North and Central Asia FAO-Unesco Soil Tnap of the World 1 : 5 000 000 Volume VIII North and Central Asia FAO - Unesco Soil Map of the World
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FAO-Unesco S oilmap of the 'world 1:5 000 000 Volume VII North and Central Asia FAO-Unesco Soil tnap of the world 1 : 5 000 000 Volume VIII North and Central Asia FAO - Unesco Soil map of the world Volume I Legend Volume II North America Volume III Mexico and Central America Volume IV South America Volume V Europe Volume VI Africa Volume VII South Asia Volume VIIINorth and Central Asia Volume IX Southeast Asia Volume X Australasia FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION FAO-Unesco Soilmap of the world 1: 5 000 000 Volume VIII North and Central Asia Prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Unesco-Paris 1978 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not irnply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations or of the United Nations Educa- tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization con- cerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delirnitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Printed by Tipolitografia F. Failli, Rome, for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Published in 1978 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Place de Fontenoy, 75700 Paris C) FAO/Unesco 1978 ISBN 92-3-101345-9 Printed in Italy PREFACE The project for a joint FAO/Unesco Soil Map of vested with the responsibility of compiling the techni- the World was undertaken following a recommenda- cal information, correlating the studies and drafting tion of the International Society of Soil Science. the final maps and text.FAO and Unesco shared It is the first attempt to prepare, on the basis of the expenses involved in the realization of the project, international cooperation, a soil map covering all and Unesco undertook publication of itsresults. the continents of the world in a uniform legend, The present volume, covering the soils of North thus enabling the correlation of soil units and com- and Central Asia, is the eighth of a set of ten which parisons on a global scale.The project, which started make up the complete publication of the Soil Map in 1961, fills a gap in present knowledge of soil po- of the World.The first volume records introductory tentialities throughout the world and provides a information and presents thedefinitionsof the useful instrument in planning agricultural and eco- elements of the legend which isused uniformly nomic development programmes. throughoutthepublication.Each of thenine The project has been carried out under the scien- following volumes comprises an explanatory text tific authority of an international advisory panel, and the corresponding map sheetscovering the within the framework of FAO and Unesco pro- main regions of the world. grammes. The different stages of the work included FAO and Unesco wish to express their gratitude comparative studies of soil maps, field and laboratory to the government institutions,the International work, and the organization of international expert Society of SoilScience and the many individual meetings and study tours.The secretariat of the soil scientists who have contributed so much to this joint project, located at FAO Headquarters, was international project. CONTENTS Preface 6. Land use and soil suitability. 72 Acrisols 72 Summaries Cambisols 73 Chernozems 75 English Podzoluvisols 75 French G. Gleysols 76 Russian 1.Lithosols 77 Spanish Fluvisols 77 Kastanozems 77 78 I. Introduction 1 L. Luvisols M. Greyzems 79 O. Histosols 79 Acknowledgements 3 P.Podzols 80 Arenosols 80 Regosols 80 The map 4 S.Solonetz 81 T. Andosols 81 Topographic base 4 U. Rankers 81 Map units 4 V. Vertisols 81 Cartogaphic representation 4 W. Planosols 82 Sources of information 6 X. Xerosols 82 Yermosols 82 Solonchaks 83 Environmental conditions 9 Shifting sands 83 Glaciers and snow caps 84 Climate 9 Vegetation 15 Geotectonics 28 Appendixes Geomorphology 30 1.Morphological,chemicalandphysical Lithology 35 properties of soils of North and Central Asia: data from selected profiles 85 5. The soils of North and Central Asia 38 Figures (at back of volume) Distribution of major soils 38 1.Climatic regions Soil regions of the polar belt 38 2.Broad vegetation regions Soil regions of the boreal cold temperate belt 53 3.Tectonic regions Soil regions of the subboreal temperate belt 60 4.Geomorphological regions Soil regions of the subtropical warm tem- 5.Broad lithological regions perate belt. 67 6.Broad soil regions SUMMARY This volume describes the North and Central Asian regions of the continent.Since the criteria used in section of the 1: 5 000 000 Soil Map of the World. delimiting units are those that are important to crop The compilation of the SoiI Map of North and growth, the climatic map is supplementary