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A comparative assessment of the biological properties of soils in the cultural and native cenoses of the Central Caucasus (using the example of the Terskii variant of altitudinal zonality in Kabardino-Balkaria)

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Abstract

The biological properties of the most widespread automorphic and hydromorphic soils of cultural and native cenoses in the Terskii variant of the altitudinal zonality (Kabardino-Balkaria) are compared. The data on the humus reserves in the 0- to 20-cm soil layer and those on the carbon content in the microbial biomass calculated on the basis of the results of substrate-induced respiration measurements are presented. The share of carbon in the microbial biomass of the total organic carbon in the soils was determined. Long-term (more than 70 years) farming on the studied soils significantly changed their biological properties. The humus content and its reserves became lower by 25–40%. The physiological activity of the microbial biomass in the cultural soils decreased by more than 60%. Presently, the soils of the cultural cenoses function as an entire natural system, but at a lower level of fertility; the loss of more than 30% of the bioorganic potential (the critical threshold of soil system stability) indicates the disturbance of soil ecological functions, their stability, and the capability of self-restoration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories, Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. I. Armand, 37a, Nal’chik, 360000, Russia

    O. N. Gorobtsova, F. V. Gedgafova, T. S. Uligova & R. Kh. Tembotov

Authors
  1. O. N. Gorobtsova
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  2. F. V. Gedgafova
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  3. T. S. Uligova
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  4. R. Kh. Tembotov
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Correspondence to R. Kh. Tembotov.

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Original Russian Text © O.N. Gorobtsova, F.V. Gedgafova, T.S. Uligova, R.Kh. Tembotov, 2016, published in Pochvovedenie, 2016, No. 1, pp. 100–106.

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Gorobtsova, O.N., Gedgafova, F.V., Uligova, T.S. et al. A comparative assessment of the biological properties of soils in the cultural and native cenoses of the Central Caucasus (using the example of the Terskii variant of altitudinal zonality in Kabardino-Balkaria). Eurasian Soil Sc. 49, 89–94 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229316010063

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229316010063

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