Assessment of the physical condition of soils in the north-eastern coastal ecosystems of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir in the Volgograd Region

DOI: 10.34736/FNC.2026.133.2.001.08-15 ____  ____  ____

Abstract. The article presents the results of assessing the physical condition of soils in the coastal ecosystems of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir in the dry-steppe zone of the Volgograd Region (Ok-tyabrsky and Kalachevsky districts). Soil properties such as moisture, bulk density, field capacity, ag-gregate and granulometric composition, humus content, and pH were studied in the root layer (0-40 cm), taking into account the distance from the shoreline. It was found that the physical condition of soils in the coastal ecosystems of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir is generally satisfactory. The soils have a good structure (structural coefficient for surface horizons > 2) and are sufficiently supplied with hu-mus (2-4 %) and moisture (except for sandy layers). Morphological features indicate the development of solonetzic processes, which are accompanied by soil compaction and changes in soil structure. Silty fractions dominate in the granulometric composition of the studied soils. The soils in the Oktyabrsky district are highly sandy (more than 40 % in the surface horizon). Changes in soil properties with depth were observed: at depths of 10-30 cm, soil compaction increases (bulk density > 1.84 g/cm³), and the structural coefficient decreases (down to 0.66), which most likely indicates the development of solo-netzic processes. As the distance from the shoreline increases, signs of solonetz formation become more pronounced, which is reflected in higher soil density and poorer soil structure. The results high-light the importance of regular monitoring of soil physical properties in coastal areas to detect degrada-tion processes in time and support decisions on soil conservation.

Keywords. Reservoir, dry-steppe zone, coastal ecosystems, soil, physical soil properties, soil condition assessment.

Funding. The work was performed within the framework of the State Assignment "Theoretical foundations and methodology for assessing the greenhouse gas balance in freshwater reservoirs in the arid conditions of southern Russia" (code FNFE-2025-0012).

For citation. Fedotova A. V., Timofeev E. P. Assessment of the physical condition of soils in the north-eastern coastal ecosystems of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir in the Volgograd Region // Scientific Agronomic Journal. 2026; 2(133):08-15.. DOI: 10.34736/FNC.2026.133.2.001.08-15

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