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FOREST SOIL QUALITY ANALYSIS AT THE POTENTIAL REFERENCE SITE FOR MOSCOW MEGALOPOLIS ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
Abstract
Key element of any soil environmental monitoring is correct reference site. In such big object of monitoring as Moscow megalopolis it cannot be only one reference site but in any case their number must be very limited and each monitoring site have to be very well validated by the previous monitoring investigated data. One of the best candidate for official local reference site of soil environmental monitoring in the northern part of Moscow is the central core of the Forest Experimental Station of the Russian Timiryazev State Agrarian University in the Timiryazev district of the Northern County of Moscow. Forest Experimental Station (FES) has soft mesorelief with maximum absolute height 175 m and the minimum one 160 m above sea level. Its relief is result of the processes of glacier accumulation and flows of thawed glacial waters, so the territory is composed of Quaternary sediments, under which lie the Jurassic clays (20-22m thick). Quaternary deposits are represented by low-power silty cover loams (up to 0.5 m), underlain by moraine or fluvioglacial. The level of groundwater varies from 5 to 10 m. In some places, there are harsh conditions of surface runoff and locally close groundwater table, which leads to swamping. Previously a branched drainage system has been developed, with local disturbances of the soil cover. There is dominated woodlands of natural and artificial origin пїЅ in approximately equal proportions (in fractions 52/48 forested area). The predominant species is pine (34% forested area). The average age of the stand is about 100 years. Prevailing communities are complex pine forests with participation of linden, oak, elm and maple. So, FES core has well conserved natural vegetation and especially soil cover. FESпїЅ soil cover is comparative with soil cover of the principal regional reference site for the southern taiga zone in the European part of Russia пїЅ Central Forest Preserve, according to its soil cover patterns and landscape organization, dominant soil profiles, their texture, lithological construction, soil feature and regimes, and even actual soil forming processes and successions. At the same time, FES is the biggest urban forest of the Timiryazev district, which is one of the most environmentally friendly district in the all areas of traditional Moscow with comparatively low urban environmental impact, especially on soil cover. In these conditions, Forest Experimental Station ecosystems are characterized by the mutually increased spatial variability and soil cover patterns with soil subtype/type and functional-environmental quality differentiation due to soft mesorelief forms that is typical for the southern taiga zone. This has to be taken into attention in case of man-changed soil environmental assessment in the processes of landscape design or construction environmental impact assessment.
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