Types Of Agricultural Land Research Articles

High tolerance land use against flood disasters: How paddy fields as previously natural wetland inhibit the occurrence of floods

• There has been interested the ecosystem based disaster risk reduction. • We predicted that semi-natural land near the intact habitat could reduce flooding. • Results revealed that paddy fields located at previous wetland reduce flooding. • Land use mimicking original habitat might positively affect disaster-risk reduction. Although natural disturbances are inherent in any ecosystem, they can be hazardous to the local residents, indicating that it is necessary to mitigate these disturbances as much as possible appropriately. There has been an increased interest in taking advantage of ecosystem functions for disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) as future infrastructure because of the lower introduction, maintenance costs, and the additional ecosystem services. Previous studies have suggested that intact ecosystems have a higher tolerance and/or resilience to natural disturbances. However, fully intact ecosystems have been decreasing rapidly worldwide. This study evaluates the functions of semi-natural land, namely, paddy fields, which is one of the typical agricultural land uses of monsoon Asia to reduce the societal damages of natural disasters. As semi-natural land is sometimes located close to or is similar to the original intact habitat, it could play a role in reducing flood disasters. In particular, paddy fields could be seen to be similar to intact wetland habitats, most of which have disappeared in recent decades due to development. To test this idea, the relationships between flood disasters and paddy fields with location condition in inland regions of central Japan were evaluated. We used flow accumulation value (FAV) as an index of intact wetland habitat; particularly, we considered that high FAV area might be previously natural wetland. Thus, paddy field located at high FAV values are considered similar to intact wetland habitats. Results showed that paddy fields located in high FAV areas were able to significantly reduce flood frequencies, occurrences of landslides, and debris floods. These results suggested that semi-natural land close to or on their natural habitats could function as intact ecosystems and provide Eco-DRR function as ecosystem services. These types of semi-natural land could be employed as green infrastructure to provide several extensive ecosystem services.

Sustainability of Maize Farming in Grobogan, Central Java. Indonesia

Grobogan district is the center for maize cultivation in Central Java province with production contribution of 21.8% in 2016. The types of agricultural land in this district is moor and forest land (pesanggem), thus it is interesting to study the sustainability of maize farming in this location. Farmers are taking consideration of sustainability in terms of land, social, economy and agronomy for the next generation. This study aims to (1) describe maize farming implementation, (2) analyze maize farming sustainability and (3) formulate the efforts to improve maize cultivation sustainability in Grobogan district. Descriptive analysis Majewski Index and SWOT were applied to analyze the data. The results showed that (1) farmers tried to increase production by applying “siti methuk” cultivation technique, where farmers began planting again even though the maize had not been harvested (2) the order of priority for sustainability by farmers is the aspect of land - social - economic - agronomy. The average score of sustainability analysis with The Synthetic Farm Sustainability Index of Majewski is 51.15, (3) the alternative sustainable improvement of maize farming such as subsidies for the price of inputs, facilitation of land conservation infrastructure with deep wells, and seed price subsidies.

Occurrence of Entomopathogenic Nematodes (Rhabditida: Steienernematidae, Heterorhabditidae) from Agricultural Ecosystems in Forest (Polissya) and Forest-Steppe Natural Zones of Ukraine

Abstract A survey for entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) of the Steienernematidae and Heterorhabditidae in soils of different crop types of agricultural lands (household plots, commercial fields) in the forest (Polissya) and forest-steppe (Lisostep) zones of Ukraine was carried out in spring, summer and autumn months from 2016 to 2018. In total, 205 soil samples and 92 live-traps were processed. In addition, 98 samples of soil-living larvae and adults of insect crop pests, including cockchafer beetles, click beetle larvae, darkling beetle larvae, caterpillars of the scoops were collected. It is shown that the EPNs distribution and frequency of occurrence depends on the natural geographical features (regional characteristics) and habitat types. EPNs were found in 46 (15.4 %) out 297 samples. The incidence (% of samples) of the entomopathogenic nematodes, and their diversity varied depending on the location-based sampling, the type of agrocenosis, and the predominant agricultural plant species or typical species-edificators. The proportion of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema spp., Heterorhabditis spp.) recovery from regions of Lisostep zone was 16.9 %, and 13.6 % from regions of Polissya zone. The highest number among all positive samples was recorded from the apple trees, Malus domestica Borkh., 1803 (10 samples). The least number of positive samples (one sample) was obtained from sweet cherry trees, Prúnus cérasus L., 1753, junipers, Juniperus communis L., 1753, alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., 1753, common beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L., 1753, and common pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo L., 1753. The steinernematid nematodes were noticeably dominant over heterorhabditid nematodes: 60.8 % vs 39.2 % respectively. Steinernema spp. is widespread in different regions and plots, whereas Heterorhabditis spp. are common in fruit orchards and coniferous decorative perennial plantings.

