Before finding out what bog soils are, it makes sense to remind you what “soil” is in general. Many immediately imagined the school class, the natural history teacher and his words about the solid shell of the Earth - the lithosphere. Her upper layer has a unique quality - fertility. This is the layer that was formed over millions of years.
Soil formation factors
The geography of Russian soils is vast, like the country itself. Parent rocks, climate, vegetation, terrain - all these are factors influencing the formation of the fertile layer. In the Russian expanses, stretching from the southern mountains to the northern seas, these factors are very different. Accordingly, the land that gives people the harvest is also different. The territory has many climatic zones with different quantities precipitation, illumination, temperature conditions, flora and fauna. In Russia you can admire the white silence of snow and sand dunes, see taiga forests and birch groves, flowering meadows and marshy swamps.
There are anthropogenic landscapes - people are increasingly interfering with nature, changing the thickness and quality of the fertile layer (not always for the better). But just one centimeter of humus or humus (which makes up the “living layer”) takes 200-300 years to form! How carefully we need to treat the soil so that future generations are not left alone with deserts and swamps!
Variety of soils
There are zonal soils. Their formation is strictly subject to the law of change of flora, fauna, etc. at different latitudes. For example, Arctic soils are common in the North. They are scarce. The formation of even a weak humus layer in permafrost conditions, where only mosses and lichens are present among plants, is impossible. In the subarctic zone there are tundra soils. The latter are richer than the Arctic ones, but poor compared to the podzolic lands of the taiga and mixed forests. By reducing acidity and adding mineral and organic additives, they make it possible to grow many varieties of crops.
There are forest soils, chernozems (the most fertile), and desert soils. All of them are the subject of research in such sciences as soil geography, etc. These knowledge systems also pay great attention to the study of non-zonal lands, which include swamp soils. They can be found in any climate zone.
Formation of bog soils
The geography of soils in Russia contains information that the layers we are discussing in swamps and swampy forests are formed during stagnant moistening by rain (precipitation), surface waters(lakes, rivers, etc.) or underground aquifers (ground sources). Simply put, bog soils are formed under moisture-loving vegetation. Bogs can be forest (pine, birch there are very different from their forest counterparts, they are small, “gnarly”), shrub (heather, wild rosemary), moss and grass.
Two processes contribute to the formation of bog soils. Firstly, this is peat formation, when plant residues accumulate on the surface because they rot poorly. Secondly, gleyization, when iron oxide turns into oxide during the biochemical destruction of minerals. This difficult natural work is called the “swamp process.”
Swamps come if...
Most often, swamp soils are formed during hydrogenous succession of land. But sometimes in a swampy place with standing water River spaces are also transformed. For example, such a process has been taking place on the great Russian Volga River for several years now. Due to the cascade of hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs, it flows more slowly and stagnates. Urgent rescue measures are needed.
Thus, if for one reason or another the speed of rivers decreases, they become uncontrollably polluted. The bottom springs that feed them silt up. But despite the “cry of nature,” people do not care about them. Therefore, there is a great risk of Russia’s blue arteries turning into stagnant swamps.
Characteristics of peat-bog soils
As mentioned above, peat is formed from a dense mass of insufficiently actively rotting residues. Although there are places where the process does not occur at all. The upper layer, covered with “remains” deposits, is peat-bog soil. Are they suitable for farming? It all depends on geographical features.
In soils, a thick layer of organic matter could theoretically enrich the topsoil. But it doesn't decompose well. The active formation of humus is prevented by the high acidity of the medium and its weak bioactivity, which is also called “soil respiration.” By the way, this is the name given to the process of the earth absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, production by organisms living in the upland subsoil, and thermal energy. such swamps are primitive. It has two horizons: peat and peat-gley. Gley is an earthen profile to which ferric oxide gives a gray, blue or Blue colour. Such soils are not distinguished by their living force. For use in agriculture they are of little use.
