Presence Of Shrubs Research Articles

Evaluation of Tree Object Segmentation Performance for Individual Tree Recognition Using Remote Sensing Techniques Based on Urban Forest Green Structures

This study evaluated whether tree object segmentation using remote sensing techniques could be effectively conducted according to the green structures of urban forests. The remote sensing techniques used were handheld LiDAR and UAV-based photogrammetry. The data collected from both methods were merged to complement each other’s limitations. The green structures of the study area were classified into three types based on the distance between canopy trees and the presence of shrubs. The ability to individually classify trees within each of the three types of green structures was then evaluated. The evaluation method was to assess the success rate by comparing the actual number of trees, which were visually counted in the field, with the number of tree objects classified in the study. To perform semantic segmentation of tree objects, a preprocessing step was conducted to extract only the data related to tree structures from the data collected through remote sensing techniques. The preprocessing steps included data merging, noise removal, separation of DTM and DSM, and separation of green areas and structures. The analysis results showed that tree object recognition was not efficient when the green structures were complex and mixed, and the recognition rate was highest when only canopy trees were present, and the canopies did not overlap. Therefore, when observing in high-density areas, the semantic segmentation algorithm’s variables should be adjusted to narrow the object recognition range, and additional observations in winter are needed to compensate for areas obscured by leaves. By improving data collection methods and systematizing the analysis methods according to the green structures, the object recognition process can be enhanced.

Managing both overstory and understory vegetation mitigates the impact of drought on soil nematode communities in a Mediterranean pine forest

Forest management strategies can effectively mitigate the impacts of drought on tree species, but their effects on soil fauna remain largely unexplored. Among soil organisms, soil nematodes can serve as valuable bioindicators to assess the impact of forest management on soil biodiversity and soil functioning. Consequently, we investigated two related questions in a Mediterranean Pinus halepensis Mill. forest located in southeastern France. First, how do soil nematodes respond to forest management practices? Second, can forest management practices help modulate the effects of Mediterranean summer drought on these soil organisms? We conducted a field experiment in which we explored the influence of two forest management techniques—tree thinning (intense, moderate, or absent) and understory removal (shrubs present or absent)—on soil nematodes before and after the summer drought. We found that only total and bacterivorous nematode abundances were positively influenced by the forest management practices. The highest values were observed under conditions of intense thinning combined with shrub presence, with an average of 97,509 individuals per kg of dry soil. In contrast, the abundances of all nematodes, with the exception of predaceous nematodes, were lower after the summer drought with a reduction ranging from −55 % to −82 %. Total, bacterivorous, and fungivorous nematode abundances were less negatively affected by the summer drought under conditions of moderate thinning when shrubs were present versus absent. More generally, we discovered that bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes were particularly sensitive to the forest management practices and the summer drought. It is thus apparent that habitat alterations induced by forest management can strongly affect nematode community structure and could therefore prompt shifts in ecosystem functioning. Finally, this study highlights that, in forests, understory vegetation can have significant positive impacts on soil nematode populations when severe dry periods occur.

Testing Strategies for Planting Design in Urban Squares to Improve Human Comfort throughout the Seasons

Green urban squares are essential in densely built neighborhoods and enhance their quality of life. Investment in the greening of urban areas will have a beneficial impact, particularly regarding human thermal comfort. Smaller than parks, squares can be easily spread over the cities and should be part of any neighborhood. While the cooling effect of green squares during hot summer days is increasingly well established, microclimatic assessments during all seasons are still missing. This study aimed to determine whether it is possible to identify an optimal greenery design that maximizes human thermal comfort, as indexed by physiological equivalent temperature (PET), in temperate climates across all seasons. This study employed a “research by design” methodology, utilizing the micrometeorological simulation model ENVI-met to analyze the impact of greenery on PET improvement across different seasons. The objective was to identify the most effective combination of greenery for PET improvement. To achieve these objectives, two urban squares in Munich, Germany were selected. This selection was based on the assumption that typical greening practices, exemplified by the presence of trees, shrubs, and grass, would significantly impact urban squares and their microclimatic effects on human thermal comfort. The small square with a grass surface underneath trees, Alpenplatz, is highly influenced by the surrounding buildings, affecting the sky view factor (SVF), a crucial aspect of the urban environment. Marstallplatz, an open, large square that is not highly affected by urban morphology, was analyzed through simulation scenarios combining grass, shrubs, and trees. The results demonstrate that hot summer days are of primary concern for climate-sensitive urban square design in order to avoid health risks and thus need to be prioritized without compromising comfort for cold days. To attend to both needs, increasing the number of deciduous trees for shading during the day and the amount of grass to enhance air cooling at night are particularly effective. Nevertheless, microclimate design for the spring and autumn periods must also be considered, with the provision of adaptable opportunities for sheltered and sun-exposed spaces.

