The impact of forest reclamation on cultivated soils have been studied in automorphic chernozems under wide (30 m) meridionally oriented broadleaf shelterbelts and their arable analogues near the shelterbelts in three key forest-steppe areas of the southern Central Russian Upland. The study sites are located in the area of heavy loamy and clayey typical chernozems. Over 60 years of shelterbelt growth are associated with significant changes in the morphological, physical, and chemical properties of the chernozems. Field soil moisture analysis conducted over two growing seasons (2020–2021) revealed that arable soils are wetter to the west of the shelterbelts than to the east, primarily due to the westerly transport of air masses during the warm seasons. Soils under shelterbelts, which are compared to arable soils, are characterized by an increased thickness of the humus-accumulative horizons (on average, by 13 cm), fragmentary lightening of the middle and lower parts of the humus layer in the form of a weak patchy coating of skeletans and exhibit signs of illuviation process in the B horizons (glossy films and thin cutans). The shelterbelt soils are characterized by a radial outflow of carbonates compared to arable analogs: a 3-m depth of shelterbelt soils contains, on average, 40–50 t/ha less carbon carbonate than the arable soils. These differences indicate an evolutionary transformation of soils under shelterbelts from typical chernozems towards leached chernozems. Also, the 3-m soil depth of shelterbelt soils is characterized by higher stocks of organic carbon (on average, by 27 t/ha compared to arable soils). The composition of humus in chernozems under shelterbelts undergoes significant transformation towards a forest type: the content of fulvic acid increases in the 0- to 20-cm layer, while deeper layers exhibit maximum accumulation of humic acids. Meanwhile, profile distribution of humus acids in arable soils exhibit its characteristic chernozem type. The determined lateral transfer of several substances (particularly phosphorus) from arable soils towards shelterbelt ones is associated with the desuction activity of tree root systems. Thus, shelterbelts activate a complex of autochthonous and allochthonous phenomena in the soil cover, noticeably transforming soils over a 60-year period.

The composition of iron compounds in the permafrost-affected soils of tundra and taiga landscapes of Russia is examined. The total iron content is measured using X-ray fluorescence method. Soil chemical, physicochemical, and physical properties and the concentrations of silicate, nonsilicate, crystallized, and organic matter–associated iron compounds are studied with the help of conventional methods. The studied soils are classified as cryometamorphic (Haplic Cryosols), cryozems (Turbic Cryosols), peat cryozems (Histic Turbic Cryosols), gleyzems (Reductic Gleysols), peat gleyzems (Histic Reductaquic Cryosols), podzolic soils (Albic Retisols), and soddy podburs and podzols (Entic and Albic Podzols). The depth of permafrost table in soils varies from 0.3 to 1.7 m and deeper. On average, the total iron content amounts to 1.2–4.5

Data on the contents of eleven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils of single-time and repeatedly burnt areas of different ages in taiga landscapes of the Khamar-Daban Ridge (southern Baikal region, Buryatia) are presented. Morphological soil features inherited from the fires are identified: charcoal layer (pyr), ash layer (Cpyr), charred forest litter, (Opyr) and pyrogenic humus horizon (Apyr). The post-fire variability of the soil cover within burnt areas is related to the presence of areas with six degrees of burning of litter material. The content of PAHs in soils decreases with increasing fire intensity, as well as in the case of repeated fires on the already burnt area. Background soils of forests not disturbed by fire have a higher content of PAHs compared to that in soils of 42-year-old burnt area and one-year-old intensely burnt area. Four groups of PAHs differing in their origin have been identified using factor analysis: polyarenes of pyrogenic autochthonous origin formed in situ (naphthalene, tetraphene, pyrene, chrysene, anthracene, naphthalene, to a lesser extent benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(ghi)perylene); polyarenes of pyrogenic allochthonous origin that accumulated in soils due to atmospheric transport of ash material (benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(ghi)perylene); polyarenes of biochemical origin (fluorene and biphenyl); and polyarenes of biochemical and petrogenic origin accumulating in the deep soil horizons (phenanthrene).