Characteristics of bog-podzolic soils
Bog-podzolic soils can form where wetlands with a moss-herbaceous cover are located. Or where there are wet meadows formed by cutting down areas covered with trees. How to distinguish bog-podzolic soils from podzolic soils? Everything is very simple.
In swamp podzols, persistent signs of gleying are observed. Outwardly, they look like rusty ocher and bluish spots. There are also veins and smears that penetrate all horizons of the profile. The development of bog-podzolic lands is affected by two types of soil formation: bog and podzolic. As a result, both a peat horizon and gleying, as well as podzolic and illuvial layers, are observed.
Characteristics of marsh-meadow soils
Swamp-meadow soils are formed where plains and river terraces, covered with sedge and reeds, have depressions. In this case, additional surface moisture is observed (flood for at least 30 days) and at the same time constant ground recharge at a depth of approximately 1.5 m.
The aeration zone is unstable. It's about the layer earth's crust, located between the day surface and the surface groundwater. The soils in question are relevant not only for flat plains and river terraces with close groundwater, but also for forest-steppes. Sedges, plants from the rush family, and reeds are readily localized on them. The genetic horizons of such lands are differentiated very clearly.
Swamp-meadow soils “live” in an unstable water regime. When the dry season begins, the vegetation of the swamps gives way to meadow vegetation, and vice versa. The following picture is observed: the profile of the earth is one, but life on it is different. During the dry period, if the waters are mineralized, salinization of areas occurs. And if the liquid is weakly mineralized, then dry swamp silts are formed.
Krasnodar region and its soils
Soils Krasnodar region varied. In the Primorsko-Akhtarsky, Slavyansky, Temryuk regions they are marshy and chestnut, rusty due to the many estuaries and bays. Residents of Kuban grow vineyards and rice on them. In the Labinsky and Uspensky regions, the soils are podzolic and chernozem. These lands are very fertile. They are suitable for obtaining rich yields of vegetables and sunflowers.
On Black Sea coast mountain forest. Magnificent orchards and vineyards grow here. On the Azov-Kurgan Plain there are black soils everywhere. It’s not for nothing that Kuban is called the breadbasket of Russia. Its soils are so rich in humus that local residents often joke: “Even a stick stuck in the ground grows here.”
During the Second World War, the Nazis loaded black soil into railway cars and transported it to Germany, realizing what a natural value it was. It is good that not all fertile layers are destroyed by the cruel treatment of people. But even with large reserves of gifted lands, a person must carry out agricultural work carefully. Whether these are soils of versatile use or swamps of little use for cultivation, we must remember that thoughtless interference in the life activity of natural complexes is dangerous for all living things.
The composition of peat-boggy soils consists mainly of components of organic origin. In addition, they contain a significant amount of nitrogen, presented in a form unsuitable for plant absorption.
There are two types of bog soils: lowland and raised, which differ sharply from each other in their properties. Low-lying swampy soils are formed in low-lying areas when waterlogged with groundwater. Birch, alder, spruce, and willow grow here, and herbaceous plants - different kinds sedge, horsetail. The high ones are formed in elevated areas when overmoistened with atmospheric or slightly mineralized waters. In such swamps tree species pine is most common, birch is less common, a lot of wild rosemary, blueberries, cranberries, etc.
The thickness of the peat layer and high and lowland bog soils ranges from 200-300 mm and can be from 2 to 5 m. If this layer is less than 500 mm, and heavily waterlogged gleyed horizons lie below, then the soils are called peaty or peat-gley. The value of peat is determined by the degree of its decomposition. The higher the degree of decomposition of peat, the better its properties for plants. The degree of peat decomposition in lowland peat soils is 75-90%, and high bog soils contain only 2-5% minerals and, therefore, they are low in plant nutrients.
Peaty-boggy soils are poor in potassium and phosphorus. However, the latter is the main element of the so-called peat-vivianite soils. The phosphorus compounds they contain are inaccessible to the root system of garden and vegetable crops.
