Natural classification of soils in Belarus: new approach to soil operation

Soil is a multifunctional system, the main tool of agricultural production, the foundation of nature, the most important link in social well-being of society and humans. Information on soils, distribution, properties and fertility is of great scientific and practical value. Classification provides the ability to compare soils and soil cover, assess soils for various purposes.

The paper dwells on principles of constructing world and regional soil classifications. Precedent of creating natural classification of soils presented on digital image in the form of combinations of natural properties and anthropogenic changes. The research subject is the natural classification of soils, the object is the soils of Belarus and water regime as an essential property of the pedosphere, marking the genesis. The method is peculiar for observing the rules of formal logic and the arrangement role of soils’ water regime. The method is based on formation of taxa through indexation of factual data and combinations of indices – digital soil models – classification units with structural diagram reflecting the general diversity of soil in the territory. When developing the proposed classification, long-term data of several generations of Belarusian soil scientists have been used. The research result is natural classification of soils – an ordered sum of knowledge about soils of mixed forest zone of the Russian Plain based on realities of the Republic of Belarus as an example, with a logical substantiation of the nature of soil individuals and formalized representation of their diversity based on standard analytical data that is independent of the terminology used. It is designed based on objective indicators characterizing the natural soils of Belarus. Natural classification contributes to the classiology and general theory of soil formation, helps to determine and eliminate contradictions in existing knowledge, brings closer the possibility of biosphere-like use of natural resources, improves GIS arrangement, ensures automation of databases accumulation and use.

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