Micromorphological Characterization of Soils of the Solonetzic Complex (Dzhanybek Plain)

A comparative analysis of physico-chemical and micromorphological properties in samples of 1968 sampling from virgin soils of the dry-steppe saline complex as the starting point of the 1968-2022 chronosequence was carried out. The study of climatic parameters for the period 1914–1968 showed that in the 54 years preceding the sampling, soils developed in relatively stable climatic conditions. Analysis of soil properties showed that on an almost flat area with a height difference of only 3.6 cm at a distance of 229 cm, soils differ significantly in depth and degree of salinity, degree of solonetzization, set of humus microforms and organic matter content, presence and size of clay coatings, degree of mobility of micromass. This confirms the patterns of moisture redistribution described in numerous studies in this area, even with very small elevation differences. Based on the set of available indicators, it can be concluded that soils of the microcatena are belong to different taxonomic units. The soil of the lower part of the microslope according to the USSR Soil Classification (1977) can be attributed to light chestnut soil, according to the international classification WRB (2015) it can be attributed to Haplic Kastanozem (Loamic). Soils with a high content of exchangeable sodium and the presence of clay coatings, located in the middle and upper parts of the microslope, according to both classifications belong to Solonetz.