Composition and pools of humus in natural and agrogenic soils of the Kamchatka Peninsula

Abstract

Differentiation of Kamchatka soils with respect to the composition and pools of humus is discussed. Very low and low pools of humus of the fulvate type are typical of the ocherous and stratified ocherous volcanic soils of the eastern coastal zone and the Central Kamchatka Depression. Ocherous volcanic soils of the Western Kamchatka Lowland are characterized by the low and moderate pools of the humate–fulvate humus. Agrogenic soils are characterized by the higher pools of humus in the upper 20 cm in comparison with their natural analogues, which is largely related to changes in the physical properties of the soils under the impact of tillage.