Extraction of Arbors from Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data Based on Trunk Axis Fitting

Accurate arbor extraction is an important element of forest surveys. However, the presence of shrubs can interfere with the extraction of arbors. Addressing the issues of low accuracy and weak generalizability in existing Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) arbor point clouds extraction methods, this study proposes a trunk axis fitting (TAF) method for arbor extraction. After separating the point cloud data by upper and lower, slicing, clustering, fitting circles, obtaining the main central axis, filtering by distance, etc. The canopy point clouds are merged with the extracted trunk point clouds to precisely separate arbors and shrubs. The advantage of the TAF method proposed in this study is that it is not affected by point cloud density or the degree of trunk curvature. This study focuses on a natural forest plot in Shangri-La City, Yunnan Province, and a plantation plot in Kunming City, using manually extracted data from a standardized dataset of samples to test the accuracy of the TAF method and validate the feasibility of the proposed method. The results showed that the TAF method proposed in this study has high extraction accuracy. It can effectively avoid the problem of trunk point cloud loss caused by tree growth curvature. The experimental accuracy for both plots reached over 99%. This study can provide certain technical support for arbor parameter extraction and scientific guidance for forest resource investigation and forest management decision-making.

Relevant landscape components in a large urban green space in Oporto (Portugal)

Landscape components are essential in the design and fruition of any urban green space (UGS). This is particularly relevant considering the growth rate of the urban population worldwide, the increase in the number and intensity of severe weather episodes due to climate change, and the relevance of UGSs for global human well-being, as highlighted by the United Nations in their Sustainable Development Goals. This study examines users’ perceptions of UGSs regarding the importance of landscape components, which can influence users’ preferences for UGS use. The research was conducted in a major urban park subdivided into 10 landscape units in Oporto, Portugal. The paper uses information gathered through face-to-face surveys from stationary park users (n = 500) engaged in diverse activities, through which 13 landscape elements were assessed for their relevance in determining choice of location. The results show significant differences between the assessed landscape units at the user level for all socio-demographic variables, with the exception of the gender variable. Significant differences between landscape units were also identified in terms of the relevance attributed to the different landscape components. Exploratory factor analysis identified five main factors influencing user preferences: comfort and security (including vegetation density, tranquillity of space, availability of shade, good maintenance, and forest coverage), landscape diversity (diversity of open spaces, diversity of flora and fauna, and presence of shrubs), water presence, recreational facilities, and open spaces for activities. The results also highlight an issue related to distributional justice regarding the assessed study area. Our results have relevant implications for the design and management of UGSs. We propose diverse actions, addressing issues related to the balance between open spaces and rich greenery, multifunctional design, shade coverage, maintenance, forest coverage, vegetation diversity, the incorporation of water features, and the provision of recreational facilities.

Individual Tree Identification and Segmentation in Pinus spp. Stands through Portable LiDAR

Forest inventories are essential for sustainable forest management. In inventories at the tree level, all the information is linked to individuals: species, diameter, height, or spatial distribution, for example. Currently, the implementation of Portable LiDAR (PLS) is being studied, aiming to digitalize forest environments and increase the reliability of forest observations. Performing automatic individual tree identification (ITD) and segmentation (ITS) is essential for the operational implementation of PLS in forestry. Multiple algorithms have been developed for performing these tasks in LiDAR point clouds. Their performance varies according to the LiDAR system and the characteristics of the stand. In this study, the performance of several ITD and ITS algorithms is analyzed in very high-density PLS point clouds in Pinus species stands with a varying presence of understory, shrubs, and branches. The results showed that ITD methods based on finding trunks are more suitable for tree identification in regular stands with no understory. In the ITS process, the methods evaluated are highly conditioned by the presence of understory and branches. The results of this comparison help to identify the most suitable algorithm to be applied to these types of stands, and hence, they might enhance the operability of PLS systems.