Peat-bog raised (ordinary) soils are formed under conditions of excessive moisture by atmospheric water in closed drainage-free depressions on watersheds under moisture-loving vegetation. The weak mineralization of atmospheric precipitation and the lack of nutrients contribute to the growth of sphagnum mosses, which are the least demanding of mineral nutrition conditions. Raised bog peat is characterized by low ash content, weak decomposition of organic matter, and high moisture capacity. The soil has a strongly acidic reaction and high hydrolytic acidity. Soils are characterized by weak biological activity and low level natural fertility.
Transitional peat (residually low-lying sphagnized) develop on low-lying bog soils, which in some cases (when the groundwater level drops or when the peat layer rapidly increases) can become detached from the groundwater horizon and lose contact with them, which leads to saturation of the upper peat horizons waters of atmospheric precipitation and the abundant vegetation of lowland swamps is replaced by sphagnum mosses. In agrochemical terms, they differ from high-moor peat in the slightly lower acidity of the soil solution.
For soil of this type characteristic high level water and breathability. However, it is characterized by excessive humidity and does not warm up well. The structure of such soils is similar to foam rubber, which quickly absorbs moisture but also releases it easily.
Cultural activities. Actions aimed at improving the physicochemical qualities of peat-boggy soils should be carried out as follows. First of all, it is necessary to normalize the process of decomposition of organic elements, as a result of which nitrogen is released and transformed into a form available for absorption by plants. In this case, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for the development of soil microflora. To achieve this goal, it is recommended to regularly feed the soil with microbiological substances, compost, sawdust, slurry and manure. In addition, when carrying out cultivation activities, peat-boggy soils must be improved by introducing potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. When processing peat-vivianite soils, the amount phosphate fertilizers needs to be reduced by 2 times.
You can increase the level of porosity in peaty swampy soils by adding clay flour, compost or coarse sand.
The soils of raised and transitional bogs are not very suitable for agricultural use, so they are most often occupied by forests and swamps.
High-moor peat is a valuable bedding material for livestock farming. High peat soils are the main source of cranberry harvest and have important environmental significance.
Peat bogs soil various types and peat capacities occupy 2.9 million hectares, which is 14.2% of the republic’s area. Largest quantity peat-bog soils are located in the Brest, Minsk and Gomel regions.
These soils are formed under the influence of the bog process of soil formation, which manifests itself in the accumulation of organic matter in the form of semi-decomposed plant residues (peat formation) and in the gleying of the mineral part of the soil.
Land swamping can occur in several ways: surface swamping with atmospheric waters, swamping with soft groundwater or hard groundwater. The main tracts of peat-bog soils were formed as a result of swamping of land.
The formation of peat-bog soils also occurs when reservoirs (lakes, river creeks, oxbow lakes, etc.) are covered with peat. When reservoirs are covered with peat, the thickness of peat bogs can reach 15 m or more.
The main part of the swamps of Belarus is concentrated in the Polesie lowland, where peat-bog soils of lowland type predominate.
Peat-bog soils of lowland and upland types are very different in their properties, and, consequently, in their agricultural use.
Lowland peat soils contain a lot of humic substances. In conditions where the reaction of the environment is close to neutral, in significant quantities humic substances accumulate; the degree of decomposition and ash content of peat is high.
Lowland peat has a bulk density of 0.4...0.6 g/cm 3, moisture capacity - 400...600%, high sorption capacity, low thermal conductivity.
Peat-boggy raised soils are formed mainly on watersheds under conditions of moistening with fresh stagnant waters. Their vegetation cover is represented mainly by sphagnum moss, subshrubs (cloudberry, wild rosemary, blueberry, etc.) and tree species (spruce, pine, birch), which are usually severely oppressed.
High-moor peat is slightly decomposed plant remains that have not completely lost their anatomical structure. Due to low microbiological activity, their deep decomposition does not occur.
