Soil monitoring in Ukraine — the problems of land use, soil science and scientific support

Abstract

Goal. Analysis of the current state of soil monitoring in Ukraine, justification of the ways of land use, soil science, their scientific and organizational support with determination of areas for further development. Methods. Dialectical method of cognition — for the study of the status and development of soil monitoring and modern system of information support of land management; monographic — for the purpose of study of scientific works and scientific and technical publications, legislative basis, and statistical information; abstract-logical — for theoretical generalization and formation of conclusions. Results. Ways are submitted for consideration improving the efficiency of soil management and the implementation of the tasks of soil monitoring. The main sources of information on the respective monitoring tasks are planning and cartographic materials, including orthophoto plans; data of state and departmental cadastres (registers); soil and agrochemical surveys, agrochemical certification; ecological-reclamation surveys of soils on irrigated and drained lands; researches in the status of lands in the territories contaminated after the Chernobyl disaster, and in the zones of influence of the existing nuclear power stations. As economic stimulation as an effective method of soil preservation in Ukraine is not applied, the introduction of fee for violation of regulations, rules, and standards for the protection of land is the only statutory law. Conclusions. Rational agricultural land use in Ukraine requires an urgent solution to the problem of creation of the system of continuous land monitoring using remote sensing data of the Earth, as well as large scale study of the soil cover, introduction of national geospatial data infrastructure. In order to ensure high-quality soil monitoring in Ukraine, to conduct relevant research, and to introduce economic levers for soil fertility protection, the Institute of Soil Monitoring should be established within the NAAS.