Cryogenic soils near the Yeletsky settlement, northeast of the Komi Republic

Abstract

The subject of this research is the soils and soil-geochemical catenae in the area of Yeletsky settlement, located in the northeast of the Komi Republic. Catena were deposited on the mound covered with moss-shrub tundra transect from the interfluve of Usa and Yelets Rivers to a lacustrine depression, complicated by arching permafrost mounds. Within the district of research, the authors laid five soil incisions (EL20-P1, EL20-P2, EL20-P3, EL20-P4 and EL20-P5) that formed a soil-geochemical catena along the slope. Complex land cover found at the periphery. The explored soils were formed on silty loams with permafrost horizon at a depth of 0.5-0.7 m and belong to Cryosols, Turbic Cryosols and Histic Gleysols. Cryosols in the upper part of catena show specific cryogenic granular structure due to lack of soil moisture content. The soils on the slope and in the depression are more saturated with water; therefore, structureless Turbic Cryosols and Histic Gleysols are formed. In the soil horizons, the values of pH and electrical conductivity were measured, the content of organic carbon and soil texture were studied. An increase in soil acidity on organogenic zones by 4.3 - 5.7 was noticed; in underlying horizons the pH values reach 6.9.