Wind resistance of southern carbonate and ordinary сhernozems in agroforest landscapes of the steppe zone of Russia

Relevance. The rate of destruction of chernozems in the steppe zone as a result of deflation is very high. There is a threat of their loss of the humus horizon. To optimize the complex of protective measures, it is necessary to establish the regularities of the formation of wind resistance of these soils.Methods. The seasonal dynamics of the structure of the upper layer (0–5 cm) of chernozems of the steppe zone of the Lower Volga region and the Central Pre-Caucasus in the network of forest belts is studied. The aggregate composition was determined by fractionation of an air dry sample. The wind resistance of the soil was assessed by the total content of particles with a diameter of less than 1 mm.Results. It has been established that the open surface of southern carbonate chernozems is deflationary dangerous at any time of the year. Two spraying peaks were revealed — in early spring and before harvesting grain crops. In the first period, the content of particles with a diameter of less than 1 mm was 33–47%, in the second — 60–61%. Shelter forest belts reduced soil spraying in the zone of effective influence. A change in the internal structure of the deflationally dangerous fraction was detected during the year. The disintegration of large aggregates and an increase in the volume of smaller ones were observed. By the harvesting period, the number of particles with a diameter of 0.5–1.0 mm decreased by 1.7–2.6 times compared to the spring. Number of aggregates with a diameter of 0.1–0.5 mm, most strongly blown by the wind, increased by 1.3–1.8 times. The total dispersion of ordinary chernozem is almost two times lower than that of southern chernozem. However, the amount of particles with a diameter of 0.1–0.5 mm in the deflationary dangerous fraction of southern carbonate chernozem in the spring period is 37%, during the harvesting period — 50–56%. And in ordinary chernozem, already since the spring, there are more than 55% of such particles, in the future their number increases to 60%. As a result, by the harvesting period, the danger of a fraction with a diameter of less than 1 mm becomes the same for both subtypes of chernozems. This requires adjusting the complex of protective measures.

Comparative study on windbreak effects of two different configuration shelterbelts

Pinus sylvestris, Artemisia ordosica, Tamarix chinensis Lour, Elaeagnus angustifolia and Salix matsudana Koidz were selected to design the models of forest belts. Through wind tunnel experiments, we analyzed the wind speed frequency, wind speed flow field and wind protection efficiency of two different configuration shelterbelts. The results showed the wind speed frequency of mixed shelterbelts was generally lower than that of single shelterbelts with the same configuration. The similarity of the average wind speed between No.1 A3 and No.2 C3 indicates that the windbreak effect of low-density arbor-shrub mixed shelterbelt was similar to that of high-density single shelterbelt. The average wind protection efficiency of No.1 A1 was similar to that of No.1 C2, indicating that the influence of density of pinus sylvestrison of wind protection efficiency is greater than the height of forest belt. the average wind protection efficiency of No. 2 A2 was 57.64%, which was similar to that of No. 2 B3, indicating that the height of the forest belt increased, and the influence of density on the protection effect of the forest belt decreased.Therefore, the wind protection ability of multi-species and highly hierarchical mixed forests was higher than that of single shelterbelt.

Forest pathological monitoring of different types protective planting in Lower Volga region

In maintaining the material and energy balance of dry-steppe and semi-desert ecosystems, the main active component is forest-reclamation complexes of various purposes. In addition to environmental stabilization and other economic functions, protective plantings are also reserves of regional biodiversity. Research was carried out on permanent test sites in dendrological collections and protective forest stands of the Federal Research Center of Agroecology of RAS, as well as in recreational and landscaping plantings using route and stationary methods in different types of forest plantations that differ in condition, level of anthropogenic impact and maintenance regime. The assessment of the forest pathology status of stands was carried out using standard methods and in accordance with the current guidelines for forest pathology survey of plantings and forest pathology monitoring. It was found that in the spectrum of the examined plants, the most prosperous state of the dendroflora is distinguished by arboretums and forest belts. Urban plantings are dominated by severely weakened and shrinking trees (up to 80.0%). The main pathologies in them were shrunken tops and skeletal branches, xylophages, diseases of foliage, wood and trunks. The least pronounced anomalies of woody plants in forest belts (10.7-22.0% lower than in other types of plantings).

CONDITION OF FIELD PROTECTIVE STRIPS IN CONDITIONS OF STEPPE ZONE OF VORONEZH REGION

The paper presents the results of studies of protective strips located in the Voronezh region in the Rossoshansky district. The characteristic of biometric data of forest belts of the same age and their dependence on the density of planting, width of strips and row spacing is given. The comparison of the soil, its impact on the growth and development of trees is displayed. The influence of the design of protective forest stands on the temperature of the surface air layer is also shown. The state of the plantings and the factors that adversely affect it are determined: the lack of care measures, deforestation, clutter and the presence of a large number of diseases and pests.

FOREST RECLAMATION COMPLEXES OF THE ROSSOSHANSKY DISTRICT OF THE VORONEZH REGION

Forest reclamation complexes in the Rossoshan district of the Voronezh region are mainly represented with the participation of white acacia, silver birch, green ash, common elm and Tatar maple. The area occupied by them in the agricultural landscape is 2009 hectares. In cultures of hanging birch at the age of 19 years with a change in width from 6.0 m to 15.0 m, there is a decrease in the preservation of species by 8.8% and a decrease in wind protection height by 16.5% with a plant density of 3334 pcs / ha and placement of 3 , 0 x 1.0 m. According to the growth of plantings, they are estimated as Ia class of bonitet. In mixed crops aged 34 years, consisting of fast-growing and accompanying species with a planting width of 16.0 m, the highest height is for drooping birch (20.1 m), the lowest for green ash (14.3 m). The safety of such breeds is 46.8% and 60.6%, respectively. Forest belts, represented by white acacia, drooping birch, Tatar maple at the age of 36 years, have a preservation of species of 38.3-55.2%. The drooping birch has the highest height (22.4 m). In artificial linear plantations, consisting of common elm, drooping birch, Tatar maple and green ash at the age of 38 years, the greatest preservation is observed in the Tatar maple (54.7%), the lowest in green ash (32.7%). The drooping birch has the greatest windproof height (20.6 m) and is estimated in growth according to the Ia class of bonitet. Each breed has certain ecological and biological properties.

