Soil Maps in the New Ecological Atlas of Russia

Abstract

A series of maps in the second edition of the Ecological Atlas (2017) characterizes several aspects of the ecological situation in Russia and prerequisites of its formation; the maps were compiled basing on the soil map and other thematic maps. In terms of the methods of their compilation, the maps may be grouped into factual and interpretational, the former being directly based on cartographic and analytical data, while the latter were compiled by means of targeted interpretation of information obtained from other maps (primarily, from the soil map). This information concerns soil profiles and particular properties of soil units in the legend of the basic soil map, which is also included in the atlas. The experience in compilation of the series of maps in the atlas enabled us to introduce new elements in the methodology of creating interpretational maps, which is being developed within the framework of the soil-landscape-geochemical approach suggested by M.A. Glazovskaya. The innovative maps in the series are the following: Ecological Functions of Soils, Red Data Soil Book, and Soil and Landscape-Geochemical Processes. As compared to the National Soil Atlas of Russia, the set of soil maps and their contents are rather different owing to the ecological orientation of the atlas.