A common ericoid shrub modulates the diversity and structure of fungal communities across an arbuscular to ectomycorrhizal tree dominance gradient.

Differences between arbuscular (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) trees strongly influence forest ecosystem processes, in part through their impact on saprotrophic fungal communities. Ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) shrubs likely also impact saprotrophic communities given that they can shape nutrient cycling by slowing decomposition rates and intensifying nitrogen limitation. We investigated the depth distributions of saprotrophic and EcM fungal communities in paired subplots with and without a common understory ErM shrub, mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia L.), across an AM to EcM tree dominance gradient in a temperate forest by analyzing soils from the organic, upper mineral (0-10cm), and lower mineral (cumulative depth of 30cm) horizons. The presence of K. latifolia was strongly associated with the taxonomic and functional composition of saprotrophic and EcM communities. Saprotrophic richness was consistently lower in the Oa horizon when this ErM shrub species was present. However, in AM tree-dominated plots, the presence of the ErM shrub was associated with a higher relative abundance of saprotrophs. Given that EcM trees suppress both the diversity and relative abundance of saprotrophic communities, our results suggest that separate consideration of ErM shrubs and EcM trees may be necessary when assessing the impacts of plant mycorrhizal associations on belowground communities.

Soil functional indicators in a semi-arid environment change patchy under the influence of shrub species

The presence of mountain shrublands within semi-arid regions is of great importance due to their function in the preservation of water and soil resources and their contribution to the conservation of biodiversity. The study of the effects of semi-arid highland shrubs on soil functional indicators has not yet received sufficient attention. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a study to investigate the effects of different shrub species specifically Carpinus orientalis Miller, Berberis integerrima Bunge, Crataegus microphylla C. Koch, Prunus spinosa L., and Rhamnus pallasii Fisch. and C. A. Mey) on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. For this study, 15 individuals of each of the above-mentioned shrub species were selected. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 10 cm and an area of 30 cm × 30 cm beneath the canopy of these particular species. The examination of the influence of various independent factors on the variability of soil microclimate and biological characteristics indicates that the presence of shrub covers is the primary determinant of changes in water content, fauna and microflora population, microbial respiration and biomass, whereas soil temperature, MBN/MBP and qCO2 are more affected by season factor. Based on the biological fertility index, all the studied shrub covers are in the medium class with the maximum score under Carpinus shrub. Results indicate that soil biological characteristics play a more significant role in distinguishing in terms of soil functional indicators. Based on hot spots output, the soil functional indicators decreased in order of Carpinus > Crataegus > Berberis > Prunus > Rhamnus. As a conclsuion, Carpinus create hot spots (areas) of soil functional indicators in the mountainous ecosystems that claimed the potentially role of nutrient-rich soil cycles.

Leaf quality and macrofauna are more important than the presence of trees and shrubs in riparian vegetation for leaf litter breakdown in subtropical highland grassland soil systems

Leaf quality and macrofauna are more important than the presence of trees and shrubs in riparian vegetation for leaf litter breakdown in subtropical highland grassland soil systems

A shift in transitional forests of the North American boreal will persist through 2100

High northern latitude changes with Arctic amplification across a latitudinal forest gradient suggest a shift towards an increased presence of trees and shrubs. The persistence of change may depend on the future scenarios of climate and on the current state, and site history, of forest structure. Here, we explore the persistence of a gradient-based shift in the boreal by connecting current forest patterns to recent tree cover trends and future modeled estimates of canopy height through 2100. Results show variation in the predicted potential height changes across the structural gradient from the boreal forest through the taiga-tundra ecotone. Positive potential changes in height are concentrated in transitional forests, where recent positive changes in cover prevail, while potential change in boreal forest is highly variable. Results are consistent across climate scenarios, revealing a persistent biome shift through 2100 in North America concentrated in transitional landscapes regardless of climate scenario.

