Agroecological monitoring of dried organogenic soils of the Left-Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

Goal. To monitor drained organogenic soils for their long-term agricultural use and based on analysis of the obtained data to determine ways to optimize the properties of drained peat-lands and to assess their ecological status in the future. Methods. System analysis, field, laboratory, analytical, computational, and mathematical and statistical. Results. It is established that for the 36 years of agricultural use of peat soils the decrease in peat thickness on average per year on shallow peat-lands is 0.7 cm, medium-deep — 1.2, deep — 1.5 cm, density (bulk density) increased on average almost in 1.4 times, and the total moisture content decreased in 1.6 times. Peat became multi-ash (47–59%), and almost no acidity was observed in the soil (pHwater — 7.4–7.8%). The amount of gross phosphorus increased on average by 6–8%, nitrogen, depending on the method of use decreased by 8-10%, the amount of potassium remained unchanged. Conclusions. To normalize the ecological situation and the balanced and rational use of drained peat-lands, plant communities should be created on these lands with maximum proximity to natural ecosystems, in particular, to grow perennial grasses for fodder purposes and energy crops with a 20–25 year cycle. That optimizes peat mineralization processes and will ensure the productivity of perennial grasses at the level of 8.14 t/ha of dry matter and energy crops, willow — 39.40 t/ha, miscanthus giant — 25.73 t/ha of dry matter, or 669.8 GJ/ha and 437.4 GJ/ha of energy.