Effects of agricultural land use change on organic carbon and its labile fractions in the soil profile in an urban agricultural area

AbstractThe properties of soil organic carbon (SOC) required for carbon sequestration and nutrient availability are contradictory, and the changes in SOC caused by agricultural land use changes remain elusive. Data on the total soil organic carbon (TOC) and labile organic carbon, including easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC), of the soil profile were analysed for four typical agricultural land use scenarios in the Chengdu Plain, China. The impacts of agricultural land use changes on sequestration and nutrient availability of SOC were assessed in this urban agricultural area using the space‐for‐time substitution method. Conversion of land use from a traditional agricultural rotation (rice‐wheat/rapeseed rotation) to afforestation increased the MBC content and decreased the contents of EOC, DOC, and TOC due to the lower input of organic matter, improved aeration of the soil profile, and growth of aboveground biomass. Conversion of a traditional rotation to a rice–garlic rotation resulted in a significant increase in topsoil TOC, slight but insignificant decreases in subsoil TOC, and clear increases in labile organic carbon because of rice planting, rice straw mulch, and reasonable application of chemical fertilizers. In contrast, the conversion of a traditional rotation to a rice–leafy vegetable rotation decreased MBC due to the excessive use of chemical fertilizers that consequently increased EOC, DOC, and TOC. We conclude that afforestation on paddy soil has negative consequences for soil carbon sequestration and a rice–leafy vegetable rotation contributes to carbon sequestration but is detrimental to soil fertility. In addition, the MBC ratio in soil could be the optimal indicator for assessing SOC stability and soil fertility, and more attention should be paid to subsoil carbon changes.

Strong Nonagricultural Demand Keeps Agricultural Land Values Increasing

The Florida Land Value Survey, conducted by the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida, provides estimates of the value of different types of agricultural land for geographic regions of the state. The survey questionnaire was designed to obtain estimates of the market value for different types of land as of May 2005. Survey respondents included rural appraisers, farm lenders, real estate brokers, farm managers, land investors, county extension agents, personnel from the Farm Services Agency and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, county property appraisers, and other persons who develop and maintain information about rural land values in their areas. Respondents provided 185 usable county reports for the 2005 survey. This document is FE625, one of a series of the Food and Resource Economics Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date January 2006. FE625/FE625: Strong Nonagricultural Demand Keeps Agricultural Land Values Increasing (2005) (ufl.edu)

Land Plot Selection Rationale for the Location of Linear Facilities

Nowadays, the issue of land plot selection for linear facilities is relevant because of high land load rate world-wide. The given research into establishing a rationale for linear facilities location focuses on the determination of an optimum alternative. The method used is based on the expert analytic hierarchy process to improve the economic, technical and ecological justification of projects of land allocation for linear facilities of utility equipment. The method was applied in order to select a land plot for a gas pipeline. A number of factors have been proven to be crucial for decision-making, such as negative impact on agricultural activities, area and type of agricultural land, straightness of gas pipeline, construction costs, area of land with restricted use regime and to-be-reclaimed zones. A case study of land allocation for gas pipeline illustrates the solution of the task to find the most appropriate plot of land.

Winter bird communities in the heterogeneous farmlands of the Aso region in Japan

Surveys of overwintering birds were conducted in a heterogeneous landscape, composed of paddy land, grassland, and mosaic agricultural land types, in the Aso region of Japan. Overall species richness and mean abundance were higher in paddy land types compared with the other two land types. Birds showed species-specific habitat preferences, with 26 species (56.5%) only being found on one of the three farmland types. Using canonical correspondence analysis, wider-ranging species were separated to species preferring forest and shrub vegetation sites compared with paddy field–dominated sites along the first axis. The environmental factors that explained individual abundance by generalized linear mixed models also differed among species and were dependent on the degree of paddy field, grass, shrub, and broad spatial forest cover. The most frequently detected bird species, Hypsipetes amaurotis, was positively correlated with the percentage of forests in paddy fields and grasslands at the local scale, where forests were rare. In conclusion, paddy lands that extend into valleys represent important habitat promoting high bird diversity during the wintering period, with the other two land types also supporting many species in this region at the landscape level.

