Cartographic Assessment of Soil Diversity in Russia

The paper describes approaches assessing the diversity of soils in Russia, as well as algorithms for quantitatively assessing the differentiation of soil bodies and covers. To assess soil diversity (or the degree of differentiation of parent rock materials into soil bodies and soil covers), two indices have been introduced: the vertical differentiation index (Ird) and the spatial lateral differentiation index (Ild (red)). These indices were computed based on the soil cover structure shown on the Soil Map of the Russian Federation on a scale of 1: 2.5 M within the spatial framework of the Map of Soil-Ecological Zoning of the Russian Federation on a scale of 1: 2.5 M. Based on the data obtained, the most complex soil covers and soil profiles on plains were identified at the boundary of the Boreal and Subboreal geographical belts in the zones of soddy-podzolic soils (umbric albeluvisols/umbric podzols) of the southern taiga and gray forest soils (albic luvisols/luvic greyic phaeozems) of deciduous forests characterized by widespread occurrence of dynamically mature soils, as well as in mountainous soil provinces of the Altai and Caucasus.