Retrospective analysis of agricultural land use of experimental station “Oroshaemaya” during a half century

Information about land use history is needed for investigation of soil cover transformation, evolution and degradation under human economic activity. The aim of article is to submit results of retrospective analysis of agricultural land use at the zone of light-chestnut solonetzic soil cover. Object is lands of the Experimental station “Oroshaemaya”, Volgograd region, Volga-Don irrigation system. Analysis is carried out on the bases of many space images, archive data and consultations of specialists from All-Russian Research Institute of Irrigated Agriculture. Schemes of land use at different time periods from 1970s till 2023, diagrams of dynamics of dry arable lands, irrigated lands and agricultural fallow are submitted. Nine variants of changing land areas over time are identified: 1 - dry arable land constantly from 1970; 2 - dry arable land → irrigated land → dry arable land; 3 - irrigated land → dry arable land; 4 - dry arable land → irrigated land; 5 - irrigated land → dry arable land → irrigated land; 6 - irrigated land → dry arable land → agricultural fallow; 7 - dry arable land → agricultural fallow; 8 - agricultural fallow constantly from 1970; 9 - unused lands in recent years. Duration of the same type of use for each field is determined. Statistical characteristics of plow horizon thickness in soils of Experimental station are calculated.