The current state and protection of steppe landscapes in the Volgograd region of Russia

The anthropogenic activity creates a significant negative impact on the steppe biome of the Earth. Eurasian steppe is one of the most altered by human economic activity, particularly in Russia. These changes are especially vividly manifested in the Russian Plain, the old-developed territory of Russia. The most substantial damage on steppe landscapes of the Russian Plain was caused by the extensive agricultural use of natural grasslands, especially in the second half of the 20th century. The overwhelming majority of natural steppe landscapes are replaced here by agricultural landscapes which threaten the preservation of the unique soil, biological and landscape diversity of steppes. The main goal of the article is to analyze the current geoecological situation in the steppe zone of the Russian Plain from the regional aspect: by the example of its south-eastern part attributed to the Volgograd region. The described territory is characterized by the extraordinary landscape diversity and located within forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert natural zones. The article deals with the analysis of the current agricultural structure in the south-east of the Russian Plain within Volgograd Region, of major geoecological consequences of economic activity typical of different types of agricultural lands, and also of pressing problems related to the preservation of the landscape, and of the biodiversity of steppe landscape. The results of this research are necessary to make decisions aimed at optimizing agriculture, at raising the quality of steppe landscape preservation, and at organizing ecologically-conscious recreational activity to preserve the unique variety of steppe landscapes.

Radioecological state of the soil layer of arable lands in Zhytomyr region

To determine radionuclide contamination density of the soil layer of arable lands, to set the volume of their areas based on the accepted levels of 137Сs and 90Sr pollution values. Methods: field studies were carried out in accordance with the techniques of agrochemical certification of agricultural lands, gamma surveys of the territory, and determination of the specific activity of 137Сs and 90Sr in soil samples. 137Сs activity was determined by spectrometric method using a SEG-05N instrument with the Progress software, and 90Sr was determined by spectrometric method using an SEB-01 instrument with AK-1 software. During the 29-year post-accident period (1986-2015), the radiation situation of the soil of agricultural land in Zhytomyr region has significantly improved. In 2011–2015 the area of agricultural land of the region with a contamination density of 137Сs from 37 to 185 and from 186 to 555 kBq/m2; for 90Sr — from 0.74 to 5.55 and from 5.56 to 111 kBq/m2 comparing with 2006–2010, has decreased by 1.5 and 0.4% and 36.1 and 2.1%, respectively, with simultaneous growth of areas with contamination density of 137Сs < 37 kBq/m2 by1.9%, and 90Sr <0.74 kBq/m2 by 38.2% or by 1.5 times. The results of studies on the state of agriculture land soil contamination by 90Sr show that currently the territory based on pollution levels is as follows: <0.74 kBq/m2 — 621.4 thousand hectares; from 0.74 to 5.55 kBq/m2 — 213.3 thousand hectares; 5.56 — 111 kBq/m2 — 11.1 thousand hectares, which is respectively 73.5; 25.2 and 1.3% of the total survey area. The areas of agricultural land with 137Сs contamination density <37 kBq/m2 are 89.2%, 37 — 185 kBq/m2 — 10.3% and 186 — 555 kBq/m2 — 0.5% of the surveyed volume, and by density contamination with 90Sr < 0.74 kBq/m2 is 73.5%, 0.74 — 5.55 kBq/m2 — 25.2% and 5.56 — 111 kBq/m2 — 1.3%. It has been established that the decrease in the density of radionuclide contamination in the soil layer of arable land (0–20 cm) is more intense than in other types of agricultural land.

Aquatic Bacterial Communities Associated With Land Use and Environmental Factors in Agricultural Landscapes Using a Metabarcoding Approach.

