Features of the genesis and the age of dark-humus soils (Haplic Phaeozems) in the Kaluzhskie Zaseki Nature Reserve

The morphological structure of dark-humus soils (Haplic Phaeozems) was studied in old-growth oakdominated forests in the Southern area of the Kaluzhskie Zaseki Nature Reserve (the Kaluga region). Darkhumus soils are mainly confined to areas with ravine relief, both on the flat surfaces (placors) and on the slopes. They form small patches within vast areas of sod-podzolic and grey soils (Luvisols). The structure of three trenches from 2.5 to 5 meters long was analyzed and the radiocarbon age of 15 soil samples was determined. Profiles of the studied dark-humus soils have the structure AU-C, where AU is a dark-humus horizon and C is a bedrock (clay loam). The proportion of organic carbon at the depth of 0–10 cm is from 4.4 to 8%, with depth its content in AU varies from 1 to 3%. Two main morphological levels can be distinguished in the profiles: (1) a background horizon up to 40–60 cm thick and (2) ancient pits (cauldrons) resulting from rotational treefalls up to 120–130 cm thick with the dark-humus material. Humus profiles of the studied soils in the Kaluzhskie Zaseki reserve are the deepest among the described noncarbonate soils with darkhumus horizons within the Russian Plain. The age of dark humus soils in the Kaluzhskie Zaseki reserve in general corresponds to the age of other forest-steppe soils of the Russian Plain. The humus age in the upper part of the AU horizon varies from 230±150 to 2690±110 cal. years BP; in the lower part it is about 6000 cal. years BP. Age of humus in the ancient pits varies from 4320±130 to 8170±140 cal. years BP; in most cases it exceeds the age of humus in the lower part of the background AU horizon. We assume that the initial depth of pits caused by treefalls did not exceed 60 cm; deeper pits (up to 150 cm deep) are younger. This hypothesis is supported by (i) the results of analysis of the structural features of the profiles including the crack network in the C (BC) horizon; (ii) the age of humus formed on the material of Сturb after treefalls and (iii) the difference in ages of humus «buried» in the pits and the «background» humus. The estimated age of treefalls ranges from 700 to 2700 cal. years BP (the late Holocene). post-graduate The studied soils in the Kaluzhskie Zaseki reserve are the example of continuous formation of forest soils, with resulting deep dark-humus profile. At the same time, no traditional features of the chernozem «steppe» and podzolic «forest» stages of soil formation during the Holocene were found in these soils.

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