Articles

The high water retention and water capacity functions of detritus determine its potential hydrological significance in the formation of the water regime of soils and phytoproductivity of forest landscapes. Using computer modeling of water exchange in the “soil-plant-atmosphere” HYDRUS-1D system, we preliminary studied the hydrological func- tion of detritus for water retention of precipitation and root water consumption at different amounts and variants of the arrangement of detritus layers in the soil profile. The soil structures designed on the basis of this information for sustainable afforestation with increased carbon sequestration demonstrated in field experiments with water balance monitoring high efficiency in optimizing the water retention capacity of the soil and roots water consumption of the test crop (Glauca spruce) with a 2-3-fold reduction in unproductive water losses and a 1.5–2-fold increase in the current plant growth relative to untreated control. The physical mechanism of the detritus hydrological function is the formation of capillary barriers blocking evaporation and capillary resorption of soil water due to due to surface accumulation (forest litter) or placement in layers inside the soil (peat layers in constructosems).

Milestones in the study of oil-contaminated soils at the Faculty of Soil Science for 50 years of its foundation are dis- cussed from the prospects for the development of environmental regulation and new technologies of soil reclamation. The development of a methodological framework for the determination of oil and petroleum hydrocarbons in soils, studies of soil properties, the chemistry of oil and its components in soil and adjacent media are shown. The devel- opment of legislation on the rationing of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils is given, including the important role of the staff of Faculty of Soil Science of Moscow State University in the work out of a number of regional standards for the permissible residual content of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils is noted. The approaches to ecological rationing of oil and petroleum hydrocarbons in soils are proposed, in the aspects of natural climatic zones and the type of landuse. The importance of improving the regulatory and methodological framework and continuing work in this direction is emphasized. The necessity of research at developing technologies for reclamation of oil-contaminated lands and special use of oil-contaminated waste is indicated.

The article summarizes the results of recent research by the staff of Soil Biology Department Faculty of Soil Science of Lomonosov Moscow State University in the field of assessing the genetic potential of microbial communities of soils and their application in the development of fundamental soil and environmental technologies. Promising areas of further work related to the use of the microbial potential of soils for the purpose of bioremediation territories from ecotoxicants, the development of technologies for self-purification of soils based on the stimulation of natural communities of microorganisms, as well as the use of microbial cultures for biodegradation of petroleum products, pesticides and synthetic polymers. Another important direction is related to the development of scientific basis for the indication of biological objects in the environment and space objects. Within the framework of this direction, genomic analysis of uncultivated microorganisms from the Arctic, Antarctic and other extreme habitats is carried out, and the knowledge gained apply as a model of alien life. Another relevant direction for the Department of Soil Biology is the development of agrobiotechnologies based on the management of the natural soil microbiome, the creation of microbial preparations-stimulators of plant growth and development, microbiological ways to increase the proportion of biological nitrogen in plant nutrition, application of microbial plant endosymbionts and bioin- secticides. An equally important aspect is the search of producers of biologically active substances, such as phyto- hormones, antibiotics, enzymes, probiotics, hydrolytics of natural and artificial polymers. The considered areas of research in the field of soil biology are important for improving land management, environmental protection and the development of environmental technologies.