Soil-geographical zoning as a direction of science and as the basis for rational land use

The history of soil-geographical zoning in Russia and the role of G.V. Dobrovol’skii in the development of this direction of soil science are elucidated. It is shown that the principles and methods of soilgeographical zoning have been refined since the 1960s. A new map of soil-ecological zoning of the Russian Federation on a scale of 1: 2.5 M is presented, and the principles and methods of its compilation are discussed. The information content of this map, its taxonomic units, legend, and specific features of the design are described. The lithogeomorphic specificity of the separated soil okrugs and the climatic parameters of the air and soil regimes for the plain and mountainous provinces are briefly characterized. This map has contributed to the theory of soil-geographical zoning. It has a great practical meaning as the basis for the organization of rational land use with due account for the zonal and regional diversity of soil cover in Russia. It can also be used for the development of target-specific kinds of zoning. The role of this map in the cartographic block of the soil-geographical database of Russia is specified.