ANALYSIS OF SOIL COVER MEZOSTRUCRURES OF AGROLANDSCAPES OF PASMOVE POBUZHZHYA
Authors:   Lviv National University of Nature Management, Lviv, Ukraine, Haskevych Oksana 
Published: April 2023

Under the influence of anthropogenic stress, soil cover undergoes significant transformations, which become apparent in its structure changes. The analysis of the mesostructured contrast of the soil agrarian landscape will allow us to duly detect the areas of agrogenic heterogeneity intensification and introduce measures to prevent soil mantle deterioration, which today is a necessary condition for the sustainable use of soils. The object of research is soil mesocombinations of the Pasmove Pobuzhzhia agro landscapes – the region of intensive agricultural use. The study was conducted in an attempt to establish the reasons for the contrast formation of the soil cover mesocombinations, determine the partial coefficients and the integral contrast index, and group the soil combinations according to these indicators. Comparative geographical, field-map metric, and calculation methods were used for the research. A soil map on a scale of 1:10,000 was taken as the cartographic base for the research. The soil cover of Pasmove Pobuzhzhia is formed by automorphic (grey forest, dark grey podzols, sod-carbonate), semi-hydromorphic (meadow), and hydromorphic (swampy, swampy-meadow, peatland) soils. In the structure of the soil landscape under study, the variations, combinations, soil associations, and mosaics are highlighted. The main factors determining the formation of the soil mantle contrast of mesocombinations are the genetic heterogeneity of the soils, the different granulometric composition and the level of denuded soil. The division of soil combinations into groups according to the degree of contrast and the number of factors determining it is proposed. It has been established that the soil variations are characterized by a minimum integral contrast index (45.25-49.6 %). This type of soil combinations contrast is formed almost exclusively due to the development of erosion processes and the formation of denuded to different extent soils (single-factor contrast). The combinations and soil associations contrast is much higher than that of variations. Soil combinations, it is formed under the influence of erosion processes and the genetic heterogeneity of soils. It has been stated that as for the combinations, the partial coefficients of genetic contrast fluctuate within wider limits (7.9¬29.2 %) than the coefficients according to the degree of soil erosion (53.6-66.1 %). For soil associations, contrast is formed due to genetic heterogeneity and granulometric composition. According to the number of factors, it is proposed to consider the contrast of combinations and soil associations as two-factor. Even though mosaics are classified as medium-contrast combinations, the value of the integral contrast index approaches the range of high-contrast combinations. Their contrast is multifactorial, i.e. caused by all the listed factors. Regarding the findings of the study, it has been stated that water erosion processes are the main factor in the soil cover contrast formation in the agro-landscapes of Pasmove Pobuzhzhia. The temporal dynamics analysis of the soil cover contrast indicators will allow us not only to identify the areas of the most important implementation of soil protection measures but also to evaluate their effectiveness.