This study applied a 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach to characterize bacterial community compositional and functional attributes for surface water samples collected within, primarily, agriculturally dominated watersheds in Ontario and Québec, Canada. Compositional heterogeneity was best explained by stream order, season, and watercourse discharge. Generally, community diversity was higher at agriculturally dominated lower order streams, compared to larger stream order systems such as small to large rivers. However, during times of lower relative water flow and cumulative 2-day rainfall, modestly higher relative diversity was found in the larger watercourses. Bacterial community assemblages were more sensitive to environmental/land use changes in the smaller watercourses, relative to small-to-large river systems, where the proximity of the sampled water column to bacteria reservoirs in the sediments and adjacent terrestrial environment was greater. Stream discharge was the environmental variable most significantly correlated (all positive) with bacterial functional groups, such as C/N cycling and plant pathogens. Comparison of the community structural similarity via network analyses helped to discriminate sources of bacteria in freshwater derived from, for example, wastewater treatment plant effluent and intensity and type of agricultural land uses (e.g., intensive swine production vs. dairy dominated cash/livestock cropping systems). When using metabarcoding approaches, bacterial community composition and coexisting pattern rather than individual taxonomic lineages, were better indicators of environmental/land use conditions (e.g., upstream land use) and bacterial sources in watershed settings. Overall, monitoring changes and differences in aquatic microbial communities at regional and local watershed scales has promise for enhancing environmental footprinting and for better understanding nutrient cycling and ecological function of aquatic systems impacted by a multitude of stressors and land uses.

Effect of Catchment Land Use on Trophic State Variables of Small Water Bodies (Northern Poland)

We examined the land use impact on the water quality of small water bodies located in northern Poland. Twenty nine ponds, located in the urban area or a typical agricultural land were analyzed based on physical-chemical parameters: water temperature, conductivity, oxygen concentration, content of particulate suspended matter and chlorophyll “a”, and nutrients concentration. Additionally, to describe and compare the trophic condition of investigated small water bodies, we used the Carlson type trophic state. Performed measurements showed that nutrient concentrations significantly differentiated the agricultural ponds from urban water bodies. Mean total phosphorus and nitrogen concentration in midfield ponds were about 5 and 3 times higher, respectively, than in urban ponds. Moreover the phytoplankton chlorophyll “a” mean values were on average fivefold higher in agricultural ponds. Furthermore, urban ponds were characterized by lower values of TSI, thus lower trophy level: generally on the border of meso- and eutrophy. The agricultural ponds trophy changed from meso- to hypertrophy.

Influences of agricultural land use composition and distribution on nitrogen export from a subtropical watershed in China

Despite the significant impacts of agricultural land on nonpoint source (NPS) nitrogen (N) pollution, little is known about the influence of the distribution and composition of different agricultural land uses on N export at the watershed scale. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to quantify how agricultural distribution (i.e., the spatial distributions of agricultural land uses) and composition (i.e., the relative percentages of different types of agricultural land uses) influenced N export from a Chinese subtropical watershed, accounting for aquatic N retention by river networks. Nitrogen sources displayed high spatial variability, with 40.7% of the total N (TN) export from the watershed as a whole derived from several subwatersheds that accounted for only 18% of the watershed area. These subwatersheds were all located close to the watershed mouth. Agricultural composition strongly affected inputs to the river network. The percentages of dry agricultural land and rice paddy fields, and the number of cattle together explained 70.5% of the variability of the TN input to the river network among different subwatersheds. Total N loading to the river network was positively correlated with the percentage of dry land in total land areas and the number of cattle within subwatersheds, but negatively with the proportion of paddy fields. Distribution of agricultural land uses also affected N export at the mouth of the watershed. Moreover, N retention in the river network increased with increasing N transport distance from source subwatershed to the watershed mouth. Results provide important information to support improved planning of agricultural land uses at the watershed scale that reduces NPS nutrient pollution.

Peri-urban agricultural land vulnerability due to urban sprawl – a multi-criteria spatially-explicit scenario analysis

ABSTRACTThe loss of agricultural land at urban fringes is often monitored but rarely analysed under different scenarios of urban sprawl. This study adopts a multi-criteria spatially-explicit approach to investigate agricultural land vulnerability to urban sprawl under opposing policy directions in the Adelaide metropolitan area. Six land-use change parameters representing the socio-economic and land-use planning effects were analysed under the scenarios of; Business-As-Usual (BAU), Accelerated Economic Development (EDS) and a high Environmental Protection Scenario (EPS). The study shows higher agricultural land vulnerabilities in EDS and BAU scenarios that extends into rural areas displaying a leap-frog effect, which confirms the need to sacrifice farm land uses to maintain land supply for urban development. The LGA-based results enable transfer of farmland vulnerability knowledge into practice by identifying high priority areas for land management interventions and by specifying the types of agricultural land to be strategically managed in these urban fringe landscapes.

