Land Degradation of the Republic of Kalmykia: Problems and Reclamation Methods

Abstract

The Republic of Kalmykia is located in the European part of the arid belt of the Russian Federation, in which the desertification of a significant part (up to 80%) of its territory is a serious environmental and socioeconomic problem. Thus, of the 6 264 000 ha of agricultural land, 77.9% are subject to various types of degradation, of which 93 960 ha are waterlogged, 526 180 ha are eroded, 1 753 920 ha are deflated, and 2 505 600 ha are saline. The highest deflationary degradation indices are observed in the southeastern regions of Kalmykia (DId 31.7–71.1 points), which is due to natural (increased aridity of the climate) and anthropogenic (excessive pasture load) factors. A conceptual model that reflects the mechanism of reclamation impact on degradation processes occurring on agricultural land under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors has been developed. An agrobiological method for the phytomelioration of degraded lands on open sand massifs is proposed, including the planting of Calligonum aphyllum (Pall.) Gurke, Leymus racemosus Lam. Tzvel. Bassia prostrata (L.) A.J. Scott, Krascheninnikovia ceratoides (L.) Gueldenst., and Agropyron sibiricum (Willd.) P. Beav. Complexes of land reclamation measures that are differentiated for various categories of agricultural land have been developed to ensure the creation of optimal conditions to increase the natural resource potential of arid ecosystems and to prevent the desertification of the territories, to level the complexity of the soil cover, and to reduce the natural and anthropogenic salinity, salinity, and the risk of other negative processes.