High-moor peat has low density, huge moisture capacity - 1000... 1100%, weak water permeability and poor thermal conductivity. Sorbs gases well.
Swamp soils in agriculture can be used in two ways: as a source organic fertilizers and as an object of development and transformation into cultural lands.
For direct fertilization, well-decomposed peat from low-lying bogs is used. After development, it is thoroughly ventilated to eliminate excess humidity, gain microbiological processes and oxidation of harmful ferrous compounds.
It is advisable to use poorly decomposed peat for bedding. It absorbs slurry and gases well, thereby eliminating nitrogen loss. The resulting peat manure has high fertilizing properties.
High-quality organic fertilizers are obtained by composting peat with the addition of lime, phosphate rock, mineral fertilizers, manure and other components.
As agricultural land, highland and lowland peatlands have different values. More valuable are lowland bog soils, the peat of which has a high ash content, a high nitrogen content, and a favorable reaction. Once drained, they can be converted into highly productive agricultural land.
Swampy soils most common in the tundra and taiga-forest zones. They are also found in forest-steppe and other zones. total area swamp soils in the taiga-forest and tundra zones are about 100 million hectares.
Swamp soils are formed as a result of waterlogging of land or peaty water bodies. The swamp process of soil formation is characterized by peat formation and gleying of the mineral part of the soil profile. It develops only under conditions of excess moisture.
Peat formation occurs with the accumulation of undecomposed or semi-decomposed plant residues as a result of poorly expressed processes of humification and mineralization of vegetation. The consequence of peat formation is the conservation of ash nutrition elements. It lies in the fact that nutrients absorbed by plants, due to the weak mineralization of plant residues, do not transform into forms accessible to other generations of plants.
Gleyization is a biochemical process of converting oxide iron into ferrous iron and occurs under the influence of anaerobic microorganisms that remove part of the oxygen from the oxide forms of compounds.
There are three types of mineral nutrition of swamps- atmospheric, atmospheric-ground and alluvial-deluvial. Depending on the type of nutrition and conditions of formation, highland, lowland and transitional bogs are formed, differing both in the composition of vegetation and soils.
Raised bogs are formed from transitional swamps or from direct swamping of land by atmospheric or soft groundwater. Raised bogs are usually located on flat, poorly drained relief elements with poor soils. Content of raised bogs dissolved in water nutrients very insignificantly, therefore, in such conditions, vegetation that is extremely undemanding of nutrients develops.
Lowland marshes are formed in low-lying relief elements, when land becomes swamped with hard groundwater or when reservoirs become peaty. Such waters contain a sufficient amount of nutrients, so grasses, sedges, green mosses develop well in lowland swamps, and tree species include black alder, birch, willow, etc. In this regard, green-moss, alder, and sedge lowland swamps are distinguished and others.
As they develop, lowland swamps transform into other types of swamps. This happens because the upper part of the peat, as it grows, is gradually torn away from hard groundwater and the plants begin to be nourished by soft atmospheric precipitation. In this regard, the composition of the vegetation changes and the lowland swamp turns into a transitional one.
Transitional swamps formed from low-lying waters or formed directly during swamping of land, when moistening is carried out alternately with hard and soft waters. In terms of vegetation composition, transitional swamps occupy an intermediate position between upland and lowland ones, approaching more closely to upland ones. Transitional bogs, in turn, with further development, are even more detached from groundwater and turn into raised bogs.
The transformation of reservoirs into swamps occurs in stages. At the beginning of swamping, silt is deposited at the bottom of the reservoir, which is brought from the surrounding hills by melted snow water and precipitation. Mixed with this silt is silt that enters the water when the banks erode. As a result of these long-term sediments, the reservoir gradually becomes shallower.
At the second stage, the reservoir is populated by planktonic (suspended in water) organisms, mainly algae and crustaceans. After dying, they mix with silt at the bottom of reservoirs, increase the total mass of sediments and further contribute to their shallowing.