In 2024, the journal Pochvovedenie—the first journal in the world entirely devoted to soil sciences—celebrated its 125th anniversary. Pochvovedenie is a unique periodical based on the fundamental ideas of genetic soil science created by the Russian scientist V.V. Dokuchaev. The article briefly describes the history of the journal and the stages of its development. It reveals the main topics and directions that have developed in the journal over the past 5–10 years and provides examples of the most interesting cited publications during this time. It shows that the journal is developing dynamically and harmoniously under current conditions.

Search for correlations between different soil properties and assessment of their variability is important for understanding soil functioning, allows more optimal planning of field and laboratory research and creates the basis for fertilizing management and precision agriculture. This work is based on the data on the content of organic carbon, pH, bulk density, texture (fractions 1-0,25 mm; 0,25-0,05 mm; 0,05-0,01 mm; 0,01-0,005 mm; 0,005-0,001 mm and <0,001 mm and <0,01 mm), exchange calcium and magnesium carbonates for twelve sites of plowed Chernozems studied in the southern part of the Central Russian Upland (Belgorod oblast). Soil samples were taken layer by layer every 20 cm to 3 m depth. Weak correlation was revealed among studied soil characteristics of the plowed Chernozems. The least correlation with other soil characteristics is characteristic of bulk density, organic carbon content, content of fraction 0,25-0,05 mm and 0,01-0,005 mm. Correlation between the content of bicarbonates and pH values is observed only for accumulative - carbonate horizon and transition horizons. The largest number of correlations between different soil characteristics is for the non-plowed part of humus horizon and the top of transition horizon. The least amount of correlations between soil characteristics was found at depths from 80 to 100 cm. Comparison of the coefficients of variations calculated for different soil layers of a single profile (i. e. intraprofile variability) and for the same soil layers but from different profiles (i. e. lateral variability) showed that the intraprofile variability exceeds the lateral one for the organic carbon, exchangeable potassium and calcium content.

The short-range lateral variation of soil properties is a particular expression of the spatial soil variability and a non-directional short-periodic (in the range of a few meters) change in soil-profile features. Contrary to the soil cover pattern theory of discrete soil cover, the short-range variation of soil properties characterizes the soil cover continuum: the soil cover is presented as a field of various soil properties, and the boundaries of chosen ranges of soil properties may not coincide with boundaries of soil taxa. This study is based on soil data from three parallel transects (240 m long) laid on the watershed perpendicular to a 60-year-old shelterbelt and crossing it in their central part. The sampling step is 10 m on agricultural fields and 6 m under the shelterbelt. Features of the humus (the content of organic carbon in the 0–20 cm layer and the thickness of the humus horizon and profile) and carbonate (the effervescence depth, the carbonate content in the effervescence layer, and the horizon of maximal accumulation of carbonates) profiles are analyzed for 75 observation points. It is shown that the parameters of the humus and carbonate profiles of soils are characterized by periodic changes at intervals of 6–10 meters. The parameters of the humus profile are characterized by lower variation coefficients (<30

The short-range variation of soil properties is a particular expression of the spatial soil variability; it is non-directional short-periodic (in the range of a few meters) changes in soil-profile features. The short-range variation of soil properties is aimed to characterize the continuum nature of soil cover instead of the discrete (as in the soil cover pattern theory), thus the soil cover is presented by a continuum field of various soil properties, and the boundaries of the selected soil properties ranges may or may not coincide with the soil taxonomic boundaries. The study is based on soil data of three parallel transects (length 240 m) in the watershed, perpendicularly crossing the 60-year-old shelterbelt in their central part. The sampling step was 10 m on agricultural fields, 6 – under the shelterbelt; In total, the features of the humus (the content of organic carbon in the 0–20 cm layer, the thickness of the humus horizon and profile) and carbonate (the effervescence depth, the carbonate content in the effervescence layer and the horizon of maximum accumulation of carbonates) profiles were studied at 75 points. It was revealed that the parameters of the humus and carbonate profiles of soils have periodic changes with a step of 6–10 meters. The parameters of the humus profile are characterized by lower coefficients of variation (less than 30%) than the parameters of the carbonate profile of soils (more than 50%). The growth of trees on agrochernozems (Haplic Chernozem (Aric)) for 60 years led to the formation of new taxonomic components (postagrogenic agrochernozems (Haplic Chernozem)), characterized by a smaller lateral variation in soil properties compared to arable soils. In total, 3 types of soils are found within the studied area: agrochernozem (64 points; Haplic Chernozem (Aric, Loamic, Pachic)), clay-illuvial agrochernozem (7 points; Luvic Chernozem (Aric, Loamic, Pachic) and Luvic Chernic Phaeozem (Aric, Loamic, Pachic, Loamic, Pachic)) and agrochernozems, clay-illuvial quasigley (4 points; Luvic Stagnic Chernic Phaeozem (Aric, Loamic, Pachic)), including 8 subtypes.

