Maximum Humus Horizon Thickness as a Criterion for Identifying Standard Soils in the Crimean Plain

Abstract—The identification of the main soil categories in the structure of the regional Red Book should focus on typical soils that were formed taking into account the zonal soil-ecological conditions of the territory. The initial, preagrogenic thickness of the humus horizon that fully implements the soil-forming potential of natural factors of full-profile climax soils can serve as a criterion for identifying standard soils. However, the search for these sites has some methodological difficulties. The proposed mathematical modeling for processes of the soil humus horizon’s formation makes it possible to quantify the legitimacy in the identification of standard soils. This method allows using cartographic models for determining the maximum thickness of the humus horizon. Analysis of the presented material suggests that the profiles of most agricultural lands are currently 30% destroyed in Crimea compared to the estimated maximum thickness of the humus horizon, which predetermines the search for standard soils only in areas that were not previously exposed to agrogenic conditions (most often, in specially protected natural areas), taking into account the features of the zonal process of soil formation.