Free Capital Movement Principle and its Effect on Agricultural Lands Turnover in Ukraine

The legislation of Ukraine on agricultural lands turnover is one of the most conservative in the world, prohibiting alienation of most types of agricultural lands. This prohibition is likely to be lifted soon, but there are intense debates whether foreigners should be allowed to purchase agricultural lands. By virtue of Article 145 of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Communities Ukraine has a duty to implement the principle of free capital movement, in particular by abolishing restrictions on acquisition of land by foreign citizens and companies (Articles 22, 81, 82 of the Land Code of Ukraine). In case Ukraine fails to introduce the necessary amendments, the provisions of Article 145 of the Association Agreement should be applied directly. The formal unconditional obligation of our country to remove the said obstacles to free capital movement serves its best interests. Today, turnover of agricultural lands in Ukraine should be very dynamic, and it should be governed by general rules applicable to immovable property.

Perceived Benefits of Agricultural Lands Offering Agritourism

ABSTRACTThis study investigated residents’ perceived benefits of two types of agricultural lands (farms, cultivated forests) offering agritourism. Specifically, this study compared perceived socio-cultural, environmental, and economic services both types of lands produce and identified socio-economic, lifestyle behavioral, and past visit indicators associated with those perceptions. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 5000 households in Missouri (US), obtaining 969 responses. Respondents perceived that farms and forests produce several socio-cultural, environmental, and economic services to society, with few statistical differences between both. Socio-economic and lifestyle indicators were associated in different ways to residents’ perceptions of the services farms and forests provide. Socializing with friends and visiting those settings during childhood had a positive influence on all types of services derived from both settings. Policy, management, and marketing implications are discussed as to incorporate the benefits agricultural lands provide to society in the planning and development of agritourism.

Land use types influenced avian assemblage structure in a forest-agriculture landscape in Ghana.

The conservation of biodiversity within tropical forest regions does not lie only in the maintenance of natural forest areas, but on conservation strategies directed toward agricultural land types within which they are embedded. This study investigated variations in bird assemblages of different functional groups of forest‐dependent birds in three agricultural land types, relative to distance from the interior of 34 tropical forest patches of varying sizes. Point counts were used to sample birds at each study site visited. Data from counts were used to estimate species richness, species evenness, and Simpson's diversity of birds. Mean species richness, evenness, and diversity were modeled as responses and as a function of agricultural land type, distance from the forest interior and three site‐scale vegetation covariates (density of large trees, fruiting trees, and patch size) using generalized linear mixed‐effect models. Mean observed species richness of birds varied significantly within habitat types. Mean observed species richness was highest in forest interior sites while sites located in farm centers recorded the lowest mean species richness. Species richness of forest specialists was strongly influenced by the type of agricultural land use. Fallow lands, density of large trees, and patch size strongly positively influenced forest specialists. Insectivorous and frugivorous birds were more species‐rich in fallow lands while monoculture plantations favored nectarivorous birds. Our results suggest that poor agricultural practices can lead to population declines of forest‐dependent birds particularly specialist species. Conservation actions should include proper land use management that ensures heterogeneity through retention of native tree species on farms in tropical forest‐agriculture landscapes.

Effect of land use change for bioenergy production on feedstock cost and water quality

