THE SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT OF SOIL DEGRADATION

The measurement and ecological assessment of soil quality or conversel y soil degradation, is important in Russia. Thus, based on the analysi s of current standards and scientific studies, we developed a set of r epresentative soil quality (soil degradation) indicators to assess the physical, chemical, and biological degradation of soil for various an thropogenic uses of the land. We have provided a matrix of indicators for each of the three processes of degradation. The indicators are gro uped into five stages of degradation: high quality (non-degraded), wea kly degraded, moderately degraded, highly degraded, and very highly de graded. We have proposed a rate index as a final estimate of soil degr adation. We provide examples of how to calculate the soil quality inde x (soil degradation) and how to interpret the index. Finally we sugges t methods for displaying soil quality using soil survey maps and remot e sensing procedures.