Shrub effects on the decomposition microenvironment and changes in litter quality have opposing effects on litter decomposition

Increasing abundance of tall deciduous shrubs has been shown to affect tundra soil properties, which may further affect carbon and nitrogen cycling in these soils, including through effects on litter decomposition. These tall deciduous shrubs produce a higher quantity of litter, and also a different quality of litter, than tundra species in non-shrub dominated tundra, both of which may affect community-wide decomposition rates. We examined how presence of tall deciduous shrubs, including resulting increases in litter quantity, affects litter decomposition through effects on both the decomposition environment and on litter composition. In a factorial experiment, we modified the decomposition environment by manipulating both the abundance of tall deciduous shrubs (present/absent) and their litter (absent, natural, and doubled). In each environment we decomposed litter of the tall deciduous shrub, Betula glandulosa and two other dominant species in our study area; Salix reticulata, a dwarf deciduous shrub, and Carex consimilis, a graminoid. We report that while tall Betula shrub presence reduced decomposition rates, decomposition was not affected by manipulations of litter quantity. Although litter decomposed slower under deciduous shrubs, B. glandulosa litter decomposed faster than the litter of the other dominant tundra plant species. However, the reduction in decomposition rates due to tall deciduous shrub presence and higher decomposition rates of B. glandulosa litter in comparison to other plant species were of the same magnitude and these opposing effects may result in little to no change of shrub encroachment on litter decomposition rate overall.

Predicting Barrier Island Shrub Presence Using Remote Sensing Products and Machine Learning Techniques

AbstractBarrier islands are highly dynamic coastal landforms that are economically, ecologically, and societally important. Woody vegetation located within barrier island interiors can alter patterns of overwash, leading to periods of periodic‐barrier island retreat. Due to the interplay between island interior vegetation and patterns of barrier island migration, it is critical to better understand the factors controlling the presence of woody vegetation on barrier islands. To provide new insight into this topic, we use remote sensing data collected by LiDAR, LANDSAT, and aerial photography to measure shrub presence, coastal dune metrics, and island characteristics (e.g., beach width, island width) for an undeveloped mixed‐energy barrier island system in Virginia along the US mid‐Atlantic coast. We apply decision tree and random forest machine learning methods to identify new empirical relationships between island geomorphology and shrub presence. We find that shrubs are highly likely (90% likelihood) to be present in areas where dune elevations are above ∼1.9 m and island interior widths are greater than ∼160 m and that shrubs are unlikely (10% likelihood) to be present in areas where island interior widths are less than ∼160 m regardless of dune elevation. Our machine learning predictions are 90% accurate for the Virginia Barrier Islands, with almost half of our incorrect predictions (5% of total transects) being attributable to system hysteresis; shrubs require time to adapt to changing conditions and therefore their growth and removal lags changes in island geomorphology, which can occur more rapidly.

Urban greening with shrubs can supercharge invertebrate abundance and diversity

In urban areas, diverse and complex habitats for biodiversity are often lacking. This lack of diversity not only compromises essential ecological processes, such as pollination and nutrient cycling, but also diminishes the resilience of urban ecosystems to pests and diseases. To enhance urban biodiversity, a possible solution is to integrate shrubs alongside trees, thereby increasing the overall amount of vegetation, structural complexity and the associated resource diversity. Here, using a common garden experiment involving a variety of trees and shrubs planted alone and in combination, we evaluate how canopy-associated invertebrate assemblages are influenced by vegetation type. In particular, we test whether the presence of shrubs, alone or with trees, results in increased abundance and taxonomic richness of invertebrates, compared to trees on their own. We found that the overall abundance of invertebrates, and that of specific functional groups (e.g., herbivores, pollinators, detritivores), was higher on shrubs, compared to trees, and when trees and shrubs were planted in combination (relative to trees on their own). Our results suggest that planting shrub and tree species with wide and dense crowns can increase the associated abundance and taxonomic and functional group richness of invertebrate communities. Overall, our findings indicate that urban planning would benefit from incorporating shrubs alongside urban trees to maximise invertebrate abundance, diversity and function in urban landscapes.

Rodent communities in a neglected grassland landscape: Investigating species-specific responses of grassland rodents to habitat type and shrub presence

Arid grasslands worldwide are transitioning to scrublands due to shrub encroachment, resulting in habitats with varying shrub cover. Shrubs play a crucial role in grassland ecosystems, offering trade-offs to rodents in terms of visibility, shelter, and food availability, thereby affecting their occurrence and distribution. This study explores the link between habitat characteristics and rodent activity and density, focusing on shrub presence. In the Tirunelveli district of southern India, we measured rodent density and activity across three grassland types with increasing shrub presence. Our findings reveal species-specific responses to shrub density. The Soft-furred rat (Millardia meltada) dominated, showing adaptability to different shrub levels, while the black rat (Rattus Rattus) was least represented. Fine-scale analysis indicates a positive association between shrub presence and rodent captures. Grassland obligate species like the Indian gerbil (Tatera indica) exhibited reduced activity in densely shrubbed sites, whereas semi-arboreal species like the Indian palm squirrel (Funumbulus palmarum) showed increased activity. This study underscores the importance of considering habitat structure in grassland ecosystem management for the conservation of rodent diversity and ecosystem health.