Ecological and Agrochemical Assessment of the Kamennaya Steppe Soils under Forest Cenosis

A set of parameters of soils under forest belts was studied. The objects of research were old-growth (65–68 yrs) ravine and shelterbelt forest plantations of the Kamennaya Steppe. The results allow assessing the trends of changes in soil characteristics over a long period of time. Key plots of 100×100 m were laid out using a regular sampling grid. The sampling interval is 15–25 m. A positive effect of forest shelterbelts on the properties of chernozems was found. There is an increase in thickness of the humus horizon from 42.3 cm (arable land on the slope) to 72.6±5.1 cm (under forest). The maximum values are typical for chernozems of watershed areas: 59.6±2.4 cm (arable land) and 85.6±3.9 cm (forest belt). Chernozems leached due to the activation of migration processes of carbonates into the underlying soil horizons have the maximum depth of soil effervescence. Chernozems zooturbated due to mechanical transport and mixing of accumulative-carbonate horizon have the lowest depth of soil effervescence. A general trend to decrease the depth of soil effervescence under the forest cenosis was found. The highest humus content is observed in watershed areas: 7.14±0.24 % (arable land) and 8.56±0.18 % (forest belt). A ravine forest belt reduces the risk of erosion processes. A fairly strong humus profile with a high content of organic matter: 7.03±0.27% (under forest) and 6.10±0.10% (on arable land), was possible to preserve on arable lands in the zone of the belt’s influence. The planting of forest belts causes a change in the nature of vegetation. The influence of acidic products of litter decomposition formed soil horizons with a moderately acidic reaction of the environment in the humus layer. Despite the leading position of calcium, an increased content of magnesium was found in the composition of exchange-absorbed cations. Forest belts have become especially important in recent decades due to changing climatic conditions. In the steppe regions of Russia, such plantations are a powerful soil conservation factor that helps stabilize and increase soil fertility. It is necessary to intensify the planting of artificial forest stands in the steppe regions of Russia. For citation: Cheverdin Yu.I., Bespalov V.A., Sautkina M.Yu., Titova T.V. Ecological and Agrochemical Assessment of the Kamennaya Steppe Soils under Forest Cenosis. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 5, pp. 76–91. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-5-76-91

Estimation of anti-erosion effect of narrow forest belts around illuvial meadows

Novosilskaya zonal agroforestry experimental station was founded in 1921 for development measures to combat water erosion. In the article, the authors carried out the research to identify the soil-protective efficiency of agroforestry-meadow reclamation measures of the anti-erosion complex. The creation of spruce strips around the meadows, on the slope lands of the Glubkovsky dry fields contributed to a radical change in the soil cover: an increase in the humus horizon, the content of humus, and a decrease in the bulk mass. The studied anti-erosion measures had a positive effect on the fertility of illuvial soils.

Historical creations aspects and functioning features of field protective forest plantations in the steppe zone of Ukraine

Field protective forest plantings of the steppe zone of Ukraine are one of the most important links in the system of protective forest plantations on arable lands. The presence of well-functioning field protective forest belts is a fundamental condition for efficient agricultural production in the steppe regions of Ukraine. The paper presents the facts about the expediency of creating protective forest belts as an important measure to support the agricultural potential of the steppe zone of Ukraine. The current state of forest belts is analyzed and historical literature information on the creation and prospects of development of protective afforestation in the steppe of Ukraine is presented. The legal aspect of the mode of operation of field protective plantations is highlighted. Given the low forest cover of a large area of Ukraine, the difficult and ambiguous situation of afforestation of forest-deficient areas of the country, the creation of new and preservation of existing protective forest belts in the steppe zone of Ukraine is an extremely important task today. The problem of ensuring the effective functioning of field protective plantations in the conditions of ecological inconsistency of forest vegetation conditions for the existence of woody vegetation in Dnipropetrovsk region, in the zone of weeds-fescue-feathergrass steppes is acute. Against the background of a number of well-known indisputable facts about the positive impact of forest belts on the soil and climatic properties of steppe landscapes, the condition of most existing protective plantations today is unsatisfactory, and some of them – critical. Almost everywhere in Ukraine, in conditions of high plowed lands and the absence of forest strips or their neglected condition, there is a rapid destruction of the upper fertile layer of soil. This leads to soil degradation, reduced yields and causes great economic damage to the country. Mass uncontrolled logging, destruction of protective forest belts, their irrational use and lack of proper care are a critical problem of national scale and may soon turn into an environmental disaster. An acute modern problem in the existence and functioning of forest belts is the solution of the legal regime of field protective tree strips and the introduction of appropriate legislative state regulation. An equally painful problem for field protection strips today is the lack of reliable information about their real condition. Therefore, obtaining a general idea of the current state and dynamics of field protection strips is possible only if they conduct a detailed comprehensive study and conduct a thorough inventory. For successful planning and implementation of measures to increase the forest cover of forest-deficient regions with difficult forest vegetation conditions and create an effective system of protective forest belts should take into account the history and many years of experience in creating forest plantations in the steppe of Ukraine.