Cartographic analysis of the distribution of saline soils in Russia depending on some climatic parameters

Abstract

The subdistrict zoning map distinguishes 27 subjects of the Russian Federation, 109 municipal districts, and 142 districts and subdistricts along the latitude line at 53°44′ N in Russia. Among them, soil salinization is observed in 13 subjects of the Russian Federation, 39 municipal districts, and 41 districts and subdistricts. The total length of the transect is 6354 m. The relationship between the distribution of saline soils and climatic parameters has been analyzed in the districts and subdistricts of the subdistrict zoning map. Information about soil salinity has been borrowed from the Soil Salinization Map of Russia (2003) and some regional salinization maps (Khakassia, Barguzin Depression). Climate is the main factor affecting the distribution of soil salinity. Among the analyzed climatic parameters, the Ivanov wetting coefficient (WC) best describes the relationship between climate and soil salinity. The share of saline soils in a district is inversely proportional to the WC value. The degrees of drainage and dissection of the area limit the effect of climate on soil salinity. It is proposed to subdivide the relief into three groups depending on the degree of dissection in order to correct the calculations of relationship between WC and soil salinity. With consideration for relief features, the relationship between soil salinity and WC is represented by a segment of the coordinate plane with WC as the ordinate and the share of saline soils as the abscissa. The segment is limited by two lines corresponding to the maximum and minimum soil salinities at given WC values. The use of the limiting equations allows predicting, with a high probability, the presence and distribution area of saline soils at a given latitude at 0.85 ≥ WC ≥ 0.5.