 2018. Testing simple scaling in soil erosion processes at plot scale. Catena 167: 171–180.
• Bekarevich, N.E., Masyuk, N.P., 1969. Recommendations for Biological Land Reclamation in Dnepropetrovsk Region. Dnepropetrovsk. 37p. [in Russian].
• Cui, X., Song, J., 2007. Soil NH4 +/NO3 − nitrogen characteristics in primary forests and the adaptability of some coniferous species. Frontiers of Forestry in China 2: 1–10.
• Dejoux, J.F., Recous, S., Meynard, J.M., Trinsoutrot, I., Leterme, P., 2000. The fate of nitrogen from winter-frozen rapeseed leaves: mineralization, fluxes to the environment and uptake by rapeseed crop in spring. Plant and Soil 218: 257–272.
• Doroshkevich, S.G., Smirnova, O.K., Sheshukova, A.A., 2020. Soils of technogenic landscapes from tungsten mine: Micromorphological structure, mineral and chemical compositions. In: Processes and phenomena on the boundary between biogenic and abiogenic nature. Doroshkevich, S.G., Smirnova, O.K., Sheshukova, A.A. (Eds.). Lecture Notes in Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. pp 435–455.
• Francis, M.L., Poch, R.M., 2019. Calcite accumulation in a South African heuweltjie: Role of the termite Microhodotermes viator and oribatid mites. Journal of Arid Environments 170: 103981.
• Gagarina, E.I., 2004. Microphomorphological Method for Soil Research. SPb, St. Petersburg State University Publishing. 155p. [in Russian].
• Gavrilenko, E.G., Susyan, E.A., Ananyeva, N.D., Makarov, O.A., 2011. Spatial variation in the microbial biomass carbon content and microbial respiration of the Southern Outer Moscow. Soil Science 10: 1231-1245. [in Russian].
• Gedgafova, F.V., Uligova, T.S., Gorobtsova, O.N., Tembotov, R.K., 2015. The biological activity of chernozems in the Central Caucasus mountains (Terskii variant of altitudinal zonality), Kabardino-Balkaria. Eurasian Soil Science 48: 1341-1348.
• Gerasimova, M.A., Gubin, S.V., Shoba, S.A., 1992. Micromorphology of Soils in the USSR Natural Areas, Pushchino. 219p. [in Russian].
• Gerasimova, M.I., Lebedeva-Verba, M.P., 2010. Topsoils - Mollic, Takyric and Yermic horizons. In book: Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regoliths. [in Russian].
• Gorobtsova, O.N., Gedgafova, F.V., Uligova, T.S., Tembotov, R.K., 2016a. Ecophysiological signs of microbial biomass status in chernozem soils of the Central Caucasus (in the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria with the Terek Altitudinal Zonality). Russian Journal of Ecology 1: 19-25. [in Russian].
• Gorobtsova, O.N., Uligova, T.S., Tembotov, R.K., Khakunova, E.M., 2016b. The impact of agricultural activities on the biochemical properties of semi-hydromorphic soils in the Kabardino-Balkaria Plain. Proceedings of the Ufa Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences 3: 74-81. [in Russian].
• Gorobtsova, O.N., Uligova, T.S., Tembotov, R.K., Khakunova, E.M., 2017. Assessment of biological activity in agrogenic and natural chernozems of Kabardino-Balkaria. Eurasian Soil Science 50: 589–596.
• Gorobtsova, O.N., Uligova, T.S., Gedgafova, F.V., Tembotov, R.K., Khakunova, E.M., 2021. Biological activity of soils in the broad leaved forests of the Central Caucasus. Forest Science 1: 78-92. [in Russian].
• GOST 54650-2011, 2011. Soils. Determination of mobile phosphorus and potassium compounds by Kirsanov method modified by CINAO. [in Russian].
• Gregory, A.S., Ritz, K., McGrath, S.P., Quinton, J.N.,Goulding, K.W.T., Jones, R.J.A., Harris, J.A., Bol, R., Wallace, P., Pilgrim, E.S., Whitmore, A.P., 2015. A review of the impacts of degradation threats on soil properties in the UK. Soil Use and Management 31(51): 1–15.
• GRLD, 1976. Guidelines for Reclamation of Land Disturbed by Open Pit Mining. Moscow. Kolos Publishing. 42p. [in Russian].
• ISO/TS 14256-1. 2003. Soil quality - Determination of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium in field-moist soils by extraction with potassium chloride solution - Part 1: Manual method. Available at [Access date: 22.03.2022]: https://www.iso.org/standard/36706.html
• Kazeev, K.Sh., Odabashyan, M.Y., Trushkov, A.V., Kolesnikov, S.I., 2020. Assessment of the influence of pyrogenic factors on the biological properties of chernozems. Eurasian Soil Science 53: 1610–1619.