We studied automorphic forest-steppe Luvic and Haplic Chernozems (Siltic/Clayic, Pachic) of the southern part of the Central Russian Upland (Belgorod region), which were covered with broadleaved forest vegetation at different times (from 25 to 75 years ago). The studies were carried out on an overgrowing fallow and the adjacent maple–ash shelterbelt and on an area of growth of a natural oak forest towards the virgin meadow steppe. The line of effervescence in the soil profiles descended by 12–25 cm during 60–75 years of the growth of forest vegetation on Chernozems. The average rate of carbonate carbon leaching from a 2-m soil layer reached 5 t/ha per decade. The humus horizon thickness increased by 7–13 cm. A decrease in the organic carbon storage was observed in the soil profiles during the first 25–30 years of the development of Chernozems under forest vegetation; in the following decades, the organic carbon storage increased. The soil organic matter in the upper part of the profiles (0–40 cm) was directionally enriched with fulvic acids, while the opposite tendency of an increase in the content of humic acids was observed in the middle part of the profiles (40–80 cm). The clay mobility increased in the Chernozems under forest vegetation, which is proved by an increase in the content of silty infillings in the studied chronosequence of Chernozems under tree stands of different ages (from 25 to 60–75 years) and by the appearance of clay–humus cutans in the soils under forest vegetation. The direction and staging of changes characterize the evolutionary transformation of Chernozems over time under the impact of forest vegetation. Soil changes were caused by changes in vegetation from herbaceous (meadow-steppe) to forest and the resulting changes in the hydrothermal regimes of soil formation. The staging of soil changes could be determined by the vegetation succession changes coupled with corresponding changes in the soil regimes in microclimatic conditions.

We have studied a naturally burnt forest in the Baikalsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve within the basin of the Mishikha River in the belt of dark-coniferous fir (Abies sibirica) taiga with Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) on ferruginated stony burozems (Skeletic Cambisols (Humic, Protospodic)) and ferruginated metamorphosed lithozems (Cambic Leptosols (Humic, Protospodic)) in a habitat typical for mid-mountains of the northern macroslope of the Khamar-Daban Range. Changes in the soil and plant cover on the burnt plot have been compared with the background undisturbed forest landscape. The structure of the post-fire plant community has been significantly changed and simplified. The thickness of litter-peat horizons has decreased, new pyrogenic horizons have appeared, the concentration of labile carbon, ammonium, and labile nitrogen has dropped, and the content of labile phosphorus has increased. The total content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has decreased after the fire due to the burnout of organic matter, adsorbing polyarenes. The content of a group of high-molecular weight PAHs in soils has significantly increased under the effect of fire.

— A new method of digital mapping of the soil cover pattern with calculation of the share of soils of different taxa and degree classes for soil erosion in the soil associations is proposed. A comparative analysis of soil maps obtained using different methods of construction (visual expert and digital) and with their different contents (displaying the dominant soil or soil associations) has been performed. In the case of mapping by the visual expert method (with the display of the dominant soil), a significant underestimation of the total area of moderately and strongly eroded soils in comparison with the digital mapping is noted. These differences are due to the underestimation of the area of small polygons with moderately and strongly eroded soils in the composition of soil associations on slopes of low steepness and in shallow hollows in the visual expert method of mapping. When the content of digital maps is generalized from soil associations to dominant soil categories, a significant change in information on the degree of soil degradation by erosion is also noted. Comparison of visual expert and digital methods for mapping soils of different taxa indicates a high degree of compliance between the spatial location and area of soil delineations with similar component content in both cases. The greatest differences between the soil maps created by these methods are noted for the soils with periodic overmoistening, namely, meadow-chernozemic (Luvic Chernic Phaeozem (Oxyaquic)) and chernozemic-meadow (Luvic Stagnic Chernic Phaeozem) soils because of the poor consideration for microtopography in traditional mapping. In general, it can be concluded that the creation of a digital map is more difficult in terms of the need to use specialized computer programs and mathematical models. However, the resulting digital databases contain information of a higher level of detail than traditional soil maps.

