Virgin Land Research Articles

Two Giant Calixarene-Like Polyoxoniobate Nanocups {Cu12 Nb120 } and {Cd16 Nb128 } Built from Mixed Macrocyclic Cluster Motifs.

Cup-shaped molecules are of great interest due to their appealing architectures and properties. Compared with widely studied calixarenes, polyoxometalate-based cup-shaped molecules currently remain a virgin land waiting for exploration. In this work, we report the first discovery of two giant cup-shaped inorganic-organic hybrid polyoxoniobates (PONbs) of {Cu12 Nb120 } and {Cd16 Nb128 }. The former integrates three tricyclic Nb24 clusters and a hexacyclic Nb48 cluster into a cup-shaped molecule via a Cu12 metallacalixarene, while the latter unifies two tricyclic Nb24 clusters and a brand-new pentacyclic Nb40 cluster into another cup-shaped molecule via a hybrid Cd16 unit. With 132 and 144 metal centers, {Cu12 Nb120 } and {Cd16 Nb128 } show the largest two inorganic-organic hybrid PONbs known to date.

Two GiantCalixarene‐LikePolyoxoniobate Nanocups {Cu12Nb120} and {Cd16Nb128} Built from Mixed Macrocyclic Cluster Motifs

AbstractCup‐shaped molecules are of great interest due to their appealing architectures and properties. Compared with widely studied calixarenes, polyoxometalate‐based cup‐shaped molecules currently remain a virgin land waiting for exploration. In this work, we report the first discovery of two giant cup‐shaped inorganic–organic hybrid polyoxoniobates (PONbs) of {Cu12Nb120} and {Cd16Nb128}. The former integrates three tricyclic Nb24clusters and a hexacyclic Nb48cluster into a cup‐shaped molecule via a Cu12metallacalixarene, while the latter unifies two tricyclic Nb24clusters and a brand‐new pentacyclic Nb40cluster into another cup‐shaped molecule via a hybrid Cd16unit. With 132 and 144 metal centers, {Cu12Nb120} and {Cd16Nb128} show the largest two inorganic–organic hybrid PONbs known to date.

Rejoinder to Dominiak on the necessity of easements

Dominiak (2019) agrees with the Blockian proviso: homesteading in a bagel or donut format is illicit, since it allows the owner to control land (the hole, the territory in the middle) with which he has not mixed his labor. Thus, a person who does so must open up an easement allowing outside home-steaders through his property, and into this so-far virgin land. But, this author claims this proviso of Block’s does not go far enough. It should also be extended further, not only to incorporate the bagel format, but also in justification of easements through private property in emergencies, and so as to avoid entrapment. I strongly support Dominiak in his defense of the Blockian proviso against critics (Kinsella, 2007, 2009C) in the first part of his excellent paper, but find I cannot agree with this second contention of his. In short, Dominiak agrees with Block regarding easements in the bagel case, but wants to extend this concept to when property owners are encircled, and thus trapped. In my view, extending easements to cases other than the bagel is incompatible with libertarianism’s emphasis on the sanctity of private property rights. Certain positive rights (to, in this case, movement) are essential to Dominiak’s argument. And these rights do not exist. Therefore, Dominiak’s argument is unsound.

Экологическая оценка влияния сельскохозяйственной деятельности на эмиссию углекислого газа из чернозема выщелоченного Тобол-Ишимского междуречья

