Carbon balance of sandy loam soils in arid landscapes of the Chechen Republic
The spatial variability of the stability of soil aggregates and its relationship with runoff and soil erosion were studied in a semi-arid environment in the field in order to assess the validity of the stability of structures as an indicator of soil erosion in soils of sandy loam ridges. The influence of soil and relief properties on the variability of aggregate stability was also investigated. Significant relationships were found in the number of water droplets required to break down the aggregate, as well as the rate of runoff and erosion. The most significant correlation was found between the number of droplet impacts and the soil organic matter content. The stability of aggregates in the upper soil layer is apparently a valuable indicator of field runoff and inter-season soil erosion of sandy loamy ridges in semi-arid conditions.