Analysis of Ecological and Genetic Soil Properties for Forest Ecosystem Monitoring in the Zone of Coniferous-Broad-Leaved Forests

A reliable assessment of the composition and properties of soils in forest ecosystems is the basis for environmental monitoring, including monitoring of carbon pools and fluxes, which is of particular importance in the context of global changes in the natural environment and climate. Ecological and genetic features and classification of soils are analyzed at permanent sites of intensive monitoring in the main types of forest ecosystems of the state nature reserve “Zvenigorod Biostation of Moscow State University and the Sima Quarry” (Moscow Region, Russia). Soil monitoring is organized and conducted on the basis of national experience and recommendations of the International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests). Eluvozems and soddy-eluvozems on two-layer deposits dominating in the soil cover of the reserve are characterized by a sandy loam texture (content of clay fraction <0.002 mm 3.3–7.0%), acidic reaction (\({\text{{р}}}{{{\text{{Н}}}}_{{{{{\text{{Н}}}}_{{\text{2}}}}{\text{{О}}}}}}\) 4.6–5.7), low cation exchange capacity, low content of exchangeable bases (30–52 cmol_с/kg in organic and 0.6–7.5 cmol_с/kg in mineral horizons) and low base saturation (49–67 and 11–51%, respectively). The content of potentially toxic metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn) in the soils of the reserve does not exceed background levels. The ecological state of soils improves in the series of contact-albic eluvozem – pseudofibrous soddy eluvozem – ferruginous soddy eluvozem, determining the stability of forest ecosystems to external effects under conditions of increasing anthropogenic pressure and climate change.