Research data on the isotopic composition of carbon in soil lipids in the Zhirnovskoe and Bakhmet’evskoe oil and gas fields in the Medveditsa River basin, Volgograd oblast, Russia, are analyzed. Oil and atmospheric soil pollution is recorded. The variations in the isotopic composition are determined by both anthropogenic factors and the diversity of natural conditions. The isotopic composition of carbon in the lipids of the interfluvial soils (chernozems) is heavier (–26.9 to –29.2‰) than that in the alluvial soils (–29.4 to –31.3‰) because of the differences in the moistening and temperature conditions. Oil pollution appears as a lighter isotopic composition (–29.3 to –29.8‰) since oil isotopic composition is in general somewhat lighter (–28.4 to –30.6‰) as compared with unpolluted soils. Urban and transport infrastructure makes the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2 lighter, thereby influencing the δ13С values of plants and soils.

— The polyarene complex of soils was investigated, and PAH sources were assessed quantitatively in soils in the area subjected to heterogeneous technogenic impact near the town of Zhirnovsk, Volgograd oblast. The objects of study were the soils on interfluve areas within the oil and gas field, including soils of agricultural lands, floodplains, urban area, as well as oil-contaminated soils. PAH concentrations vary from 16 to 330000 ng/g; light PAHs, naphthalene and phenanthrene homologues are predominant; heavy PAHs were detected in the amount of 78.5 ng/g mainly in the urban area. The Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model was used to indicate and quantify the PAH sources. The following sources of PAHs were identified: emanation, old oil injection, new oil injection, traffic, public gas-pyrogenic, public wood-pyrogenic, and biogeochemical. They determine, respectively, the following associations of PAHs in soils: diphenyl, anthracene-chrysene, chrysene-naphthalene, fluorene-benzo[ ghi ]perylene, tetraphene-benzo[ ghi ]perylene, pyrene-anthracene-benzo[a]pyrene, and phenanthrene associations.

The content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbon isotope composition in the peat of a palsa near Eletsky settlement, Vorkuta urban district, Komi Republic are analyzed. The carbon isotope composition of peat varies from –28.05 to –30.05‰ (average –29.15‰). The total PAH content varies from 11 to 360 ppb, with an average of 63 ppb and a median value of 34 ppb. Heavy compounds, such as benzo( a )anthracene and benzofluoranthenes, are prevalent among PAHs. The presence of PAHs in the peat is determined by three main factors: technogenic impact, wildfires, and biogeochemical soil processes. The prevalence of benzo( a )anthracene in the upper part of the palsa down to the bottom of the active layer suggests an anthropogenic impact (the influence of transport and domestic fuel combustion). The share of benzo( a )anthracene decreases with depth, while the share of benzofluoranthenes increases. Two sharp peaks of PAH content (260 and 360 ppb) are observed; they coincide with a local increase of carbon isotope values, most likely resulting from wildfires. The minimums in PAH content are presumably determined by the biogeochemical factor and the input of polyarenes generated by decomposition of plant residues. Carbon isotope composition of peat mainly reflects the isotope composition of vegetation, the degree of peat moistening, and the influence of pyrogenic factor.

The content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and snow cover near the carbon black plants in Moscow, Omsk, and Samara regions was studied. The differences in the composition, bulk atmospheric deposition, and resources of PAHs in soils in key areas controlled by the production technology and the duration of the plant work were revealed. It was established that all key areas are characterized by lower modern delivery of PAHs in comparison with the activities of plants in the past. The highest amounts and the heaviest composition of PAHs were detected near a nonoperating plant, which previously had used an environmentally unfavorable tube technology. In all areas, the soils are characterized by a higher proportion of phenanthrene associations in relation to the snow; without account for phenanthrene in soils, the same PAHs dominate in the snow. The snow and soil PAH associations are the most similar near the operating plant.