Abstract. The purpose of this work is to study carbon dioxide emissions from the surface of virgin and arable chernozem during the growing season of the Tobol-Ishim interfluve. Methods. The study was conducted on virgin land, in pure steam, under grain crops and corn from May to October. The intensity of carbon dioxide release was determined by the method of Shtatnov with titration in the field. Results. Based on previous studies, based on scientifically based approaches, as well as our own experimental data, the relationship between carbon dioxide emission and hydrothermal conditions of the humus layer (0–30 cm) was investigated, and the degree of influence of the type of land and crops on the release of CO2 from the surface of leached chernozem was determined. It has been established that the chernozems of Western Siberia are characterized by very low biological activity in the spring and autumn periods. CO2 emissions in May averaged 1.0–1.6 kg/ha per hour with a coefficient of variation of 8 %. The peak release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere occurs in June-July (2.6–6.5 kg/ha per hour). It was revealed that under grain crops the gaseous losses of C–CO2 in the summer period amount to 4.1–6.5 kg/ha per hour, and in the area of pure steam – 2.3–3.4 kg/ha. The determining role in the intensity of carbon dioxide release is played by the soil temperature (r = 0.7). During the years of research, there were no dry periods, which did not allow us to establish a reliable effect of soil moisture on CO2 emissions, the correlation coefficient was 0.2 units. Based on the results obtained, a low degree (12.8 %) of the influence of the type of land (virgin land/arable land) and crops (cereals/corn) on the intensity of carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere from the surface of chernozem was revealed. The maximum degree of influence was in hydrothermal soil conditions (65 %), on which the activity of the soil microbiota and the root system of plants depended. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the intensity of carbon dioxide release from the surface of leached chernozem was studied for the Tobol-Ishim interfluve and the degree of influence of the anthropogenic factor against the background of the hydrothermal regime of soil was established.

Environmental Consequences of Virgin Land Development in Kazakhstan (based on Nur-Sultan City Archive)

This paper discusses issues related to environmental problems that arose as a result of the virgin and fallow lands development in Kazakhstan in the second half of the twentieth century. The authors emphasize that the level of agricultural production in the post-war years failed to meet the needs of Soviet citizens. Under these conditions the massive plowing of land had to solve a whole range of tasks, first of all, to solve the problem of food hunger by means of a huge increase in the area for sowing grain crops. According to the authors, solid tracts of plowed soil, having a dark color, became very hot, provoking drought, which, with chronic manifestation, caused aridization of the entire steppe zone, causing significant drying up of rivers and lakes. The authors believe that large works on the virgin lands development have made serious changes in the nature of the region. Stocks of valuable hunting and game species of animals were undermined, and in some places completely destroyed. Taking advantage of the lack of control, the new settlers along with the local residents mercilessly consumed the gifts of the environment, which gave rise to massive poaching. The methodological basis of the study was the complex use of various approaches, methods and assessments used in interdisciplinary research.

RESIDENTS OF KOSTROMA REGION ON UNBROKEN VIRGIN SOIL IN 1954–1964

The virgin land campaign of 1954–1964 became a bright page in the national history and an example of the labor heroism of Soviet citizens. Its results were contradictory. On the one hand, in the difficult post-war years, the state managed to temporarily relieve food tension; on the other hand, plowing of large land plots in the east of the country resulted in an environmental disaster, which subsequently caused a new food crisis in the USSR, which led to grain purchases abroad. The lessons of the virgin epic are relevant today. In today’s rapidly changing world, the state must provide its citizens with food security, besides, Russia has a great agricultural potential. One of the main tasks of the Soviet state at the time of the new lands development was the task of providing qualified workers to the developed areas in order to get crops in a short time. Many regions of the country, under the draft of the Communist Party, were to send volunteers to empty lands. Residents of Kostroma region and other regions of the Soviet Union took an active part in the virgin land campaign and contributed to the development of the country’s agricultural sector. The study of archival materials, memoirs of campaign participants, periodicals makes it possible to establish what role the residents of Kostroma region played in implementing the virgin land campaign. The article contains excerpts from the participants’ memoirs about the course of the campaign, the working process and examines the results of the work carried out by Kostroma people on the virgin land. This information throws new light on the problem under study and gives us an opportunity to look at the events of the past years from another aspect.

