International Symposium on Black Soils (ISBS18): Protect Black Soils, Invest in the Future, 10 - 12 September 2018, Harbin, China

1. Black soils of Mongolia
Enkhtuya Bazarradnaa

2. Overview
• Chernozem ( from the Russian black earth) is a
rich humus content, dark-colored soil type
formed under conditions of a sub boreal and
moderately continental climate
• Chernozem is a rich fertile soil.
• Chernozems develop on limestone, gypsums
and dolomites under grass-and-cereal plant
communities.

3. • Chernozem is formed in nature for several
thousand years, in conditions of a warm and
humid climate.
• The natural perfection of chernozem is not
able to replace any mineral and organic
fertilizers.
• It is impossible to create chernozem
artificially due to it is being formulated for
hundreds years by influence of natural
factors (geological, climatic, biological, etc.).

4. Chermozem properties
Chernozems have a good water-air properties,
• a lumpy or granular structure,
• a high calcium content (70 -90%),
• a neutral reaction,
• a rich natural fertility,
• an intensive humification and
• a high humus content in the upper layers.

5. Black soil profile
Structure of the soil profile of typical
chernozems:
• A - humus-accumulative horizon
• B - transition horizon
• C - parent rock
• D - bedrock

6. Black soils of Mongolia
• Steppe soil is the most widespread in
Mongolia
• More than 48% of the country's total area is
occupied by steppe soil, of which 18.4% are
in the valleys, others are distributed in the
mountains
• Steppe soils in the valleys are classified into
two main types including Chernozems and
Kashtanozems

7. Area
• Chernozem is spread over the mountains of
Khangai, Khentii, and Huvsgul and dominated a
steppe habitats in Onon, Kherlen, Orkhon and
Selenge river valleys of Mongolia at 1500-1600
meters above sea level.
• The chernozem is about 0.6% and kashtanozem
is 17.8% of the country's total area

8. Types of chernozems
• Divided by 2 haracteristics:
1) The thickness of the humus layer (A + AB):
2) In terms of humus content,% :
• Subtypes:
Chernozem divided by into 4 subtypes:
1. Chernozem with high humus content(8-12%),
2. Chernozem with low humus content(5-8%),
3. Meadows chernozem (8-16%)
4. Agricultural chernozem (5-6%)

9. The thickness of the humus layer
1. super-power (power more than 120 cm)
2. powerful (120-80 cm)
3. medium-power (80-40 cm)
4. low-power (less than 40 cm)

10. The humus content,%
1. high (> 10%) (color black)
2. medium-humus (9-6%) (black)
3. low-humus (6-4%) (dark gray)
4. weakly humus (<4%) (gray)

11. Steppe Kastanozem and its features
• Kastanozem is the most widely distributed soil in
Mongolia
• Research results of soil mapping shows, that 50% of the
total country’s area occupied kasmanozem in Mongolia
(D. Avaadorj 1996)
• According to map of 1: 1000000 scale of the soil
resources in Мongolia, kastanozem occupies 17.8% of
steppe area and 22.6% of the mountainous area (in total
40.4%) ( D.Dorjgotov and G.Undrah 2002)

12. • The specificity of kastanozem features by
result of rare annual rainfall, short
vegetation time, harsh winter and dry spring.
• The kastanozem will spread to the altitude of
1200-1300 meters above sea level.
• It also forms vertical zone of mountains area
and reaching the altitude of 2500-3000
meters above see level.

13. Kastanozem properties
Kastanozem is no accumulation of soluble salts
and gypsum
• a lumpy or granular structure,
• a karbotnate
• a neutral reaction,
• a light texture content,
• a thickness of profile is 100-150 cm
• a high seasonal temperature change and
freezes at depths up of 3-4 meters in the winter

14. Kastanozem
• The structure of the soil profile of Mongolian
kasmanozem(Ufimtsova, 1984)
A - humus-accumulative horizon(35-40cm)
B - transition horizon(10-40cm)
Bk (BCck)- Carbonate horizon (1-2m)
C - parent rock

15. 2. Challenges of Black Soils in
Mongolia
• Mongolian chernozem is unsuitable for cultivation, but
Kastanozem is more suitable for it.
• Most of cultivated area is occupied kastanozem in
Mongolia.
• Approximately 80 % of the total land area (156.4 × 106
ha) can be used for pastoral activities, but only 1 % is
suitable for cultivation.
• The total size of arable land is estimated to be 1.2 × 106
ha, of which 664,300 hectares is used as cropland, while
561,000 ha is abandoned.

16.  During the last 70 years the
absolute air temperature
raised by 2.140C which is 3
times more than world
average ( 0.770C)
 Severe drought sequence
increased
 Soil erosion and degradation
increased by 7-25 times, the
soil humus content declined
by 37-52%. Not enough soil
fertility recovery due to low
application of mineral and
organic fertilizers.
 Yield potential of existing old varieties
reduced due to climate change
 Pest and disease distribution frequency
and damage increased.
SOC decreaseing
Climate change
Land and resources

17. Soil erosion
• As a result of intensive cultivation practices during
the last 60 years, the soil humus content has
declined by 15–44 %.
• Approximately 71 % of cropland soil has less than
2.5 % humus content, indicating low soil
productivity.

18. HUMUS CONTENT of ARABLE LAND, %
Óëñû í òàðèàëàíãèéí òàëáàéí õºðñíèé ÿëçìàãèéí
àíãèëàë, 2010 îí
7.0%
15.1%
14.2%
23.0%
40.7%
<0.9 1.0-1.9 2.0-2.5 2.6-2.9 3<
ßëçìàãèéíàãóóëàëò, %
 The 70,7 % of 579,3 thou ha contains humus lower
than 2.5% which is lower than average.
 Only 15.1% contain over 3% humus.

19. Soil erosion level of arable land (%)
61.4% highly eroded
34.9% moderately eroded
3.7% low eroded
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
61.4
34.9
3.7

20. Nuitreint balance
The agrochemical analysis of soil samples revealed
that 70 % of the 19 Agriculture Company in
Mongolia Under Pressure of Agronomic Nutrient
Depleted natural soil fertility combined with low
levels of fertilizer application represent the principal
constraints for the intensification of agricultural
production.
The calculation of the nutrient balance shows
negative values for both nitrogen and phosphorus
for all 3 years (Bach and Altenburger 2011).

21. Provision level of Soil nutrients
Nitrate nitrogen content:
 59.7% has low provision level
(lower than average),
 40.3% has good provision level
0
10
20
30
40
50
ñàéí äóíä ìóó
Íèòðàòàçîòûí àãóóëàëòìã/ êã
Óëñûíòàðèàëàíãèéíòàëáàéíõºðñíèéíèòðàòàçîò(NO3-N)-ûí
õàíãàëòûíçýðýã
ñàéí äóíä ìóó
Óëñû í òàðèàëàíãèéí òàëáàéí õºðñíèé õºäºë㺺íò
ô îñô îð (P2O5)-û í õàíãàëòû í çýðýã, 2010 îí
42.3%
23.0%
34.7%
ñàéí äóíä áàãà
Õºäºë㺺íòôîñôîðûí àãóóëàëò, ìã/100ã
Available phosphorus content:
 23.0 % good
 42.3 % medium
 34.7 % low
0
20
40
60
ñàéíäóíä ìóó
32.7
55.8
Exchangable potassium content:
11.5 % good level
32.7 % medium level
55.8 % low level

22. Thank you for your attention