Biological indicators and their significance in the diagnosis of alluvial-meadow soils

The priority issue that is covered in the article is the expediency of using biological indicators in the diagnosis of alluvial-meadow soils. In Azerbaijan, floodplain soils, common on terraces and alluvial fans of large rivers, where there are groundwater recharge conditions and the influence of the flood floodplain regime, have been widely studied. Alluvial-meadow soils develop under the meadow soil with forb-cereal groups and shrub vegetation under the active influence of groundwater occurring at a depth of 1.0-3.5 and surface (flood) moisture. Rich herbaceous vegetation causes the development of the sod process; as a result, a large amount of organic matter accumulates. Considering that various subtypes of floodplain soils are formed, under characteristic bioclimatic conditions, our goal was to study some biological indicators of alluvial-meadow soils of natural and cultivated cenoses. On the selected biotopes (virgin cenosis, near-terrass biotope, alluvial deposits of Shin-chai, as well as agrocenoses of cereals and tobacco), the group composition and amount of microbiota, complexes of invertebrates, phytomass and humus content were comparatively studied. The accounting of phytomass on the virgin cenosis showed that plant products amount to 363 g/m2 of raw and 26 g/m2 of dry mass. Possible relationships between individual biological and some physico-chemical parameters are considered. The results obtained can be used as biotests in the diagnosis of alluvial-meadow soils. Plants are the primary source of organic residues in the soil, their main function of which as a soil-forming plant is to create primary bioproducts and participate in the global biological cycle.