• Khamarova, Z.H., 2019. Forest Reclamation of Man-Made Landforms with Vertical Zonality, Central Part of the North Caucasus. Biology Thesis, Volgograd. 44p. [in Russian].
• Kovda, I., Morgun, E., Boutton, T., 2010. Vertic processes and specificity of organic matter properties and distribution in Vertisols. Eurasian Soil Science 43: 1467-1476.
• Lebedeva, M.P., Konyushkova, M.V., Kolesnikov, A.V., Khokhlov, S.F., 2016. The monitoring of changes of properties of virgin solonetz at djanybek stationary according to the data of micromorphologic investigations. Dokuchaev Soil Institute Bulletin 83: 118-139. [in Russian].
• Lebedeva-Verba, M.P., Gerasimova, M.I., 2009. Macro- and micromorphological features of genetic horizons in a solonetzic soil complex at the Dzhanybek Research Station. Eurasian Soil Science 42: 237–250.
• Liu, X., Bai, Z., Zhou, W., Cao, Y., Zhang, G., 2016. Changes in soil properties in the soil profile after mining and reclamation in an opencast coal mine on the Loess Plateau, China. Ecological Engineering 98: 228-239.
• Melnikov, N.V., 1977. Mining in the USSR and Reclamation of Lands Disturbed by Mining / Scientific and Technical Problems of Soil Reclamation disturbed by USSR Mining. Moscow, VINITI Publishing, pp.5-19. [in Russian].
• Miller, A.J., Cramer, M.D., 2004. Root nitrogen acquisition and assimilation. Plant and Soil 274: 1–36.
• Molchanov, E.N., 1984. Soils of the Kabardino-Balkarian ASSR and recommendations for their use. Nalchik: State Design Institute for Land Management SevKavNIIgiprozem. 1984. 201 p. [in Russian].
• Murugan, R., Loges, R., Taube, F., Sradnick, A., Joergensen, R.G., 2014. Changes in soil microbial biomass and residual indices as ecological indicators of land use change in temperate permanent grassland. Microbial Ecology 67: 907–918.
• Novruzova, S., 2019. Soils of the southeast slope of the Great Caucasus, their morphogenetic structure and diagnostic indicators. Bulletin of Science and Practice 5(3): 86-95. [in Russian].
• Parfenova, E.I., Yarilova, E.A., 1977. A Guide to Micromorphological Research in Soil Science. Zamyatina, Nauka Publishing. 198 p. [in Russian].
• Pinskoy, V.N., Kashirskaya, N.N., Idrisov, I.A., Yeltsov, M.V., Borisov, A.V., 2022. Soils of agricultural terraces on carbonate rocks of the Eastern Caucasus. Regional Geosystems 46(1): 5–13. [in Russian].
• Sokolov, V.E., Tembotov, A.K., 1989. Vertebrates of the Caucasus. Mammals. Insectivores. Moscow, Nauka Publishing. 548p. [in Russian].
• Sparks, D.L., Page, A.L., Helmke, P.A., Loeppert, R.H., Soltanpour, P.N., Tabatabai, M.A., Johnston, C.T., Sumner, M.E., 1996. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods. Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy. Madison, Wisconsin, USA. 1390 p.
• Srivastava, P., Pal, D.K., Kalbande, A.R., 2009. Soil micromorphology and its usefulness in soil survey. In: Soil Survey Manual. Bhattacharyya, T., Sarkar, D., Pal, D.K. (Eds.). NBSS&LUP, Publication. No.146. India. 400 p.
• SRLS, 2019. State (National) Report on the Land Status and Utilization in the Russian Federation in 2018. [in Russian].
• Stoops, G., Eswaran, H., 1986. Soil Micromorphology. New York, Van Nostrands Reinhold Company. 345 p.
• van Mourik, J.M., 1999. The use of micromorphology in soil pollen analysis: The interpretation of the pollen content of slope deposits in Galicia, Spain. Catena 35(2-4): 239–257.
• WRB, 2015. World reference base for soil resources 2014. International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Rome. 192p. Available at [Access date: 22.03.2022]: http://www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf
• Zawierucha, K., Baccolo, G., Di Mauro, B., Nawrot, A., Szczuciński, W., Kalińska, E., 2019. Micromorphological features of mineral matter from cryoconite holes on Arctic (Svalbard) and alpine (the Alps, the Caucasus) glaciers. Polar Science 22: 100482.
• Zgangurov, E.V., Lebedeva, M.P., Shishkov, V.A., 2018. Mineralogical and micromorphological diagnostics of pedogenesis on intermediate and mafic rocks in the Northern Taiga of the Timan Range. Eurasian Soil Science 51: 1357–1368.