Simultaneously with the second, the third stage occurs - the shores and coastal zones of reservoirs are overgrown with vegetation attached to the coastal and bottom sediments. After the plants die, they sink to the bottom, decompose under anaerobic conditions and form peat.
Due to the deposition of peat, a gradual shallowing of the reservoir occurs, vegetation moves further and further from the shore to the middle, which over time leads to its complete overgrowing and peat. Finally, the last, fourth stage begins, when the reservoir turns into a grass or sedge swamp.
Peat formation occurs the faster the shallower the body of water and the calmer the water in it.. The process of swamp formation is widespread in the area of glacial deposits, where there are many small lakes, streams and rivers with slow-moving water.
Soils of lowland swamps have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, contain a large number of nitrogen, high ash, with low moisture capacity. The soils of raised bogs, on the contrary, are acidic, contain significantly less nitrogen, low ash, but very moisture-intensive. The soils of transitional swamps have intermediate properties.
Lowland peat has the best physical and chemical properties: has a high degree of decomposition, its ash content reaches 25% or more, nitrogen content - 3-4%, the reaction is slightly acidic. The phosphorus content is relatively low and varies widely - from 0.15 to 0.45%. All peat soils are poor in potassium.
High bog peat characterized by a lower degree of decomposition, its ash content does not exceed 5%, it is poor in nutrients, the reaction is strongly acidic.
Peat of all types of bogs has a high absorption capacity, but the degree of saturation with bases in lowland peats reaches 70-100%, and in upland peats it does not exceed 15-20%. Peat is characterized by a very high moisture capacity, but it is especially high in high-moor peat - 600-1200%. As decomposition increases, the moisture capacity of peat decreases.
Swamp soils are classified according to two criteria: by belonging to one or another type of swamp, and within one type - by the thickness of the peat horizon. According to the first characteristic, bog high soils and bog lowland soils are distinguished, and according to the second, peat-gley and peat soils are distinguished. In addition, within the type of raised bog soils, a genus of transitional bog soils is distinguished, which are similar in properties to raised and lowland bog soils.
Peat and bog soils are widely used in agriculture: peat - as a source of organic fertilizers, and marsh soils after cultivation - as agricultural land. IN pure form Well-decomposed lowland peat is used as direct fertilizer. Mossy peat from high bogs is used for bedding in barnyards. Subsequent composting with lime, phosphate rock and others mineral fertilizers improves its quality as a fertilizer.
The most valuable for developing the soil of lowland swamps. After drainage and carrying out cultural and agrotechnical measures, they become highly productive agricultural lands, which are used for arable land, hayfields, and pastures.
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Peat-bog soils mainly consist of organic matter and are rich in nitrogen, which is often in a form that is inaccessible to plants. These soils contain little potassium and critically little phosphorus.
However, there is such a variety as peat-vivianite soils. On the contrary, their phosphorus content is high, but it is contained in compounds that are inaccessible to plants. Peat-bog soils are also characterized by good air and water permeability, but often have excessive moisture content. Peaty soils warm up slowly because peat conducts heat poorly. Since structurally peat soils are a kind of sponge that easily absorbs but also easily releases water, their structural composition should be improved by increasing the content of solid particles.
Soil improvement measures
The main measures to improve this type of soil should be carried out in two directions. To normalize the process of processing organic matter, which will result in the release of nitrogen and its transformation into a form accessible to plants, it is necessary to create conditions for the development of normal biological life in the soil. To do this, it is necessary to add manure, slurry, compost, sawdust to the soil, and use microbiological preparations. The second direction for improving peat-bog soils is to increase the content of phosphorus and potassium in them in a form accessible to plants. To do this, when cultivating the soil, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers should be applied, and on peat-vivianite soils, the dose of phosphorus fertilizers is halved. To create a more porous, lumpy structure of peat soils, it is recommended to add compost, a little clay flour, and possibly coarse sand.