Comparison of two approaches for assessing solonetzic process in the virgin and human-transformed soils of the dry steppe zone

Abstract

Two approaches to diagnose the development of secondary solonetzic process in the reclaimed solonetzes and solonetzic soils of the dry steppe zone were compared. For this purpose, the kinetics of swell ing of crushed soil and the physicochemical characteristics of the soils were studied in the same samples. Both approaches gave similar results for the soils with the absence of the solonetzic process and for the soils in which this process was clearly manifested. To assess the risk of the development of the solonetzic process in the soils where its morphological manifestations are absent, the determination of the swelling kinetics and the calculation of the B index of the physicochemical conditions may be used.