The properties of forest and postagrogenic soils developing on sandy and loamy sediments of the Komi Republic

Comparative features of natural and postagrogenic soils developing on sandy and loamy sediments are presented. The morphological and physico-chemical properties of typical forest soils: illuvialferriferous podzol formed under the cowber- ry-green moss pine forest and podzolic texturedifferentiated soil developing under the bilberry-green moss spruce forest - are given. The results of studies of the soils of abandoned hayfields, that had previously passed the stage of the arable land and were withdrawn from use 8-10 years ago, are presented. It was revealed that postagrogenic soils are characterized by the absence of litter, wellexpressed arable horizon and preservation of eluvial horizons. It is shown that postagrogenic soils are less acidic, the soil absorbing complex is enriched with exchange forms of calcium and magnesium. Arable horizons are characterized by high concentrations of carbon and nitrogen, as compared with the upper mineral horizons of natural soils. The increase in total carbon is due to organic matter strongly impregnated with the mineral component of soil.