Ameliorative role of shrub belts on light-chestnut soils of sub-arid agro-landscapes ​

Abstract

Forest plantings have a positive impact on soils, at the same time, the issues related to the role of shrub belts in the reclamation activities are poorly studied. There is a need to investigate their impact, especially in relation to saline soils. Today, tree plantations are more preferable than shrubs within the framework of steppe afforestation carried out in the arid zone. The purpose of the present study is to determine the reclamation efficiency of field-protective forest plantations, consisting of both tree stands and shrub belts, on solonetz soils. The research was conducted from 2020 to 2022 on the experimental plot laid in 1989-1991 in Kotelnikovsky district of Volgograd region. The experiments were conducted with the use of general research methods applied in agroforestry on a site area of 651.3 hectares. Soil sites were laid out according to the developed and standard methodology. From this study, a detailed evaluation of the forest conditions of the experimental site was determined. In general, they are unfavorable for growing protective forest plantations. The soils are saline to a different extent, the reserves of productive moisture are extremely limited, the positive and negative temperatures are extreme, and the relative air humidity is low. The reclamation efficiency of forest belts with inclusions of shrub belts on solonetz soils shows a positive impact of the shrub phytomass on the agroecology of arable land.