Verified hypotheses on the "nurse" and "burial" effects on introduced Quercus rubra regeneration in a mesic Scots pine forest.

A previous study on the encroachment of North American northern red oak Quercus rubra L. into the mesic Scots pine forest (in central Poland) revealed high abundances of seedlings and saplings under shrubs, with lower abundances in open areas or clumps of bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus L. It was unclear whether the regeneration success of Q. rubra is enhanced by the presence of shrubs due to their "nurse effect", and how burying acorns of different sizes in soil or moss affects the survival of oak seeds and seedlings (a "burial effect"). Results of a previous observational study were verified in an experimental study: a pool of 900 large-, medium-, and small-sized acorns was sown under moss cover in open areas and within bilberry clumps and in soil under shrubs in 2018 and monitored for 3 years in natural conditions. The majority of sown acorns were lost, mainly due to acorn pilferage, lack of germination and the death of sprouting acorns. However, acorn and seedling survival depended significantly on acorn size and differed among the microsites studied. Viable seedlings were twice as likely to develop from large- and medium-sized as from small-sized acorns, and they grew mainly from acorns sown under moss cover, confirming a positive "burial effect." Seedling survival was three times higher in bilberry and open areas, than under shrubs; however, seedlings "nursed" by shrubs were less threatened by large ungulates. Only a small part of the pool of sown acorns contributes to the reproductive success of Q. rubra in the mesic Scots pine forest. Microsites characteristic to this type of forest are suitable for northern red oak regeneration; however, bilberry favors acorn survival and germination and early seedling growth, moss cover favors acorn survival and germination, while shrubs protect surviving seedlings from herbivory.

Shrub encroachment in semi-arid rangelands of southwestern Buenos Aires, Argentina does not affect plant diversity and composition

Shrub encroachment in semi-arid rangelands is a phenomenon associated with changes in floristic composition, loss of diversity and ecosystem degradation, enhanced by inappropriate grazing practices. However, the outcome depends on the species' identity and the management carried out. The objective of this study was to evaluate shrub species dynamics and their effect on plant community composition in a Monte rangeland of Argentina, under conservative grazing management at two different working scales. During two years, ground-based vegetation and soil cover measurements were performed in patches with and without shrubs using Daubenmire and Canfield's methods. Herbaceous and woody species recorded were classified according to their functional traits and forage value. Specific richness, Shannon's diversity index and Pielou's evenness were calculated. At a larger-scale evaluation, Sentinel-2A satellite images from year 2016–2022 were classified into three cover classes to evaluate the shrub encroachment process. Although an increase in shrub presence was observed over the years at both scales no effect was found on the diversity and specific composition, nor on the occurrence of forage species. Shrub presence promotes the coexistence of species with different functional traits and creates favorable conditions for soil protection and the establishment of desirable species for livestock purposes.

The interplay between historical land‐use and the distribution of Helichrysum shrubs in an African‐protected grassland

AbstractHuman land use can have lasting impacts on landscape characteristic, yet there remains a lack of information on how former land use affects plant communities in protected African grasslands. In this study, we investigated how land uses prior to the creation of Kitulo National Park, Tanzania, shaped the presence and abundance of the native shrub, Helichrysum species. We evaluated both plant species composition and soil properties across the park by dividing our sample into three different zones of historical land use based on participatory mapping. We divided the park into three former land uses: (1) livestock grazed and cultivated; (2) grazed only and (3) wild grazing with limited human impact. We observed that former grazed cultivated land use had five times higher Helichrysum abundance than former ‘wild’ land use. Soil pH, magnesium and phosphorus levels varied significantly across zones of historical land use but not between sites with and without Helichrysum species. Helichrysum splendidum was more abundant in soils with low soil phosphorus and magnesium concentrations. Our study demonstrates that historic grazing and cropping land uses through changes in soil nutrient properties can explain current Helichrysum species spread in protected areas. As such, conservation management plans would benefit from integrating mapping of former land uses to target interventions for problematic encroaching shrubs.

