The relationships between eight groups of mull-like soils In northeast
ern Asia are considered in terms of factor-genetic soil properties (in
cluding those induced by the lithogenic factor), soil regimes, and sub
stantive soil characteristics. It is demonstrated that the main factor
s responsible for soil distinctions are the degree of soil moistening
and the content of quartz and weatherable minerals in the soils. Clima
tic and lithogenic conditions that are required for the development of
such soil processes as Al-Fe-humus migration, humus accumulation, iro
n accumulation, and structure formation are determined for the mull-li
ke soils of a cold semiarid-semihumid climate. The place of these soil
s among the other groups of pebbly and stony soils of cold and moderat
ely cold environments is discussed.