to the Central Asia was accomplished by FAO and Unesco soil map in the transfer of crop information from in a joint project initiated in 1961 in close cooperation one part of the continent to another.Here only with the government institutions concerned. the higher categories are discussed.The main cli- matic regions areoutlined on a small-scale map (Figure 1). The maps Vegetation is discussed on the basis of 11 broad The map sheets which make up the Soil Map of vegetation regions and 39 regions distinguished on North and Central Asia are drawn on topographic the basis of the habitat (either climatic or edaphic), base maps of the 1: 5 000 000 series of the American and of the physiognomy and structure of the vege- Geographical Society.The map units are associations tation.These are outlined on a small-scaIe map of soil units divided into texture and slope classes. (Figure 2).The text gives some brief notes on each They are marked on the maps by symbols.Dominant broad region and on the location and nature of the soils are shown by colours and phases are shown regions. by overprints. Geotectonics and geomorphology are examined in A small inset map shows the reliability of soil terms of main groups of regions which are shown information from which the map was compiled. on small-scale maps (Figures 3 and 4). Detailed definitions of the soil units and fuH de- scriptions of all the terms used may be found in Lithology is considered under 20 broad lithological Volume I. types outlined in Figure 5.The text outlines the geological origins and nature of the main surface deposits. The text The first chapter describes the development of the SOILS AND LAND USE project in North and Central Asia and gives some Chapters 5 and 6 describe the soils of the continent. notes on uses of the map.The second acknowledges They contain an extensive table of soil associations, the cooperation of the agencies and people who an account of the distribution of the main soils, and contributed to the maps and text, and the third a discussion of land use and soil suitabilities for gives a summary of the material in Volume I on the agriculture. maps and legend. The table of soil associations listsall the map The main chapters of this volume deal with environ- units in alphabetical order of symbols and shows mental conditions and use of soils and land. associated soils, inclusions, phases, areas of units in 1 000 ha, climate symbols, and countries of occurrence. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS The distribution of major soils is discussed on the basis of 113 soil regions grouped into 11 soil-bio- Chapter 4 deals with the environmental factors climatic provinces of four broad soil-bioclimatic that are important in the development of soils: belts.They are outlined on a small-scale map climate, vegetation, geotectonics, geomorphology and (Figure 6) and listed in Table 4 in alphabetical order lithology. of symbols.The main soils of each region are Climate is discussed on the basis of nine broad discussed in relation to environmental factors and climatic types related to general physico-geographical their important characteristics are noted. viii SOIL MAP OF NORTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Present land use and suitabilities for agriculture salt-affected soils such as Solonchaks and Solonetz; are discussed at first in general with an account of shifting sands occupy large areas in the deserts. traditional and modern farming systems.Then the There are also extensive areas with poor drainage, main soil units are considered separately.Their especially in the northern part of the continent.Here present use is described, and the suitability of the soils are mostly Gleysols or soils of Gleyic units. land for both traditional and modern farming is Soils with permafrost (Gelic units) occupy large outlined. areas in the north.The severe climatic conditions The pattern of land use shows that only a small of these soils are a major limitation to agriculture. part (no more than 10 percent) of the land is under Steeplands cover about half of the continent. cultivation.Most of this is on the margins of the Apart from Lithosols, which are dominant, a great continent, and huge areas are not used for agriculture. variety of soils occur in the mountain systems of Agricultural production can be substantially increased North and Central Asia, in accordance with the en- by utilizing soil resources at present unused and by vironmental conditions.Most of them are lithic making better use of soils now under cultivation. and are usually stony. The-y- may be Eutric or Dystric, acid or alkaline, well-drained or Gleyic, or even Gelic, depending on the altitude, geology and geo- CONCLUSIONS graphic position of the mountain system.Most of these areas can be utilized only for mountain pasture An outstanding feature of the soils of North and or forest.