MOSCOW, August 21. — A team of Russian researchers has, for the first time, conducted a detailed study of how soil chemistry changes during the natural recovery of forests on abandoned farmland in the non-chernozem zone. The analysis revealed that the most dramatic shifts occur in the top humus layer, where a significant increase in acidity was observed, according to the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).
According to Ivan Semenkov, senior researcher at Lomonosov Moscow State University, rising acidity can lead to a decline in essential nutrients, hinder plant growth, and trigger the leaching of macro- and microelements into rivers and lakes. These processes pose a serious challenge to soil quality and the long-term health of mixed forests.
Scientists emphasize that such changes are not unique to Russia: worldwide, farmland taken out of use gradually reverts to forest, bringing with it transformations in the chemical and microbial structure of soils. These shifts directly influence ecosystem resilience and biodiversity.
To track these processes, experts from Moscow State University, the RAS Center for Forest Ecology and Productivity, and HSE University examined 27 sites in the Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park. Once farmland, these areas now represent different stages of forest regrowth.
Their findings showed that the upper soil horizon is most affected by these transformations, while deeper layers remain relatively stable. This underlines the need to carefully monitor topsoil conditions to ensure the sustainable recovery of forest ecosystems.
