Soil Cover of the Mginsko–Tosnenskaya Plain, Northwest of European Russia (by the Example of the Lisino Forestry)

Abstract

The soil cover of the Lisino educational and experimental forestry in the southwestern part of Leningrad oblast has been studied. The history of soil studies in this area over 200 years of its economic use is given. The soil diversity of the forestry, including its Perinskoe, Lisinskoe, and Kastenskoe branches is characterized, and a comparative assessment of its changes over 70 years of anthropogenic activity is analyzed on the basis of two soil maps presented in the modern Russian soil classification system. The lowest pedodiversity is characteristic of the northern part of the forestry, and the greatest pedodiversity is noted in the in the central and southern parts. At the subtype level, the greatest diversity of soils is in the central part of the forestry. Soil diversity is associated with differences in moisture regimes, landforms, soil-forming rocks, and active and multidirectional anthropogenic activities. The degree of anthropogenic soil changes increases when moving from north to south. The leading factor in the anthropogenic soil change is the drainage of the territory. Podzolic soils are found throughout the forestry area. Statistical data confirm that the occurrence of podzolic soils and the uniformity of their distribution in space decrease when moving from north to south, which is associated with the lithological factor. The spatial distribution of podzolic soils in the north of the forestry becomes more uniform over time due to the increasing influence of drainage and forest cuttings. In the central part of the forestry, the situation for podzolic soils is opposite to that in the northern part.