Soil and Floral Indicators of Eroded and Desolate Landscapes of Republic of Buryatia

The desiccated and eroded landscapes of Buryatia that have developed during natural and anthropogenic  transformation  are  actually  little used for agricultural needs due to their extremely low yields. The study of such landscapes in recent years has been very relevant in the context of the global aridization of the Earth’s climate and the need to increase the agricultural land productivity. The purpose of the presented study is to identify the soil–botanical parameters of the indication of agricultural and natural landscapes desertification. The novelty of this work is in the complexity of studies of degraded landscapes of the region with detailed soil and agrochemical analysis taking into account the geobotanical features of the studied polygons. 6 desertification research sites were laid on 4 test sites on the territory of Buryatia. The geobotanical and soilagrochemical data from the survey of desertification sites analysis showed a variety of soil and plant complexes. The results highlighted the reliability of soil and plant indicators of soil degradation. At the same time, local plant species can act as a kind of natural biotic barrier to the sands onset in Buryatia. The scientific and practical significance of this study is expressed in updating the current state of the desertification processes long-term study polygons in Western Transbaikalia. The information received will serve as a starting point for stationary and remote studies of desertification in the region within the framework of the project on the national action programs to combat desertification in the Republic of Buryatia development.