Освоение целинных и залежных земель: некоторые итоги изучения

Освоение целинных и залежных земель: некоторые итоги изучения

Агрогенні зміни властивостей темно-каштанового цілинного та орного ґрунту за різного використання і зрошення

In the article, it was provided a comparative analysis of the ecosystem significance of soil characteristics transformed as a result of changes in the use conditions. At the three monitoring stationary sites in the Chaplinka district of the Kherson region, we studied the properties of dark chestnut soil (Haplic Kastanozem) on virgin lands (a biosphere reserve "Askania-Nova") and with more than a hundred years of use in agricultural production without irrigation and with a 50-year irrigation with water from the Kakhovsky trunk canal. Changes in the salt regime of the soil and the composition of exchangeable cations were established. In irrigation the total content of water-soluble salts up to 0.14-0.21% (toxic salts ‒ up to 0.06-0.15 %) was increased. The composition of salts was changed, their migration and accumulation in the lower soil layers. Under the influence of fresh water irrigation the process of dealkalinization in the dark chestnut soil took place. The involvement of virgin soil in agricultural use led to a decrease in the total content of humus and the transformation of its group composition. The content of humic acids (HA) was decreased. The content of fulvic acids (FA) was increased. The HA/FA ratio in the 0-10 cm layer changed from 2.6 (in virgin soil) to 1.6 in irrigated soil. The plowing and agricultural use of the dark chestnut soil led to a change in the state of the microbial cenosis. The number of microorganisms assimilating mineral and organic nitrogen, actinomycetes, oligotrophs, and eutrophs were increased. With irrigation the degree of transformation of the microbial cenosis increases. The indicator of biological degradation of irrigated dark chestnut soil was 4 %. This corresponds to a low level of degradation. A set of 10 indicators of the quality of the studied soil was proposed for calculating the level of its provision of ecosystem services (supplying and supporting). The algorithm and calculation results are presented. The soil of all monitoring sites of Markeev station is characterized by a high level of provision of ecosystem services. In virgin soil it was 8.3 points; in arable soil without irrigation it was 7.2, and with irrigation it was 7.5 points.

Effects of soil depth and characteristics on phosphorus adsorption isotherms of different land utilization types: Phosphorus adsorption isotherms of soil

Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable natural mineral for biological processes and structures that support life in plants and animals. P deficiency is the most common nutritional stress of cultivated land in many regions of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics of some soils and derive parameter estimates relevant in the prediction and management of P as well as their relationship to the properties of the soils. Four soil samples (each taken from depths of 0−10, 10−20 and 20−30 cm) were obtained from the Eastern Region of Ghana for this study. An uncultivated virgin land at Huhunya (HV), a cocoa farm in Akwadum (AC), a plantain farm also in Huhunya (HP) and piece of land which had been allowed to go fallow in Huhunya (HF) was used. Measurement of P sorption was conducted by equilibrating air-dried soil (<2 mm) in 0.2 M CaCl2 solution containing various concentrations of P. Phosphorus sorption data for soils was fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm equations. The result of the study show that the amount of phosphorus adsorbed increased with increasing depth with AC soil recording an average range of 114.16−211.55 μg/g. Phosphate adsorption was well described by the three isotherm equations. The data from the soils did conform best to the Langmuir equation with an average r2 value of 0.99. It was realized that virgin soil (from Huhunya) would require the most P fertilizer. The least P fertilizer would be required by the soil from the plantain farm (HP). Correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between some soil characteristics and the sorption parameters derived from the three equations.

Dynamics of soil organic carbon in the steppes of Russia and Kazakhstan under past and future climate and land use