The effects of shrub encroachment on arthropod communities depend on grazing history

Unsustainable grazing is a major driver of biodiversity loss worldwide. Conservation actions such as grazing exclusion are effective strategies for halting such decline. However, we still know little how the long-term impact of grazing exclusion depends on plant–animal interactions such as those between encroaching unpalatable shrubs and ground arthropods. Here, we assessed how encroaching, unpalatable shrub species (Sarcopoterium spinosum) mediates the effects of grazing exclusion on the recovery of arthropod communities. We used a large-scale, long-term (15–25 years) grazing exclusion experiment complemented with local-scale treatments that consider the presence or absence of shrubs. We found that halting overgrazing supported the recovery of biodiversity in the long-term. Notably, the impacts of shrubs on arthropod diversity vary with grazing history. Shrubs decreased arthropod abundance by three folds, affecting particularly flies, butterflies, hymenopteran, and beetles in protected areas. Yet, shrubs had positive effects on animal diversity, particularly centipedes and millipeds in grazed areas. On the one hand, shrubs may enhance biodiversity recovery in overgrazed systems; on the other hand, shrubs may be detrimental in protected areas, in the absence of grazing. Understanding how plant–animal interactions vary with historical land-use change is key for biodiversity conservation and recovery and for integrated management of agroecosystems.

The effect of shrub cover on conifer water-use patterns, growth and response to precipitation variability in the southern Sierra Nevada.

As wildfires increase in size and severity, large areas of forest are undergoing substantial increases in shrub cover. In forests where water is the limiting resource, the partitioning of soil water between shrubs and young trees may determine how shrubs affect tree growth and water-stress. Here we evaluated juvenile trees (average age=32years) of two dominant conifer species in the southern Sierra Nevada of California (Abies concolor (white fir) and Pinus jeffreyi (Jeffrey pine)) growing in the presence or absence of shrubs. The two shrub species included Arctostaphylos patula and Ceanothus cordulatus, a nitrogen-fixing species. We analyzed the δ2H and δ18O values of xylem water for both tree and shrub species to assess how shrub cover affects the water-uptake patterns of conifers and whether there is niche partitioning between trees and shrubs. We found that growing near shrubs did not have a significant effect on the water source dynamics of either tree species, with similar source water contributions calculated for conifers growing in both the presence and absence of shrubs. Using a tree-ring analysis of growth and δ13C from 2016 to 2021, a period of high precipitation variability, we found that shrub cover had a positive effect on tree growth while decreasing carbon discrimination, which may be due to increased nitrogen availability from Ceanothus cordulatus. Overall, our results suggest that growing in the presence of shrubs does not alter the water uptake patterns of white fir and Jeffrey pine and instead may have a positive effect on the growth rates of these species during both wet and dry years.

ПОЧВООБРАБАТЫВАЮЩИЕ ФРЕЗЫ ДЛЯ ОСНОВНОЙ ОБРАБОТКИ ПОЧВЫ И ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЯ ЗАДЕРНЕННЫХ УГОДИЙ

Milling is one of the most effective methods of processing of heavy over-compacted soils, recultivation of blackened lands and development of virgin and fallow lands. As a result of intensive loosening and mixing of the soil, the mineralization process accelerates. When choosing the type of milling unit and its operating modes, the depth of the humus horizon, the type and density of the soil, the thickness of the sod, the presence of shrubs, stones, stumps, hummocks, the microrelief of the soil, the contamination with rhizomatous and other weeds are taken into account. (Research purpose) The research purpose is analyzing the used tillage cutters for basic tillage and the returning of blackened lands into circulation. (Materials and methods) Considered the design features of tillage cutters used in basic tillage and in blackened areas. Systematized data about them. (Results and discussion) It was determined that various designs of cutters make it possible to effectively grind blackened and compacted soil, destroy above-ground vegetation, and level the surface soil layer. It was found that effective processing of blackened lands includes grinding the sod and embedding it in the soil to a depth of 20-25 centimeters, creating a loose homogeneous fertile soil layer. (Conclusions) Milling allows high-quality processing of heavy, including blackened soils. The technological operation of milling provides shredding of weeds, uniform processing of fields and leveling of the surface layer, increasing the air permeability and infiltration properties of soils, reducing the time to prepare for pre-sowing treatment by combining several technological operations when using combined cutters.