Spatial And Geochemical Characteristics of the Soils of the Barents Sea Sector of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation

The primary spatial and geochemical characteristics of poorly studied soils of the Barents Sea coast is an important element in the development of the theoretical basis of soil science (including the development of a system of taxonomic units and criteria for their allocation), as well as a necessary condition for rational environmental management. Morphological and primary physico-chemical characteristics are given, and the genesis of soils developing at different distances from the coastline (watts, sand and pebble spit, marches of different levels, ecotone (marginal) zone, watershed) is described. The most important patterns of spatial distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen reserves in the soils of the territory have been identified. In saline marching soils formed under conditions of periodic flooding by tidal and surging seawater, carbon reserves up to a depth of 1 m amount to 300–700, in watershed tundra soils exposed to marine aerosol precipitation, up to 1300 t/ha. Nitrogen reserves of coastal soils range from 14–50 t/ha. Proposals on the systematic position of the coastal soil group have been introduced into the current classification of Russian soils. It seems necessary to identify at the typical level: saline marching soils formed under conditions of periodic flooding by tidal and surging seawater, martinnate soils affected by the sea only through precipitation of marine aerosols and/or recharge by groundwater, with the specifics of fresh marine sediments, soils of river deltas and estuaries in the river–sea contact zone, the formation of which is additionally influenced by riverbed processes.