An Anthropogenic Effect on Alluvial-Meadow-Forest Soils in the Floodplain of Kura River (Azerbaijan)

Abstract

The issues of genetic features, classification position and diagnostic indicators of floodplain-alluvial soils are considered. Alluvial-meadow-forest soils are fairly widespread under the high quality tugai forests of the floodplain of the Kura River. The territory has favorable relief conditions, a dry subtropical climate, as well as resources of the water regime. The humus content in the upper horizons is 4.2-4.5% and decreases with depth to 0.8%. In the buried humus horizons, an increase up to 2.2% is observed. The amount of total nitrogen in the horizons is 0.21-0.26%. The results of the analysis indicate differences in the gross chemical composition of forest and cultivated alluvial-meadow-forest soils. Irrigated soils were identified as an independent type.