Changes in land use and climate are the main drivers of change in soil organic matter contents. We investigated the impact of the largest policy-induced land conversion to arable land, the Virgin Lands Campaign (VLC), from 1954 to 1963, of the massive cropland abandonment after 1990 and of climate change on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in steppes of Russia and Kazakhstan. We simulated carbon budgets from the pre-VLC period (1900) until 2100 using a dynamic vegetation model to assess the impacts of observed land-use change as well as future climate and land-use change scenarios. The simulations suggest for the entire VLC region (266 million hectares) that the historic cropland expansion resulted in emissions of 1.6⋅ 1015 g (= 1.6 Pg) carbon between 1950 and 1965 compared to 0.6 Pg in a scenario without the expansion. From 1990 to 2100, climate change alone is projected to cause emissions of about 1.8 (± 1.1) Pg carbon. Hypothetical recultivation of the cropland that has been abandoned after the fall of the Soviet Union until 2050 may cause emissions of 3.5 (± 0.9) Pg carbon until 2100, whereas the abandonment of all cropland until 2050 would lead to sequestration of 1.8 (± 1.2) Pg carbon. For the climate scenarios based on SRES (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) emission pathways, SOC declined only moderately for constant land use but substantially with further cropland expansion. The variation of SOC in response to the climate scenarios was smaller than that in response to the land-use scenarios. This suggests that the effects of land-use change on SOC dynamics may become as relevant as those of future climate change in the Eurasian steppes.

The Virgin Land megaproject and the Land reform as the global experiment of steppe self-restoration in North Eurasia

Among all agrarian-social megaprojects realized in the steppe zone, the Virgin Land [Tselina] (1954-1963) and the Land reform of the 1990s exerted the most considerable influence on the state and properties of current agro-landscapes. It was the projects of opposite orientation which every on its stage set the highest in history pace of the landscape dynamics in the steppe zone. The consistent impact of these megaprojects, one of which practically annihilated steppes, and the other created terms to realize steppe restoration potential, allows considering them in totality as the united experiment of the global scale for revealing and evaluation of steppe self-restoration. Thanks to this experiment in the steppes of Eurasia, new dynamic space – after virgin land was formed. Using new data, including field studies and discovered novel factors, we estimated the Virgin land campaign’s consequences and the Land reform. A further fundamental generalization of these megaprojects’ effects, landscape, and scientific heritage required developing an adaptation of steppe land use was conducted as a response to climatic and other current challenges.

Unraveling the change of land-use regimes with satellite and ground surveys in the steppe belt of Russia from 1990 to 2018

One of the recent phenomena in land-change history in the steppe belt of Russia after 1990 is the formation of unclaimed or partially claimed agricultural lands, their periodic and fragmented use, suggesting the change of land-use regimes compared to intensive cropping in the Soviet period (pre 1991). Therefore, there is a strong need for the systematic field and remotely-sensed monitoring of shifts of land-use regimes, because they may impact various socio-ecological processes, such as the spread of wildfires, degradation and recovery of vegetation on spared agricultural lands. Here we present an elaboration on monitoring with satellite observations and field surveys of land-cover dynamic in the steppe belt of Orenburg Province and with more detailed focus on the districts (rayons) of Orenburg Province, which were once a part of Virgin Lands Campaign (1954-1963), when croplands expanded at the expense of agro-environmental frontiers. Our remote-sensing observations and ground surveys revealed widespread abandonment from 1990 to 2018. The calculation of Shannon’s Diversity Index confirmed the change in the typology of land-use regimes in Orenburg Province-transition from stable cultivation back to 1990 to new land regimes, such as stable cultivated areas with minor abandonment (typology #1)-e.g., Asekeevskij district; complete cropland contraction without recultivation (typology#2)-e.g., Akbulakskij district; strong fluctuation of cultivated and abandoned croplands from year to year (typology #3)-e.g., Pervomajskij district. Former Virgin Lands Campain areas were more exposed to typology #3. Shannon’s diversity index was useful to evaluate the changing land regimes and areas prone to socio-economic and environmental shocks. We hypothesize a new stage of land regimes may provide opportunities for biodiversity conservation, but also threats such as the spread of wildfires, particularly under the projection of an increase of aridity.

