The Work of V.V. Dokuchaev in the Chernozem Zone of Russia: A Contribution to Productive and Sustainable Agrolandscapes, and a Basis for Recent Research

Abstract

Agrolandscapes in Russia have to provide high productivity for a long time. We analyzed their current situation in the Central Chernozem Region. This is the region with the most fertile soils in Russia. The starting point of our analysis was the landscape-improving experiments by V.V. Dokuchaev in this region. Dokuchaev started landscape management experiments 127 years ago. The main measures were the creation of forest belts, the afforestation of eroded gullies and slopes, the sowing of grass and other permanent forage crops, and water storage and management. The broad-scale experiments still exist and may serve as a model for some future work. Dokuchaev’s work converted the steppe into a sustainable agricultural landscape. In contrast to these successful long-term experiments, most agricultural landscapes in this region were found to be in crisis. This crisis is characterized by the degradation of agricultural lands, by soil erosion and dehumification. The agricultural production is still too instable. Important Russian scientific research institutes such as the Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production and Agroecology and others base their work on the theoretical concepts and successful experiments by Dokuchaev, Williams, and other outstanding scientists. Based on landscape ecological zoning, they developed research strategies and innovative field experiments for understanding landscape processes, installing sustainable land management measures, and monitoring soils and landscapes. Natural and semi-natural grasslands should play a more important role in sustainable landscapes. This is necessary not only for forage production, but also for biodiversity and environmental management. Measures for managing agro-ecosystems include improving the structure of land areas, optimizing the structure of croplands, and improving crop rotation and farming systems. Norms for anthropogenic loads on agrolandscapes in general and for individual elements of their spatial structure (arable land, pastures, hayfields, forests) will be developed in future. Some of these systems for the management of agro-ecosystems and agrolandscapes have been tested in various regions of Russia.KeywordsAgroecosystemsAgrolandscapesRussiaState assessmentManagementStructure of landCrop areasCrop rotationFarming systemsLoads