Producing renewable fuel from dedicated energy crops, such as switchgrass, has the potential to generate localized environmental benefits. This study uses high-resolution spatial data for west Tennessee to quantify the effects of producing switchgrass for cellulosic ethanol on the grey water footprint (GWF), or the amount of freshwater needed to dilute nitrate leachate to a safe level, relative to existing agricultural production. In addition, the estimated cost and GWF are incorporated in a mixed-integer multi-objective optimization model to derive the efficient frontier of the feedstock supply chain and determine a switchgrass supply chain that achieves the greatest reduction in GWF at the lowest cost. Results suggest that background nitrate concentration in ambient water and the types of agricultural land converted to switchgrass production influence the extent of the GWF. The average GWF of switchgrass in the study area ranges between 131.8LL−1 and 145.9LL−1 of ethanol, which falls into the range of estimated GWF of other lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the literature. Also, the average cost of reducing GWF from the feedstock supply chain identified by the compromise solution method is $0.94m−3 in the region. A tradeoff between biofuel production costs and reduced nitrate loading in groundwater is driven by differences in the agricultural land converted to feedstock production. Our findings illustrate the energy-water-food nexus in the development of a local bioenergy sector and provide a management strategy associated with land use choices for the supply of energy crops. However, the water quality improvements associated with displacing crop with feedstock production in one region could be offset by expanded or more intensive agricultural production in other regions.

Jeremy Rifkin’s utopia of the economy of abundance

The article is a voice in the discussion on the directions of the evolution of the global economy. The reference plane is a reflection J. Rifkin's book titled: The Zero marginal Cost Society. The article critically analyzed some of the assumptions and conclusions contained in the work of Rifkin. The main topics of discussion included the reality of such principles as the need to reduce the human population, or total elimination of intellectual property rights. On the other hand, the dubious trends was inter alia dominance of communities production in the world economy already about half the twenty-first century. Also pointed to issues relevant to the future development strategies completely omitted in the work of Rifkin.

Harmful Effects of Parthenium hysterophorus and Management Through Different Approaches”- A review

Parthenium hysterophorus is commonly known as congress grass or carrot weed in India. It belongs to Asteraceae family and native to subtropics of North and South America. It is an invasive plant species that disturbs cultivated areas, roadside vegetation, gardens etc. P. hysterophorus is considered as one of the worst weeds responsible for causing health problems in animals and humans viz., dermatitis, asthma and bronchitis besides loss to agriculture and ecosystem. Nowadays, it has become one of the major weeds in almost all types of agricultural lands and other areas. Many control methods ranging from preventive, physical methods by manual uprooting, burning and allelopathic management through competitive plants like Cassia tora, Cassia uniflora Cassia sericea, have been recommended for management of P. hysterophorus. Likewise, insect Zygogramma bicolorata has proven successful in managing P. hysterophorus. Further, microorganisms like Alternaria alternata, Scerotiia sclerotiorum, Fusarium Pallidoroseum, Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomanas campestris are reported to infest P. hysterophorus. Use of chemical herbicides mainly glyphosate @ 2.5 kg a.i.ha-1,atrazine @ 2.6 kg a.i.ha-1,2,4-D amine @ 3 l/ ha-1, Paraquat 0.5 l/ ha-1 were proved effective in managing P. hysterophorus. No single option is suitable to control this invasive weed. Successful control of this weed can only be achieved by an integrated weed management approaches.

Humus and nitrogen in soddy-podzolic soils of different agricultural lands in Perm region

Heavy loamy soddy-podzolic soils (Eutric Albic Retisols (Abruptic, Loamic, Cutanic)) under a mixed forest, a grass–herb meadow, a perennial legume crop (fodder galega, Galega orientalis), and an eightcourse crop rotation (treatment without fertilization) have been characterized by the main fertility parameters. Differences have been revealed in the contents of humus and essential nutrients in the 0- to 20- and 20- to 40-cm layers of soils of the studied agricultural lands. The medium acid reaction and the high content of ash elements and nitrogen in stubble–root residues of legume grasses favor the accumulation of humic acids in the humus of soil under fodder galega; the CHA/CFA ratio is 0.95 in the 0- to 20-cm layer and 0.81 in the 20- to 40-cm layer (under forest, 0.61 and 0.41, respectively). The nitrogen pool in the upper horizon of the studied soddy-podzolic soil includes 61–76% nonhydrolyzable nitrogen and 17–25% difficultly hydrolyzable nitrogen. The content of easily hydrolyzable nitrogen varies depending on the type of agricultural land from 6% in the soil under mixed forest to 10% under crop rotation; the content of mineral nitrogen varies from 0.9 to 1.9%, respectively. The long-term use of plowland in crop rotation and the cultivation of perennial legume crop have increased the content of hydrolyzable nitrogen forms but have not changed the proportions of nitrogen fractions characteristic of this soil type.