Morphogenetic and Chemical Properties of Soils in the Receded Aral Sea Under Unsuitable Conditions for Cultivation

Jabbarov, Zafarjon; Abdrakhmanov, Tokhtasin; Eshova, Kholisa; Nomozov, Urol; Abdullaev, Shokhrukh; Yangiboyev, Elmurod; Makhkamova, Dilafruz; Imomov, Otamurod; Zafarjonov, Nurmukhammad; Wiłkomirski, Bogusław; Sidikov, Saidjon

doi:10.21608/ejss.2025.424117.2368

Morphogenetic and Chemical Properties of Soils in the Receded Aral Sea Under Unsuitable Conditions for Cultivation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Tashkent

² National University of Uzbekistan

³ 2Tashkent branch of the Samarkand state university veterinary medicine of livestock and biotechnologies

⁴ National University of Uzbekistan, University Street 4, 100174 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

⁵ Department of Soil Science, National University of Uzbekistan is named after Mirzo Ulugbek.

⁶ University of Warsaw Biological and Chemical Research Centre

10.21608/ejss.2025.424117.2368

Abstract

The article provides information on the formation and modification of soils in the area left behind by the drying of the Aral Sea, located in Central Asia. The research was conducted by dividing the region into three zones: Zone I: the shores of the Aral Sea that dried up 50 years ago, Zone II: sand deposits carried by wind, Zone III: the central part that dried up 18-20 years ago. According to the results, Arenosols have formed in Zones I and II, while Solonchaks have developed in Zone III. Over time, the properties of these soils have undergone various changes. For example, the humus content in the soils of Zones I and II has increased, reaching 0.14-0.47%, while in Zone III, it has been recorded at 0.26%. The amount of available phosphorus in the soils of Zone III was 13.40 mg/kg, whereas it ranged from 0.15 to 18.61 mg/kg in the soils of Zones I and II. Potassium content in the soils of Zone III was 86.01 mg/kg, compared to 72.45-136.52 mg/kg in Zones I and II. The degree of salinity also varied, increasing from Zone I to Zone III. The types of salinity identified were chloride, sulfate-chloride, and chloride-sulfate, with saline crust formation observed in Zone III. The highest concentration of salts was found in the upper layers of the soil profile. Based on the granulometric composition of the soils, the amount of physical clay (particles sized 0.01-0.001 mm) varies across the profiles. A tendency for an increase in the amount of physical clay (0.01-0.001 mm particles) was observed moving from Zone I to Zone III. The granulometric composition ranged from light loam to loose sand. This indicates that soil formation and transformation are most active in the regions with initially dried and wind-deposited sands, whereas in the central part, which dried more recently, soil transformation occurs at a slower pace.

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