Chernozem | soil group | Britannica (original) (raw)
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Dokuchayev’s study
In Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchayev …Russia and introduced the term chernozem to describe the black soil, rich in carbonates and humus, that occurs in the temperate latitudes of Russia. Dokuchayev viewed soil as the result of interaction between climate, bedrock, and organisms. In 1898 he introduced a classification of Russian soils that showed that similar… Read More
occurrence in
Africa
In Africa: Chernozem-like and black soils An unfailing characteristic of the chernozem is the presence of a subsurface zone of calcium carbonate, sometimes accompanied by calcium sulfate, which is left behind after all the soluble salts have been washed out. Grouped with them are the black soils,… Read More
Asia
In Asia: The forest-steppe and steppe …in all Asia; known as chernozems, they are the thickest of the forest-steppe and mixed-grass soils. Characteristic of the wooded-meadow plains of the Amur River basin (the “Amur prairies”) are meadow soils that are dark, moist, and often composed of blue gley. In the drier steppes, where vegetation is sparse,… Read More
Heilongjiang
In Heilongjiang: Soils Black soils (chernozems) are prevalent in the foothills, and mountain brown forest soils higher up. Still higher the cold, wet soils are podzolized; i.e., the soluble salts and organic matter are leached out of the topsoil and deposited in an underlying subsoil. Such soils are of low… Read More
Jilin
In Jilin: Soils …the eastern mountainous region and black earth in the western plains. The podzols occur in several forms and are of both high and low fertility. Central and western Jilin are the areas of the black earths of the Northeast Plain. Of high fertility and containing a high percentage of organic… Read More
Moldova
In Moldova: Soils …varied and highly fertile, with chernozem—rich black soils—covering three-fourths of the republic. The best-developed chernozem, fostering the growth of grain, tobacco, and sugar beets, is found in the north and in the low-lying parts of the central and Dniester uplands, as well as in the left-bank regions. Soil quality diminishes… Read More
Russian Steppe
In Europe: Soils …areas of grass steppe are chernozems (black earths)—deep, friable, humus-rich, and renowned for their fertility. In the formerly wooded steppe lying to the north of the grass steppe in both south-central Russia and the lower Danubian lowlands, soils of somewhat less value are known as degraded chernozems and gray forest… Read More
In Russia: Wooded steppe and steppe Chernozem (black earth) is the distinctive soil of the steppe, taking its name from the very dark upper horizon—often more than three feet (one metre) thick—which is rich in humus derived from the thick grass cover. Winter frost and summer drought inhibit the decomposition of… Read More
