Pavel Stanislavovich Shulga

The Department of Erosion and Soil Protection has developed the main scientific directions – «Assessment of ero- sion processes in soils of various bioclimatic zones», «Study of the basics of sustainable land use» and «Ecological and economic assessment of soil and land degradation». It is proposed to develop both existing areas of scientific research with a certain adjustment of their names and problems («Analysis and modeling of erosion processes in soils, including in the context of climate change», «Development of the concept of sustainable land use in the context of food security», «Ecology, economics and socio-demographic features of land use in the context of climate change and soil degradation»), as well as new directions that have some research history at the department — «Development of principles of soil protection», «Development of methodological foundations of land reclamation». The necessity of creating a holistic concept of soil protection is considered in particular detail. This concept should include both the formulation of legal (legislative and regulatory-methodological) principles of soil protection, and the definition of criteria for assessing soils under which their protection can be carried out, and the development of soil protection systems (first of all, from the manifestation of erosion processes) in various bioclimatic and administrative-territorial conditions.

Summary Soil erosion as one of the types of land degradation aff ects various economic interests of people. It is shown that the most promising areas of erosion studies, where economic methods can be applied, are — assessment of actual damage fr om soil erosion, determination of the magnitude of probable damage from the occurrence of erosion
processes in soils, economic analysis in the development of sustainable land use systems for territories whose soils are subject to erosion. Th e group of methods for determining economic damage is characterized by the greatest development, including taking into account ecosystem services that soils «lose» as a result of erosion processes. Methods for assessing the risk of soil erosion have signifi cant development potential, since by now a powerful database of predictive models and equations (USLE, RUSLE, RUSLE2, WEPP, EUROSE, CREAMS, EPIC, VNIIZiZPE, etc.) has been created, allowing to assess indicators of soil erosion in the future. Th e neoclassical theory of capital is used in the development of sustainable land use systems, which requires that the fertility of the soil and the net social benefits from non-market goods and services from agricultural land should be maintained over time. Th us, it is possible to
create compensatory taxation mechanisms for territories wh ere soil erosion processes occur.

The paper presents the results of grouping the lands of the Educational and Experimental Soil and Ecological Center of Lomonosov Moscow State University "Chashnikovo" territory according to the degree of erosion and the need for anti-erosion measures. The work uses an express method of mapping the studied territory using a 1:5,000 scale topographic base, a soil map and an on-farm land management plan. The grouping of the lands of the territory was carried out for the territories of field crop rotations № 1 and 2. It has been established that the lands of the second (46.3%) and third (38.1%) categories of erosion hazard predominate in the territory of crop rotation № 1 (total area 75.6 hectares). An analysis of the land distribution of field crop rotation № 2 (area 67.2 ha) showed that the land categories were distributed as follows: the first — 37.5%, the second — 26.5% and the third — 29.3%. The main recommendations for the rational use of crop rotation areas are given, taking into account the application of anti-erosion measures on lands of 4 categories. No special anti-erosion measures are required in the territories assigned to the first category of Class "A" lands. On lands of the second category, preventive measures are needed to reduce surface runoff and soil drainage (carrying out basic and auxiliary soil treatments across the slope or close to the horizontal). Lands of the third category — it is necessary to carry out a complex of anti-erosion measures aimed at reducing surface runoff and soil washout (contour plowing, soil deepening, formation of artificial microrelief). On lands of the fourth category of erosion hazard, the introduction of a soil-protective crop rotation is required, in which row crops are excluded. The share of perennial grasses (2/3 of the area) and grain crops (1/3 of the area) is increasing. Increased doses of fertilizers are required on lands of the third and fourth categories. The doses are increased for lands of the 3rd category by 15%, 4 — by 30% compared to the doses for the 2nd category.