Tourism Innovation and Pandemic Compliance in a Lonesome Aegean Islet, after Regeneration of thousands Noninhabitant Islands into a Sustainable, Profitable Ecosystem and Hotel

We work in the Aegean islet hotel-room environment a friendly design from scratch for many years with legislation, political, defense, and engineering developments. Pandemic triggered out our initial findings. As a curse threatens tourism and as a blessing, it reveals new unpreceded hospitality options. In this research paper, we outline some scientific proceeds like Coastline Paradox and investment opportunity. The Aegean Sea has several thousand islands without inhabitants and several million meters of coastline certifying the “Coastline Paradox”. The fundamental concept of a guest room on an isolated tiny island is ecological vacations in the Aegean Sea, the marooning stranded in an islet vacation, the myth creation to attract guests, and the books and media coverage of the loneliness concept. The noninhabitant islands initially will be revitalized from deserted salinity virgin lands to beautiful paradises, with new flora and fauna, human living facilities, and optionally overnight sleeping space. A huge, city-size, modular ship with service boats formulate the Aegean Highway. All these workouts establish the Aegean Island resort hotel. All islets will be used as hotel rooms hosting various tourist and business activities. Finally, we face business concepts like COVID compliance, sovereignty, Aegean-wide services, and business realization options.

Феномен «бегства» советских элит в ряды оппозиции в конце 1980-х. – начале 1990-х гг: макросоциологический анализ

The article deals with investigation into the conditions of the defection of the national Soviet party-state functionaries to opposition in the USSR (late 1980s – early 1980s) that is an important indicator of the loyalty of the national elites towards the central government. The analysis is based on comparing two contrastive cases – the Soviet elites of Latvia and those of Kazakhstan in their interactions with the central government as well as local population. Despite seemingly obvious cultural and historical differences, both cases are similar regarding some important aspects such as socio-demographic, economic as well as cultural dynamics in the late Soviet period. In both republics, the proportion of migrants in the whole population as well as in the elites was relatively high. The intensive migration in the post-war period was a result of the rapid industrialization and the Virgin Land campaign in the case of Kazakhstan. The Soviet elites both of Latvia and of Kazakhstan were loyal to the Union center, Russian-speaking and more international than national oriented. Besides, the national movements in both republics were practically nonexistent at the beginning of the perestroika. Nevertheless, many Latvian national ruling cadres joined the opposition in the late 1980s – early 1991s whereas Kazakh national elites remained mostly loyal to the Union center up to the dissolution of the USSR (Kazakhstan declared its independence only on 16 December 1991, as the last republic to leave the USSR) – although Kazakh national party-state functionaries did not have less reasons to get rid of the tough control from Moscow than national elites of Soviet Latvia. As the theoretical basis the author applies the R. Collins` state-centered theory of ethnos elaborated in the framework of the Weberian paradigm. The analysis showed that decreasing loyalty of the Latvian national elites in the late 1980s – early 1991s was due to the success of the protest movement in this republic including the violent confrontation with its rivals in January 1991 (“The Barricades”). A broad support of the protest movement striving for the reestablishment of the independence from the Soviet Union was based on anti-immigration ideological alternative to official Soviet internationalism attracting different social and ethnic groups of Latvian population. A relatively high level of the loyalty of the Kazakh national elites to the central government was caused by the effective suppression of the Kazakh youth riots in December 1986 that triggered the purge of the national ruling cadres in Kazakhstan initiated by Moscow. A relatively low social support of the protest movement in the republic was due to the lack of a broad ideological basis that could create solidarity between different social and ethnic groups that made up the population of Kazakhstan. Besides, the protest of 1986 with Kazakh students as the main participants was perceived by local population in the logic of ethno-territorial conflicts very common in the late Soviet Kazakhstan and evoked therefore not solidarity but fear and anger.

The Evolution of the Chernozems in the Central Part of Russia and their Complex Analysis in Modern Conditions

An increasing anthropogenic impact on soils leads to qualitative and quantitative changes in chernozems, the richest soils on Earth. In this regard, the understanding of modern soil-forming processes is undoubtedly relevant because it will allow predicting the future state of not only soils, but also nature as a whole. The methodology for studying the evolution of chernozems is based on a process-factor analysis of genetically conjugated and agrogenic series of chernozems of different taxonomic levels. The objects of the study were system complexes of soil series, including subtypes of virgin, arable, and irrigated chernozems in the central regions of Russia. The data obtained made it possible to identify patterns of variation in the composition and properties of virgin chernozems in a genetically conjugated series at a subtype level and in the series virgin land – arable land – irrigated arable land; we also detected the processes and factors that determine the nature and direction of changes in the composition and properties of chernozems in the studied series and determined the direction of anthropogenic evolution of chernozems. The main provisions of the work conceptually develop the theory of the chernozem-forming process and serve as a theoretical basis for the development of models for the formation of the chernozem profile. Established quantitative and qualitative indicators of humus profiles of chernozems are important diagnostic features in the classification of these soils. The nature and direction of the chernozem evolution disclosed in the work can serve as the basis for long-term forecasting of the state of these soils and the development of a set of measures for their rational use and protection.’’

Plant growth-promoting potential of 'Myroides gitamensis' isolated from virgin soils of Punjab.

Phosphate-solubilizing (PS) and phosphate-mineralizing (PM) bacteria are considered vital for augmenting the plant growth through phosphorus mobilization and plant growth-promoting attributes. In the present study, a rhizospheric bacterium was isolated from the virgin land of Punjab, India and identified as 'Myroides gitamensis' BSH-3 through 16S rRNA sequencing. 'M. gitamensis' showed potential halo zone on Pikovskaya agar. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that plant growth-promoting potential of 'M. gitamensis' has not been studied earlier. It was able to solubilize 17.53-106.66µg/mL of tricalcium phosphate and demonstrated a promising potential of mineralizing sodium phytate corresponding to 44.6-94.70µg/mL at 28°C. Variable PS and PM activity was observed at temperature range of 15-42°C with the maximum activity observed at 28°C after 96h of incubation. The nitrogen fixation ability, hydrogen sulfide production, cellulose hydrolysis test and chitin degradation was found to be negative. High indole acetic acid (42.82µg/mL), gibberellic acid (72.93µg/mL), ammonia (22.58µg/mL) production, phytase activity (0.49 pi/mL/min) and comparable amount of siderophore (28.55%) and acid phosphate activity (0.606µM p-nitrophenol/ml/min) was shown by 'M. gitamensis'. Inoculation of wheat with 'M. gitamensis' in pot experiment showed increased shoot and root length by 30.58% and 38.32%. Fresh weight and dry weight was increased by 45.74% and 67.81%, respectively, compared to uninoculated control. These results demonstrate that 'M. gitamensis' has promising PS, PM and plant growth-promoting attributes to be used as a bio-inoculant to enhance plant growth and soil fertility.

Effects Exercised by Artificial Forest Stands on the Restoration of Secondary Virgin Lands in Agroforest Landscapes of Dry Steppes

For the first time, mathematical methods are used to assess the restoration of secondary virgin lands on dry-steppe fallow lands under the influence of artificial protective forest stands, a mandatory component of modern agroforest landscapes. Using variance analysis, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and the method of correlation pleiades, it is established that artificial stands significantly affect the species composition of plant communities. The greatest impact of cluster forest stands on the species composition of plant communities is observed in their immediate vicinity. The study objects located far from the forest stands feature the maximum similarity coefficients with the virgin lands. It is shown that fallow lands in edge zones of artificial stands planted in a linear fashion are similar to phytocoenoses of adjacent areas by their species composition.

The southern birch mouse Sicista loriger (Dipodoidea) in the Crimea: distribution, habitats, seasonal ac-tivity, and abundance

The southern birch mouse is a rare and non-abundant species of small mammals of the fauna of the Crimean Peninsula. Its geographic range has gradually reduced during the 20th century. Initially, the southern birch mouse occupied almost the entire territory of the steppe and foothills of the Crimea. As the area of virgin and unploughed lands decreased, the species disappeared from the most part of the peninsula. Whereas the species had been recorded in 11 administrative districts in the middle of the twentieth century, now it is known only in three districts, in two of which it is extremely rare. Currently the southern birch mouse exists in two isolated populations—a western (Tarkhankut) and an eastern (Kerch)—separated by 200 km of anthropogenic landscapes. Census of small mammals has been carried out on trap-lines for the past 40 years. In a total of 667100 traps-nights, 144 birch mice were collected. Additionally, remains of 56 birch mouse specimens were found in 16862 pellets of the long-eared owl. The birch mouse population in the Tarkhankut Peninsula is small (12 specimens were trapped and 39 specimens were identified in pellets), and its range is largely restricted. The species’ population in the Kerch Peninsula is larger (132 birch mice were trapped and 17 specimens were identified in pellets of birds of prey) and its range occupies the entire area of the Kerch Peninsula. Data of long-term epidemiological surveys showed that the ratio of trapped birch mice in the whole of the Crimea is 0.21 %, whereas their ratio in the steppe zone is 0.29 % at a relative abundance of 0.03 specimens per 100 trap-nights. Birch mice are active from mid-April to mid-November. The peak of activity occurs in April, when 49.9 % of animals were trapped. Among natural enemies, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) can pose a real threat to birch mice, as well as the long-eared owl (Asio otus) to local micropopulations, especially during the breeding season. In our opinion, despite the generally low abundance of birch mice in the Crimea and the fragmentation of its geographic range, extinction does not threatens this species in the peninsula (especially its Kerch population) under the current management system. Conservation of the southern birch mice populations in the Crimea requires a detailed study of the species’ ecology, especially of limiting factors.

Agrogenetic and chemical properties of soils in Lower Volga region in conditions of vegetable rotations

The paper presents the analysis of the study of the chemical composition of light chestnut soils of Astrakhan region and chestnut soils of Volgograd region in the conditions of vegetable rotation. In the field condition, soil samples were taken at different depths on virgin soil, at 0.22 … 0.25 m and 0.00 … 0.45 m on arable land. In laboratory conditions, the granulometric analysis of soils, determination of hygroscopic moisture, determination of the content of particles of different diameters, the content of macroelements and microelements in the soils of Lower Volga region were carried out. The results of the analysis show the following tendencies: hygroscopic moisture in arable lands significantly increased in comparison with virgin lands. Ehe hygro-scopic moisture on virgin soil in horizon A was 3.65%, which was 1.87 times higher than its value on the light chestnut soils of the Caspian region. On arable land, the value of hygroscopic moisture was lower than its reserves on light chestnut soils and 1.5 times lower than on virgin soil. The amount of particles less than 0.01 mm on virgin land was significantly higher than on arable land, namely, A horizon of virgin land was 55.06%, Aarl horizon of arable land was 0.22-0.25 m - 38.20%.

Environmental consequences of Khrushchev’s Virgin Land Campaign in Kazakhstan (1950s–1960s)

This paper discusses issues related to environmental problems that arose as a result of the virgin and fallow lands development in Kazakhstan in the second half of the twentieth century. The authors emphasize that the level of agricultural production in the post-war years failed to meet the needs of Soviet citizens. Under these conditions, the massive plowing of land had to solve a whole range of tasks, first of all, to solve the problem of food hunger by means of a huge increase in the area for sowing grain crops. According to the authors, solid tracts of plowed soil, having a dark color, became very hot, provoking drought, which, with chronic manifestation, caused aridization of the entire steppe zone, causing significant drying up of rivers and lakes. The authors believe that large works on the virgin lands development have made serious changes in the nature of the region. Stocks of valuable hunting and game species of animals were undermined, and in some places completely destroyed. Taking advantage of the lack of control, the new settlers along with the local residents, mercilessly consumed the gifts of the environment, which gave rise to massive poaching. The methodological basis of the study was the complex use of various approaches, methods and assessments used in interdisciplinary research.